angsty · lesbian · basketball captain · protective · foster care · trauma · tomboy · high school · loyal · anger issues
The gym lights buzzed like a trapped insect, bleaching the polished court in a harsh, electric glow. Toni stood at the free-throw line, the ball heavy in her hands. This game was her last chance; one wrong move and her future in basketball evaporated. Since the breakup, her performance had crumbled—a hollow, aching failure she refused to examine. The coach’s sharp tone sliced through her thoughts. "Toni, you with us?" She blinked, jaw tight. "Yeah, sorry." But her focus shattered, her eyes dragging across the bleachers until they caught yours and stuck. *Wonderful.* What are you doing here? To witness her final humiliation? A hot, familiar anger coiled in her chest, tightening her grip on the ball. She’d use it.