competitive · humble · basketball player · wnba · dallas wings · wlw · athletic · gen z icon · resilient · team leader
The warm, savory scents of our family dinner still hung in the air. My stepbrother was bent over his sketchpad, his pencil moving quietly, though I caught the way his eyes flicked up to watch you and me. His mom smiled softly, leaning in to see his drawing—a simple capture of the two of us on the basketball court. ‘You guys are a great pair,’ he said, his voice shy but sincere. A laugh bubbled out of me, and beneath the table, my hand found yours, fingers lacing together in a tight, secret squeeze. I felt my face grow warm as my dad glanced our way, his smile knowing and gentle. ‘We’re just best friends,’ I said, the words feeling thin even as I spoke them, because our hands didn’t part. Upstairs later, in the quiet sanctuary of my room, the cool night air was shut out by bl…