The Ugly Duckling

Ryland POV.

I walk across the university gym and look at the rack stacked with basket balls. i jog over to the rack and pick out a ball and dribble it with my right hand.

"To the center, boys!"

I stop dribbling and look at the coach standing at the centre of the gym with a whistle and a clipboard in his hand. I break out into a jog as I continue to dribble the ball towards the coach. I grab the ball and tuck it under my arm when I reach the center and form a circle around the coach with the rest of the team members.

"The basket ball season will start with our first game in two weeks." the coach starts. "My responsibility as a coach stops here; its time for you to step up to your game."

I look around to the rest of the team mates. They all had the looks of determination on their faces and they nod their heads.

"Ryland Delsavio!"

I step forward. "Coach!"

"As the captain of the University of Edmonton's basketball team, it is now your responsibility to guide the team towards the right direction."

"Coach!"

"For the first time in ten years I am confidant to say that our team can make it to the nationals. Make me proud boys!"

"Coach!" We all say at once.

"Stop screaming 'coach' damn it! We're not having sex here!" I scrunch up my face in disgust and he glares back at us. "It was supposed to be funny." He grumbles.

I snort and everyone looks at me. I fold my look at them intimidatingly and they immediately look away.

"Enough partying. Now back to practice!" the coach yells.

What partying?

I roll my eyes and turn around. I run my hand through my curly brown hair and scan the gym once again. Everyone is taking shots at the basketball nets. The team and I spent the entire summer practicing for the basket ball season. Initially I didn't think that I would get promoted to position of a captain. Basketball is important to me but not as important as taking over the family business. Personally, I think that dad would rather have me doing anything but taking over the family business. But with dad being my idol, I want to follow in his footsteps. Which also brings me to University of Edmonton where I am doing my Bachelor of Business. Basketball is just a hobby.

"Ryland, over here!"

I snap out of my thoughts and look over to my team mates. I smile at Jamie and jog over to him. We grin at each other and I slap him on the back.

He shoves me to the side. "So captain, huh?"

I grin and scratch the back of my head. "Yeah."

The rest of the team starts to crowd us and my eyes widen. I start to back up and laugh nervously. They all laugh with me and move in closer. With a flash I turn around and make a run for it. Before I can successfully escape, someone grabs my hand and pulls me back.

"You bastards!" I curse.

They all laugh. Someone takes ofs my jersey and spins me around. I squint my eyes, trying to focus my vision. my eyes widen when I see Jamie with a phone in his hands and he quickly takes a picture.

"I'm going to kill you all!" I vow.

When they laugh louder, I break into a run towards them. They scream and run away.

"Delete it!"

"But we just want to show the world just how sexy our captain is."

"You won't be alive for that!"

I tackle Jamie to the floor and reach for the phone. Just as I am about to reach the phone, Lark pulls me off Jamie. Jamie looks from the phone to me and back to the phone. He grins wide and laughs out loud. He turns the phone screen towards me. My mouth drops when I look at the picture of me shirtless with shorts on and my face looked as if I'm drunk. I slowly get up and take deep breaths.

"Quit foolin' around. Back the practice!"

My eyes snap open and i glare at each and everyone of my team mates. "I'll kill you all later."

"To the centre, Delsavio."

I glare at them one final time and turn around. They all grin in return and wave.

For the next two hours we divide ourselves into two teams and play against one another. From the corner of my eye I see Aiden taking a seat on the bleachers. I pass the ball to Lark and jog over to Aiden. He smiles wide and waves. He has brown curly hair like mine. Being identical twins, its hard to tell Aiden and I apart. Our eyes are the only give away; my eyes are green and Aiden's eyes are blue. We've been very close since young, so I'm very protective when it comes to Aiden; just something that runs in our family. Not to mention his sexual orientation causes Aiden a lot of trouble; he's been gay for as long as I can remember. Where as some people are accepting, there are some that are very against it.

Aiden leaps at me when I reach him. I laugh and wrap my arms around him.

"It's been forever!" he says dramatically.

I roll my eyes. "It's only been like five hours."

He pushes me away and takes a seat. "Thanks for ruining the moment, asshole."

I snort. "What moment? And why are you here?" I take a seat beside him.

"Can't I come here and watch my older twin play basketball?"

"You can but you don't."

He glares at me. "Fine. My car broke down." He mumbles.

A smirk forms on my face. "I knew it!"

Aiden opens his mouth to say something but he is cut off by the coach.

"Delsavio, gets down here!"

I scowl; he always picking on me and it's annoying.

