After a short conversation, the boys decided. Boys from GROM would stay together. Mishe and Levan will be together. Nolan will share the room with Ivan and Osir will have his individual room. Since he didn’t complain about having some random person in the room. 

 

Since they had free time most of the students decided to explore the facility. The only person who decided to stay in the room was Martin from squad GROM. 

 

Beside the rooms that Sara showed them the students had four other places available for them. There was a canteen for all the workers in the facility. Of course, there were scheduled hours for the meals but there was also a vending machine with snacks. 

 

The next room was a common room to rest. It wasn’t a big room. It was three times smaller than the canteen. There was one TV with chairs for ten people. In one corner there was a pool table and in another corner, there were three old arcade machines for pinball. By the wall, there was one shelf with books and board games. In the middle, there was a table and cards left by someone. They played some game and apparently had to leave in the middle of it. 

 

The third place was the gym. It was as big as the common room with a few equipment. There were three treadmills, dumbbells, benches, mats, and two punching bags. They only peeked through the door to not interrupt someone’s training. 

 

The last place available for them was a small basketball court right by the exit to the outdoors. Ivan grabbed one ball and tried his luck and threw it from the middle of the field. While the ball reached the hop the force behind it was too big and the ball bounced off. 

 

-How about a quick match? There are eight of us so there will be equal teams.- Asked Marcel from squad GROM.

 

-Mhm… Can you play without me?- Said Emilie.

 

-But the teams will be uneven…

 

-I can go on a bench too.- Said Levan.- I don’t really like basketball.

 

-Okay. Then we can have three on three. Let’s make it so everyone is from a different squad. Like me, Nolan, and Ivan against Julia, Misha, and Osir.

 

-Sure. 

 

-Sounds okay to me.

 

-Who do you think will win?- Asked Levan as he sat beside Emilie.

 

-I haven’t seen anyone play any sports. And it’s not like they are gonna use their abilities and fight… I would say the team with Misha since he is the tallest. 

 

-Interesting deduction but I think that Marcel’s squad has a higher chance. Both Ivan and Misha don’t know how to play any sports. They are military freaks. I heard that Marcel was a sports enthusiast.

 

-When you mention that. Nolan said he plays something with his cousins on the weekends… but I’m not sure if that was basketball or not.

 

-I guess we are about to find out. 

 

The game started with Marcel and Misha jumping for the ball. Misha was much taller so he easily threw the ball toward his team. Osir was the one who grabbed the ball but he didn’t know what to do with it since he never played any sports. 

 

-Give me the ball!- Shouted Julia. 

 

Osir did as she commanded and threw the ball toward her. She ran with it toward the basket. Easily passed Ivan. The next person to confront her was Nolan who did let her move forward. She had to pass the ball to someone. Osir was the most safe option but she knew that he didn’t know how to play. She threw the ball toward Misha but Marcel was able to catch it first.

 

-Nice pass!- Said Marcel as he ran toward the basket and dunked the ball in it. 

 

-Two! Zero!- Shouted Levan.

 

-Hey! Why didn’t you try to stop him?- Asked annoyed Julia. 

 

-Was I supposed to?- Answered Osir.

 

-Yes! Have you ever played basketball?

 

-It’s my first time.

 

Julia asked for a short break to explain the rules for Osir. Once she explained everything they started from under their basket. Osir threw the ball to Misha. He wanted to pass that to Julia but she was blocked by Marcel. With hesitation, he threw a ball to Osir. 

 

Osir with an understanding of the game ran to the basket. Ivan was first to block his path but Osir easily passed the ball between his legs and moved forward. Once again Nolan was there to defend. Osir took a few steps back and threw the ball. At first, Nolan was confused but then he understood that Osir had a chance to score three points and he did. 

 

-Three to two!- Shouted Levan. 

 

-So he does know how to play?- Asked Marcel.

 

-Looks like it. Never played anything with him.- Answered Nolan.

 

-So you were playing around at the beginning…- Said once again annoyed Julia.

 

-I wasn’t. It’s my first game of basketball.

 

Marcel’s team was on the offense under the basket. Passing the ball around and waiting for the opportunity. Marcel no longer could wait for the moment so he created it by himself. He ducked down past Misha. Unfortunately, Julia was right there to grab the ball. She ran but Nolan was right behind her. She threw the ball to Osir who was on the other side of the court. 

 

Ivan was the one blocking him and since he was small Osir wanted to throw another three-pointer. Suddenly he threw the ball to the ground Nolan was surprised because he jumped to block Osir’s throw. The ball bounced off the ground and into Julia’s hands. She had a free throw.

 

-Five to two!- Shouted Levan.

 

-Good pass.- Said Julia.

 

-Good positioning.- Said Osir.

 

Right at that moment out of nowhere, a spark came to Emilie's head. She looked at Osir and then Julia and on Osir again and on Julia. Levan could clearly see her rapid movement and before she could say anything he said it first. 

 

-Don’t you dare…

 

-But they look…

 

-Don’t! Why do you have such an obsession with school romance? You only saw them talking once and want to ship them together… Like that one time in classes where I asked one thing Angelika and you had the same look…

 

-You didn’t just ask her. You leaned against the desk and moved your hair away to show her your pretty face!- Said Emilie with a glow in her eyes.

 

-Don’t make up stuff… I leaned against the desk because of how tall I was and how uncomfortable it would be to talk like that with her. As for the hair. I had them on my face. If they annoy me then I’ll move them away. And I wouldn’t say it’s a pretty face.- Said Levan as he showed his face with bags under his eyes.

 

After twenty minutes they finished playing the game. The final score was thirty-one to sixteen. Once Osir understood the game he and Julia dominated the game. To the point where Marcel and Nolan began to question their experience in sport. The only one who didn’t surrender was Ivan. Even though he was the easiest one to pass through. 

 

Once the night came all the students went back to their rooms to prepare themselves for the upcoming day of training. Osir was supposed to be alone in the room. Once he entered the room he saw someone he wouldn’t ever expect. Lying on the second bed was Sara. 

 

-So you’re the one who got room for himself. I have to disappoint you but you’re gonna have to share this room with me. Unfortunately, mine was burned about an hour ago and the only bed available was in your room.- Explained Sara.

 

-Okay. 

 

-You took it better than I expected. Normally boys would freak out…

 

-I don’t see any problems. You’re just going to sleep in that bed. 

 

-That’s right…- She wanted to continue the talk but once Osir sat on his bead he turned on his phone and began watching the serial that Emilie recommended to him. He was watching on speakers so Sara heard everything. Once she heard the opening song she stood up.

 

-Do you really watch that stuff?- She asked in confusion. 

 

-Emilie said that I should watch it to better understand different emotions and that romantic series show it all.

 

-Kids those days are getting weirder and weirder…- She whispered as she sunk her face in the pillow.