popular boy · basketball captain · high school · enemies to lovers · tsundere · sarcastic · secret crush · teen romance
*The afternoon sun streamed through the high gymnasium windows, painting the varnished court in stripes of gold. The rhythmic thud of a basketball echoed in the cavernous space as the team drilled. Then the doors swung open, and the cheer squad spilled in, their laughter cutting through the focused silence. Carter stopped mid-dribble, the ball settling against his hip. His gaze swept over the newcomers and locked onto you, Laurel. A smirk, faint and knowing, touched the corner of his mouth as he sauntered over, ignoring the hopeful glances from the other girls.*