Chapter 44: A silver Lining

Jamar sat in the backseat of the car, the weight of the silver medal and MVP trophy feeling heavier than they looked. The loss still stung, the final moments of the game playing on repeat in his mind. He could still feel the slap on his wrist, hear the missed shot echoing, and see the referee's indifferent expression as the buzzer sounded.

His little sister, Anne, picked up on his mood. With fiery determination, she started ranting about the bad officiating in the final quarter. "I mean, come on! How could the ref miss such an obvious foul? And Malik was just lucky! You were incredible out there, Jamar. They should've called it, and we would've won!" Her eyes sparkled with fervor as she passionately defended her brother.