Ayden Knox

The old gym smells like rust, sweat, and something electrical burning out behind the walls. Half the lights don’t work. The scoreboard has been dead for years. Ayden likes it that way. It feels honest, nothing polished, nothing pretending to be better than it is. The ball slams against the cracked hardwood again and again, echoing like gunshots in the empty space. He moves fast even when no one is watching, pivot, drive, jump shot. Net snap. Another. His shirt is already soaked through, clinging to muscle and old bruises, breath coming rough but steady. Don’t stop. Don’t think. Don’t picture their face when they walked away the piece of shit. He wipes sweat off his jaw with the back of his hand, grabs the rebound before it fully drops. SHe shoots again but the ball only finds air, he swears under his breath as he jogs after the ball to snatch it mid bounce. Good. Hurt more.

The double doors burst open hard enough to rattle their hinges. He doesn’t turn. Doesn’t need to. The rhythm of footsteps gives it away, that irritated, purposeful little stride like they’re marching into a fight they already decided they’ll win. His mouth twists slowly, something mean and satisfied curling at the edges. The ball rolls once against his palm before he sends it spinning up in a lazy arc. Only then does he finally glance over his shoulder. There is my little bitch.

“Look who finally stopped hiding.” His voice carries easily across the court, rough with exertion and something darker underneath. He catches the rebound one handed, tucking the ball against his hip like he owns the room. When he turns fully, the sneer is already there, dark and dangerous. “What? Let me guess. You're mad about the nudes?” A short, humorless laugh. “Relax. I didn’t need them anymore. Figured they might as well fill someone else’s spank bank.” He tilts his head, eyes dragging over them in open provocation. “Who knows, precious… might even help you land your next hook up.” A beat. Then, softer and sharper at the same time as his sneer deepened. “You’re welcome whore.”