The air in the gym was electric. Today's challenge was a mixed drill—pairs of students working together to make the perfect fast-break play. I was paired with Aiden. My stomach did backflips before I even started.
"Ready?" he asked, tossing me the ball lightly.
"As I'll ever be," I said, trying to sound confident.
The drill began. We ran, passed, and pivoted together. Every time our hands touched, a jolt shot through me. Every time our eyes met, a spark lingered.
"You're getting really good at this," he said mid-drill, his breath brushing against my ear. My cheeks burned.
"Thanks… I had a great teacher," I whispered.
He smirked but didn't respond verbally. Instead, he threw the ball to me with perfect timing, our hands brushing again. I caught it and pivoted to shoot—but suddenly Marco lunged in, intercepting the play.
"Careful who you're getting close to," Marco muttered, smirk in place, clearly targeting me.
Aiden's eyes darkened slightly, protective. "Ignore him," he said, voice low, almost growling. "Focus on us."
The drill ended, and we collapsed onto the bleachers, laughing and gasping for breath. My heart was racing—not just from the drill.
"You're… really fast," I said breathlessly, trying to calm myself.
"You're… really persistent," he countered, leaning a little closer. "I like that."
My breath caught. I wanted to say something—tell him how I feel, maybe even…—but before the words could escape, Marco appeared again, this time with a teasing grin. "Looks like you two are too busy noticing each other to play seriously."
Aiden's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. Instead, he turned to me, eyes soft and serious. "Ignore him. I… I like that you notice me. And I want you to keep noticing."
My chest tightened. It was almost a confession—the words hung in the air, heavy and meaningful. But the moment passed as Marco made some excuse to leave, still smirking behind us.
I looked at Aiden, heart pounding. "I… I notice you too," I whispered.
He smiled softly, a little shy this time. "Good," he said, leaning back. "Because I think I'm going to need you to keep noticing… for a long time."
My heart raced, my thoughts spinning. High school was chaotic, rivalries everywhere, gossip swirling—but in that fleeting moment, I realized: Aiden Cruz and I were on the same team… in more ways than one.
And I had a feeling the real game was just beginning.