Despite warnings Steve left no different then when he entered. He was only there for a few hours, he put on a
mask of interest through their lectures on the importance of physical activity, the difficulty of maintaining
a high GPA while being a jock, the dedication and training needed to play a sport. He couldn’t fathom it;
everyone there reeked of science, discovery and logical knowledge so why were they defending primitive
pastimes like sports? They should be on my side, he thought.
His parents drove him home sadly, they had been promised ‘progress was made and would take some time to show’
but there son seemed as miserable and misanthropic as ever. He went to bed sulking and arose the next morning
sulking. They drove him to school with the desperate hope that this would be the day they picked up a
different, happier and more athletic son. Little did they know this day their prayers would be answered.
Steve sat in the back of Geometry class listening to the insufferable mutterings of the imbeciles and fools
surrounding him. The teacher droned in a mechanical voice, mindlessly echoing an overly simplistic, dictated
lecture. Steve knew she was rather intelligent but couldn’t comprehend why schools made teachers go so slow
and teach to them as if they were all idiots. They should work at a higher level, let those who can’t keep up
fail and suffer. The world has no room for idiots.
“So David what does A squared plus B squared equal?” She asked, nodding toward the hulking captain of the
basketball team. He was actually a senior and big for that even but he had failed his first run through the
class and needed to pass it now or risk not graduating.
“Um, A squared plus B squared equals…” his deep, resounding words slowly faded out into senseless mumbling as
the petty wheels in his head squealed and screamed, trying hard to answer. He was sweating, struggling.
“Oh its so simple you brainless, testosterone fueled moron…” All heads turned to face Steve, arms folded
across his chest scoffing at the captain who sunk several inches in sad embarrassment. Steve failed to take
heed of the electric feeling that began to sweep through his mind and body so filled was he with self-
righteous rage.
“Well then Steve, do tell us the answer.” She sighed and turned to him, used to his antics and tantrums. She
knew he was a good kid and secretly mourned for his troubled heart. But as Steve opened his mouth he realized
he didn’t know the answer, he couldn’t remember it no matter how hard he tried. All that came out was some
meaningless stuttering and muttering not unlike what David had been doing. The rest of the class laughed
thinking he was just mocking David. Steve was saved from being embarrassed as David was by the bell ringing
and he fled the classroom with gusto but not as quickly as David did. David, titanic as he was, vanished
quickly in a flurry of movement, humiliated. Steve meanwhile stumbled through the halls, his vision blurry,
and his coordination gone. He felt sick and confused. His muscles throbbed, something strange pumped through
his veins and his brain began to cloud, losing its genius IQ and intelligent thoughts. He held his hands in
front of his eyes, feeling his clothing tighten, his body overheating, sweating. His strides seemed longer as
if his legs had lengthened His drunken steps led him unknowingly into the locker-room where coincidently David
was pounding his locker, still bent over Geometry. Steve saw him there through his foggy vision and instantly
felt a strange wave of sympathy and shame. He didn’t know why but he began to appreciate the work David must
put into his sport and feel bad for him not doing too well in school despite trying his best. He opened his
mouth feeling a lump swelling in his throat.
“David… I, I’m like sorry man for, for what happened back in class, you know?” His words came out deeper and
jumbled, causing him further panic. David turned and saw the nerd who had humiliated him so thoughtlessly and
for a moment considered pounding him despite never hitting someone in his life. But his fury turned to a
shadow of concern as he noticed Steve was barely standing, his skin glowed lunar white shedding floods of
sweat and his eyes rolled vacantly. Before either could say anything Steve fell to the floor in a pile of
aching, changing limbs. David watched in fascination as Steve contorted and changed before his eyes. He
grew, stretching and spreading across the ground. From a short 5’5” he grew into a mighty 6’5”, his legs
snaking across the ground, expanding beyond what his nerdy jeans were ever meant to handle. First came the
shoes which were destroyed by his swelling feet, a whooping size 17 now. He groaned in pain feeling more of
his intelligence slip, his mind warping.
“What the fuck is happening to you man?” David was petrified by interest and repulsion but he felt a twinge
of fear for his once foe who may be dying or something for all he knew.
“I don’t fucking know dawg!” Steve bellowed in a dropping voice, surprising even himself. “This shit is
weird!” He wanted to scream as his jeans slowly tore, the tear raced straight up both legs, ripping his jeans
to shreds and revealing his long legs. Under his clothes they had mysteriously tanned a bit, the muscles had
developed into lean basketball players legs and the fickle dark hairs had been replaced by a spread of dark
brown. He moaned as his upper legs changed, his equipment swelling to an appropriate size for a jock, indeed
a 6’5” one. He ripped open his own shirt, both watching in wonder as his pecs slowly rose up, like watching a
mountain form in slow motion. His stomach rippled and distorted, grooves appearing as a six pack replaced a
flat belly and a treasure trail appeared. Tuffs of brown arm pit hair became visible as he desperately
extended a changing arm towards David, who helped him up as his arms bulked up and hands swelled to better
palm basketballs. David stared as Steve doubled over, his back rippling and quickly becoming ripped. He
stumbled slowly towards a mirror just in time to watch his face change, the features losing their childishness
and nerdiness, becoming cute but masculine. His jaw line sharpened, with a jutting chin and charming, perfect
white smile. His features were more tan and attractive, his nose a little smaller and rounder, his eyes deep
green instead of brown and his hair shorter, styled and light brown. Standing in just boxers was a tall, lean
and tan 17 year old, alluring and sweating like a pig the only flaw his horror struck face. “Fuck I look, I
look like…”
“A basketball player…” David finished as his jaw dropped in awe of the miracle he had just witnessed. Still
partially mesmerized David grabbed a nearby ball and tossed it to Steve who caught it effortlessly, spun it
and dribbled some despite earlier loathing the thing. He lost control of the ball though and stumbled a bit.
He managed to reclaim it with some difficulty and shot for the practice hoop nearby, missing by a mile.
Though the chip had drained his intelligence a good bit, changed his body and given him enough of an
adjustment to grudgingly act like a basketball player it had not given him the knowledge and skill that only
comes through practice. He would have to train like any other jock. In the back of his mind a voice
whispered to Steve informing him of what had been done and what must be done.
“I’m, stuck like this… Until I play and help you guys win a game of basketball…” He whispered just loud
enough for David to hear. David considered this, this guy had not an hour ago completely humiliated him,
should he help him learn the game just so he could get back to his nerdy, unbearable self?
“Here, James, put these on.” David tossed him a spare pair of slides, socks, workout shorts and a black wife
beater. Hesitantly he put them on, they actually fit quite well and somehow he kind of liked the feel of
them.
“Thanks but my name is Steve…”
“No, Steve was this nerdy douche bag that made a fool of me today, I would never be seen with him and no one
would ever believe you were him. So for now you’re James. I’ll tell my rents you’re a friend from school and
you can stay at my place for awhile. Maybe, maybe I’ll help you with your aim and stuff so you can try out
for the team this season and get your old life back eventually. But looks like you’re stuck like this for
awhile so I suggest you be nice to me and try to learn what its like to be a basketball player.” James nodded
solemnly and followed David to his car to go to his place. David put on his favorite Eminem CD and at first
James started to object but he sat back, actually nodding along, slowly starting to talk to his new friend
about basketball and the training ahead and somewhere along the way to David’s house James actually smiled for
the first time in years.