Jaxon barely had time to open the door before his father's voice cut through the house.
"Jaxon! Ethan! Get in here. Now."
Ethan shot him a look, but Jaxon was already bracing himself. Their dad rarely raised his voice, but when he did? It wasn't good.
As they stepped into the living room, their father stood near the kitchen island, his phone still clutched in his hand. His face was tense, jaw tight, like he was forcing himself to stay composed.
"Coach Marshall just called me. Want to tell me why I had to find out from him that my sons walked out of practice?"
Jaxon met his father's gaze head-on. "Because we're not playing if Ryan is."
Their father exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Do you have any idea what you're risking, Jaxon? You have a future in this. Ethan? He's not going proâthis isn't his career on the line. But you? You're throwing away everything we've worked for. Do you know how many scouts are coming to that game? And you think you can just throw it awayâ"
"It's not just a game," Jaxon interrupted, his voice tight. "This isn't about basketball, Dad. It's about doing the right thing."
Ethan, who had been leaning against the counter, tightened his jaw, his arms crossing over his chest. He knew his father had never expected him to go pro like Jaxon, but hearing him dismiss it so casually still stung. Pushing past it, he finally spoke up, his voice steady. "We're not backing down from this. Ryan shouldn't be playing."
Their father let out a bitter laugh. "You think that's going to change anything? You think the school is just going to throw him off the team because you two decided to take a stand?"
Jaxon's fists clenched. "Maybe not. But that doesn't mean we're going to let him get away with it."
Silence stretched between them, heavy and unmoving.
Their father sighed, shaking his head. "Jaxon, this isn't over. You are playing in that game." Then their father didn't say another word, just walked out of the room, leaving Jaxon and Ethan standing there.
Ethan let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. "That was insane. I've never seen him like that."
Jaxon scoffed, leaning back against the counter. "I've seen worse."
Ethan shook his head, still staring at Jaxon. "I knew he was always harder on you than me, but I didn't realize it was like that. That wasn't just tough love, that wasâ" He stopped, running a hand through his hair. "Man, how do you just brush that off?"