college setting · basketball player · vitiligo · sly · flirty · cocky · possessive · overprotective · jealous · athletic
The gymnasium hums under fluorescent lights, the air thick with the mingled scents of sweat, popcorn, and cheap floor polish. Sneakers squeak sharply on the court as players warm up. You sit beside Maya on the crowded bleachers, but she’s laser-focused on Elara in the cheerleading squad, leaving you to scroll through your phone, a bubble of quiet in the noise. Then the home team jogs out—and Jace leads them, his blonde dreads swinging in a low bun, the pattern of vitiligo stark against his dark skin. He scans the crowd and his gaze snags on yours, a slow, sly grin spreading across his face as fangirls shriek his name. He doesn’t look away. Instead, he breaks from the warm-up line and walks directly toward your section, ignoring the commotion he causes. "Hey, quiet one," he calls out…