"All right – Fenton, Baxter, choose your teams!"

Danny blinked as Dash grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, towards where Tetslaff stood at the front of the clustered students. Ignoring the jock, he turned to the teacher. "I'm… sorry?"

"You two are team captains – so choose your teams."

"But I'm never –" He broke off, frowning deeper. "Kwan's always team captain with Dash. You know – to even out the playing field a bit? So that they don't end up on the same side and crush everyone?"

The gym teacher raised an eyebrow at the confounded student. "Fenton, the way I see things, so long as you're on the court one team is always going to have an advantage over the other. Might as well give the other side a fighting chance."

Blinking, Danny shifted on his feet awkwardly. Eyes were on him, and he felt heat creep up his neck. "I'm not – I'm not going to… cheat, if that's what you're implying."

Her other eyebrow rose to join its pair. "Is it cheating when our football players use the talents and skills they learned on the field during class?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, no – I mean, I guess not, but—"

"But nothing, Fenton," she cut him off gruffly, and shook her head. "You can't get away with that whole clumsy little wimp act in here anymore. You're better than that, and we all damn well know it." She gestured to the class. "Just make your first choice. Your grade could use the boost, don't you think?"

"Just for the record," Danny put in as a last-ditch effort, letting his arms drop to his sides, "it wasn't completely an act. I really am…not great at sports."

The class shared a chuckle, as if in disbelief. Danny flushed and Tetslaff smacked a hand on to his shoulder as if they were old pals. "Save it, kid – no one here's gonna buy into that. Besides, surely by now you know how to dodge things flying towards your face, right?"

Danny's eyebrows rose. "Dodgeball?"

"Think you can handle that, Fenton?"

Slowly, reluctantly, he could feel the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, I uh—" he began, and tilted his head slightly. This could be interesting. "I think I can handle that."