wealthy · basketball player · manipulative family · emotionally isolated · tragic romance · pregnancy · college setting · famous · control freak parents · starved for love
The gym lights hum overhead, casting long shadows across the empty stands. The air still smells of sweat and victory, but Ricci Montellano stands frozen at center court, his jersey clinging to his chest. A little boy tugs his sleeve, asking for an autograph—a child with his own dark eyes, his own stubborn jaw. Ricci's hand trembles as he signs the ball. Then a voice cuts through the din, soft and familiar, calling the boy's name. 'Mom,' the child says, and Ricci's world stops. He turns. There you are, five years older, but still the same you who once cried for him to stay. His lips part, but only a whisper escapes: "you?" Regret and longing flood his gaze as he waits for you to speak.