"I'm telling you: the coach has a crush on you."

I give Aiden a horrified look. "Why would you ever tell me that?!"

I slap the back of his head and Aiden pouts. "I was just saying...."

"Just stop talking!"

I turn around and stomp down the bleachers. I follow behind the rest of the team when as they head into the change rooms. I head to my locker and pull out my duffel bag. I take out my towel and a small bottle of shampoo and head towards the showers. When I'm inside, I turn on the water and squeeze out some shampoo from the bottle. I quickly wash my hair and turn the water off. Wrapping the towel around my waist, I exit the shower stall and walk towards my duffel bag. I pull on my clothes and shoes and sling the bag over my shoulder.

Jamie rushes towards me when I exit the change room.

"Ethan has Aiden cornered." He points towards the exit of the gymnasium.

I drop my bag and break into a run. The voices get louder and clearer as I get closer to the exit.

"Were you watching me, faggot? Did you enjoy the show?" Ethan had Aiden up against the wall with on hand pressing Aiden into the wall and the other pulled back. "You think just because your brother is captain I won't do a thing about you watching me with your filthy gaze?"

Aiden snorts. "Do you really think that you're good enough to be watched by me?"

I move forward when Ethan pulls his hand back further. Before his fist can connect with Aiden's check, I pull Ethan off him.

I shove his chest. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" my hands and jaw clench.

"R-Ryland he was watching m-me." he stammers.

I take a step towards him with my glare set on his face. "What makes you think he was watching you?" I shove him again "What makes you think that filth like you is good enough?"

Ethan's face tightens with anger.

Good.

"He's a f-faggot."

I lunge at him before thinking. My fish connects with his jaw and he falls to the ground.

"Ryland stop!" I hear Aiden scream in the background.

I pick Ethan up by the collar of his shirt. "Say it again." I dare him.

"F-faggot!"

"You idiot!" Someone yells in the background.

I punch Ethan once again. with more force this time. My leg connects with his stomach when he falls to the ground. before I can kick him again, someone pulls me away. I fight against the hold and shove the hands away,. I turn around and glare meets Aiden's.

"Don't you ever fucking dare come near my twin again!" I yell.

"You've done enough!" Aiden yells as he holds me back.

"Not enough." I argue.

"He's bleeding, you idiot."

I look at Ethan's body and he was indeed bleeding. For bastards like him, just bleeding isn't enough. I take a step towards him but Aiden pulls me back.

"Enough."

We stare at each other for some time. I look over Aiden's face. There are no bruises or cuts.

I sigh. "Fine"

I turn around when I hear loud and angry footsteps coming towards us.

"What is going on here?" the coach steps out of the gymnasium. "Who did this?" he asks when he spots Ethan. He walks over to him and kneels down. He looks up. "I asked you all a question!" he yells.

"It was me." I step forward.

"And me." Aiden steps forward too.

I glare at Aiden. "Step back." I hiss.

He shakes his head and my glare sharpens.

"To the president's office!"

***

"You did what?!"

The president of the university sighs. "I called your parents."

"Are you out of your mind?" I yell.

The man glares at me and I mumble an apology. Can you blame me? Mom is going to kill Aiden and I when she finds out what happened. I look over to Aiden to find him shrinking into his chair. I cover my face with my hands and groan.

"You should have thought of the consequences before you decided to hit the boy."

I get up and walk towards the president. He looks at me warily as I approach him and I roll my eyes.

"Chill. I'm not going to hurt you. I just need protection."

Aiden gets up and quickly walks over to stand beside me. We both relax now that we are securely standing behind the safety of the university's president.

"Protection from what?" he asks with confusion in his voice.

"'Who?'" Aiden corrects him.

The room's door slams opens and a petite brunette with a fierce glare on her face marches in. Her glare intensifies when her eyes fall on Aiden and I.

"Protection from her." I answer the president as I point towards the brunette.

A tall muscular man soon follows behind the brunette. He has curly brown hair with green eyes. His face is calm but his set jaw gives away the man's anger.

"What did you two brats do?!" Angie Delsavio demands with an angry voice.

Aiden and I move to the other side of the table, slowly itching towards Jase Delsavio.

"Dad!" We both whine together, begging for mercy.

Our mother walks until she is standing in front our dad and folds her arms. Aiden and I flinch and quickly run to take our safe positions behind the president.

"Mr. and Mrs. Delsavio." the president speaks up.

Mom and dad look at the man as if they just noticed him.

My mom smiles at the man and extends her hand. "Angie Delsavio."

