Chapter 160 - 158: Dream Shines into Reality
A few days later, the semifinals of the National University Basketball League were held at the Lorcain University gymnasium.
Cecilia Sterling only had two tickets, so when the three of them were in the dorm, she asked Estelle and Blair who wanted to go.
Estelle refused without a second thought, as she had absolutely no interest in basketball.
Blair, however, was somewhat interested. Seeing that Estelle wasn’t going, she took the ticket from Cecilia’s hand and agreed to go see what all the fuss was about.
On the day of the game, the sun was blazing. Cecilia bought two iced drinks outside the gymnasium, and then she and Blair found their gate and went inside.
The crowd was huge, comparable to a small concert, but with a noticeably higher ratio of guys. Cecilia and Blair, being two attractive women, naturally stood out.
A few bold guys came up to ask for their WhatsApps, but Cecilia politely refused them all with a smile.
Blair, on the other hand, went purely by looks. She added one guy who was cute enough. As Estelle would say, ’She’s bored anyway, might as well do something to kill time.’
"Cecilia, over here!"
Just as the two of them reached the entrance, they saw Sean jumping up and down while waving at them. Cecilia smiled, waved back, and pulled Blair along to meet him.
"You’re here too! Yannick didn’t mention it. We could’ve come together if I’d known," Cecilia greeted him casually as they walked up.
Sean grinned. "Of course I had to come see my bro’s game! And hey, you’re not the roommate I met before. A new friend?"
With that, he turned to Blair and introduced himself. "Hi, I’m Sean, from the PE department at Lorcain Tech."
Blair gave a slight nod, and Cecilia answered for her, "She’s our roommate too. Pretty, right? Her name’s Blair."
"Whoa! That’s a pretty badass name." Sean’s eyes lit up, as if he suddenly understood the source of Blair’s distinctive aura.
The way she stood there, like a model, gave off a powerful vibe.
The group chatted as they found their seats. The view was pretty good, though the seats were a bit cramped.
The electronic scoreboard above the court displayed the two teams facing off today.
[Lorcain University of Science and Technology] vs. [Trisper University of Physical Education]
The winning team would advance to the finals to compete for the championship against the winner of the other semifinal. The two losing semifinalists would play another match to decide third and fourth place.
"This is the most prestigious university league in the country," Sean explained. "It’s held every two years and has sent a ton of players to the major professional clubs."
Cecilia nodded and frankly admitted, "We don’t really understand the rules, but we can tell when someone scores a basket."
Sean smiled knowingly. "Yannick’s definitely happy you came. Hopefully, he’ll play a solid game. It would be even better if he plays out of his mind!"
Right on schedule, the players from both teams filed out of the tunnel from the locker rooms, and the arena erupted in thunderous cheers.
A lot of Lorcain Tech students were there, all cheering for their school.
Even though the game wasn’t at Lorcain Tech’s own gym, compared to Trisper University of Physical Education, who had traveled from afar, Lorcain University of Science and Technology still had a home-court advantage.
Yannick immediately stood out among his teammates. The moment he appeared, Sean and Cecilia leaped to their feet, cheering and shouting his name.
Blair was far more reserved, but she still clapped along from her seat. Having competed in boxing matches, she knew how much the crowd’s reaction could affect and motivate an athlete.
Yannick’s eyes immediately found Cecilia in the stands. When he saw that she had come and was cheering for him so enthusiastically, he smiled and waved in her direction.
After the usual pre-game formalities and a round of high-fives between the opposing players, the game began!
As with any competition, a tense atmosphere naturally filled the air. True to her word, even though Cecilia didn’t know the rules, she knew which team was scoring. Whenever Lorcain Tech made a basket, she, Sean, and the other Lorcain Tech students would leap to their feet to cheer and boost the team’s morale.
Gradually, even Blair got swept up in the excitement, moving from clapping in her seat to standing up and cheering.
And when Yannick himself scored, their cheers grew even louder as they shouted his name.
On the court, Yannick was a complete departure from his usual calm and dependable self. Every time he scored, he’d pump his fist and shout, high-fiving, fist-bumping, and even doing celebratory shoulder-bumps with his teammates.
’In short, it was the kind of cringey stuff guys do that they think looks so cool.’
The score stayed neck and neck, but in the end, Lorcain University of Science and Technology eked out a victory over Trisper University of Physical Education by a narrow three-point margin. The moment the final whistle blew, the arena exploded with flying streamers and deafening cheers.
Cecilia was completely swept up in the moment, her adrenaline pumping. When her eyes met Yannick’s across the court, she gave him a huge, enthusiastic thumbs-up.
At that moment, Yannick’s smile was more brilliant than ever. With starlight in his eyes, he nodded and waved at Cecilia. It was a scene he had dreamed of countless times.
And now, it was finally a reality!
After the game, Sean told Cecilia, "Yannick said to wait for him at the east exit. He has something to tell you."
As he said this, Sean’s usual cheerful expression was replaced by a surprisingly solemn one.
Cecilia knew Yannick wanted to talk to her, but seeing the look on Sean’s face, she felt a little puzzled.
’Is it something bad?’
"Your expression is making me nervous," Cecilia said with a forced smile, asking hesitantly, "Is it good news or bad news?"
Sean’s smile was even more strained. "Well... I think it’s a good thing for him."
Cecilia visibly relaxed at his words, letting out a sigh of relief. "Okay. As long as it’s good news, that’s all that matters."
Sean opened his mouth as if to add something, but then stopped himself, swallowing his words. ’Yannick has his own thoughts on this,’ he figured. ’I shouldn’t interfere.’
Cecilia and Blair went to the designated meeting spot. After waiting for a short while, they saw Yannick jogging toward them, a bag slung over his back.
Seeing him approach, Blair offered, "I’ll wait for you across the street."
Cecilia nodded.
When Yannick arrived, Cecilia greeted him with a smile. "Congratulations on winning the game! The finals are next. I hope you guys take the championship."
Yannick was beaming, clearly overjoyed by both the victory and Cecilia’s presence.
"So, what did you want to tell me?" Cecilia asked, trying to sound casual. She couldn’t help but feel a little anxious, remembering Sean’s reaction, and didn’t want to make things tense.
Yannick looked at Cecilia and didn’t hesitate for long, as he’d already made his decision.
"Cecilia, I have to go."
Cecilia was taken aback. "Go? Where are you going?"
Yannick explained, "I’ve been scouted by the national team to join the youth squad. I’ve applied for a leave of absence from the university. By the time I come back to finish my studies, you’ll probably have already graduated."
Cecilia was stunned for a moment, but then a smile spread across her face. "But that’s wonderful news! Making the national team must be your dream. Congratulations!"