The school's end-of-week team celebration was buzzing with laughter, music, and the smell of pizza. I clutched my notebook out of habit, but today it felt unnecessary. My thoughts were completely tangled up with Aiden Cruz.
He spotted me immediately, weaving through his teammates to reach my side. "Glad you came," he said, smiling. His dark eyes softened in a way that made my heart skip.
"I wouldn't miss it," I said, cheeks warm.
As we navigated the crowd, Marco appeared again, leaning casually against the snack table, smirking. "Still hanging out with the star player, huh?"
Aiden's jaw tightened slightly, but he ignored him, turning his attention back to me. "Don't mind him," he said softly. "I only care that you're here."
My chest tightened. That… that felt like a real confession. My fingers twitched nervously. "I'm glad I'm here," I whispered.
He took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Lia… I—"
Before he could finish, a loud cheer erupted from across the room. The team was announcing the tournament MVPs. I glanced up, but my heart was still racing from Aiden's near-confession.
When the noise settled, Aiden caught my gaze again, smirking slightly. "Later," he said, nodding toward the exit. "We'll finish this conversation."
I blinked, heart pounding. "Later?"
He gave a teasing grin. "Later. Patience is part of the game."
Even as Marco muttered something under his breath and walked away, I realized: this time, I didn't care about the distractions. Aiden Cruz mattered more than anything else.
And judging by the way he kept glancing at me, I wasn't the only one feeling it.
High school, sports, rivalries—it was all chaotic. But for the first time, I felt like I could face it all… as long as he was by my side.