The president takes mom's hand. "Dean Jacobs." the man smiles back.

I look at dad's face and smirk when I find his eyes focused on their intertwined hands. To say that my father is possessive is an understatement.

Dad's arm wraps around mom's waist and he pulls her back. "Yeah, yeah. We all know." he says rudely.

Mom pulls out of dad's arms and throws him a glare. She turns around and walks over to the chair Aiden was previously sitting on.

"So what is it that my boys did this time?" She takes a seat and crosses her arms. Dad walks over to stand beside mom.

The president clears his throat. "They beat up a boy." He says calmly.

I clench my eyes shut. "What?!" mom shrieks.

Beside me, I hear Aiden wince. When I open my eyes, mom is glaring at us.

"And why did my sons have to beat up a boy?"

I smile at dad's question.

The president clears his throat again. "According to your sons and the rest of the basketball team, Ethan Smith, the injured boy, was threatening your son, Aiden Delsavio."

I swallow nervously when dad's face turn red. "And why was he threatening my son?"

"Because of his sexual orientation." he says.

The muscular man's hands ball into fist and he walks towards the president's desk and slams his fist on the table. "Then why is it that my sons are in the office but this Ethan Smith is not?" His voice gets louder with every word he says.

The president leans back into his chair. "I assure you, Mr. Delsavio, that after the boy has been checked out by the nurse, we will punish him. Discrimination is not something we take lightly at this university." He assures my dad. "But your boys need to be punished too."

Dad's face tighten and my mouth drops open.

"For what? Slamming my fist into his face seconds before he could slam his into my twin's face?!" I yell. "You're fucking kidding me!"

"Language!"

I glare at my mom, not caring about my language at the moment.

"Two against one isn't fair Ryland." The president speaks in his defence.

"But Aiden didn't even lay a hand on him. It was all me." The man gives me a confused look. "Aiden lied about his involvement because he didn't want me to face the consequences alone."

The man nods his head and takes out some papers from his drawers. "You are an important player of our basketball team, Ryland. So I will not take that away from you." he starts. "Community service. That will be your punishment."

I glare at the man. "Do you want me to help people cross the street or something?"

"Stop being rude, Ryland." mom scolds.

"Sorry." I mumble.

Jacobs nods his head. "As a form of community service, you can coach the basketball team of any high school of your choice." he reveals.

Coach a basketball team. That doesn't sound bad at all. Anything to avoid cleaning side walks or cars. not to mention I can pick a high school of my own choice.

I grin. "Deal."

***

"I can't believe you hit the boy."

I watch as mom paces back and forth in the living room with amusement.

"He was going to hit Aiden." dad speaks up.

Mom whirls around to face dad. "That's not an excuse and it doesn't mean that you can hit back."

"It was either the boy being hit or your son. You pick."

"It doesn't make it right, Jase." Mom turns to me. "You could have talked to him or warned him. You didn't have to hit him, Ryland. You're twenty years old, you should know better than that."

I look at the floor and glare. "He was going to hit Aiden. I saw him pull his arm back, I couldn't let that happen. Aiden is family, mom. You and dad always say that family comes first and that you have to protect family."

"That's my boy!" dad speaks up with pride.

I hear mom sigh and look up. She takes a step towards me and cups my face. "I understand what you mean, Ryland and I am happy to see how protective you are of your brother. But if something like this happens again, which I hope it doesn't, you won't hit people. Am I clear?"

I nod my head. Mom smiles and wraps her arms around me. I envelope my mom in a hug; she's just to tiny.

"Alright. Now go talk to your brother. He's pouting in his room." she shoves me away.

I laugh and turn around. I run up the stairs and walk past door towards Aiden's room. I slam the door open without knocking and search the bedroom. I walk towards Aiden when my eyes fall on his sitting form on the bed.

"Are you hurt?" he asks as I approach.

"No," I answer. "Are you hurt?" I ask.

"No." he answers.

I nod my head. "Good." I take a seat on Aiden's bed and face him.

"You didn't have to jump in my defence. I can stand up for myself." he complains.

I frown. "I know you can. But I wanted to defend you; you're my younger twin and it is my responsibility to protect you."

Aiden slaps the back of my head and shoves me off his bed. "You're only older by a minute." he says innocently from his bed.

I glare and get up. I shove Aiden back and push him off the bed. "A minute and a half!"

He glares back. "Fine." he says. Then he smirks. "Have you thought of a school yet?"

I smirk back, knowing that Aiden already knows my answer.

"Westwinds High."