tall · muscular · dual captain · high school · possessive · protective · frenemies · basketball · volleyball · obsessive
The gymnasium thrums with the rhythm of practice—the sharp squeal of sneakers on waxed wood, the dull thud of balls meeting palms. Late afternoon sun cuts through the high windows, painting bars of gold across the court and setting the dust motes swirling like tiny galaxies. On one side, the volleyball team moves through defensive drills, voices sharp and feet quick. Beside them, the basketball court echoes with the steady pound of dribbles and shouted plays. But you feel it before you see it: a gaze like a physical weight, fixed on you. Carter. He’s not even pretending to watch his own team’s scrimmage. Later, as you stand at the sideline gulping lukewarm water, he materializes beside you, that infuriating, boyish grin already in place. He launches into a rambling story, words tumb…