The next morning, Mia walked into Evergreen High trying to blend in as much as possible. She was used to keeping her head down, moving quietly through her day, unnoticed. But today felt different.
The rumors had already started.
As she made her way to her locker, she heard snippets of conversations about the basketball tryouts and the new transfer—Kyle. Some students were impressed by his skills, and others were just curious about the latest addition to the team. Mia wasn't surprised. Kyle had a knack for attracting attention wherever he went, both good and bad.
She was about to shove her books into her locker when a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.
"Hey, you're Kyle's sister, right?"
Mia froze for a second before turning around. It was one of the basketball players from the tryouts, **Jake Reynolds**, a tall, muscular guy who had been on the team for years. He had that typical jock swagger about him, the kind of guy who probably didn't even know Mia existed until her brother showed up.
"Yeah, I guess," Mia muttered, not looking him in the eye.
Jake leaned against the lockers, his grin wide and teasing. "Kyle's pretty good. Heard he's a transfer from one of the best schools around."
Mia shrugged, hoping this conversation would end quickly. "Yeah, he plays. That's all."
But Jake wasn't done. "You coming to the game on Friday? We're up against Westfield. It's gonna be huge."
"I don't really go to games," Mia said, focusing on her books again.
"Come on, it'll be fun," Jake said, pushing the invitation. "Besides, your brother's gonna be part of the team soon. You gotta support him, right?"
Mia sighed, unsure how to respond. She didn't want to be rude, but the last thing she wanted was to get dragged into the social world of basketball players. Her plan was to stay invisible and stay out of the drama.
"I'll think about it," she muttered, hoping that would be enough to end the conversation.
Jake grinned. "Good. See you there." He winked before walking away, leaving Mia with a sense of unease.
She wasn't sure if he was genuinely being friendly or if he was just trying to get close because of her brother's new status. Either way, it wasn't the kind of attention she wanted.
---
Later that day, Mia found herself in the library—her safe haven. She buried herself in homework, blocking out the noise and chatter that filled the school hallways. She could forget about basketball, about Kyle, and about unwanted attention.
Just as she was getting into the groove of her work, the library door opened, and a group of students walked in. At first, Mia didn't pay much attention, but then she saw him—Aiden Cruz.
He looked just as aloof as he had during the tryouts, carrying a few books under his arm. What was he even doing in the library? He didn't seem like the type to care much about academics, judging by the rumors she'd heard. Yet, here he was, scanning the shelves like a normal student.
Mia tried to ignore him, but her curiosity got the better of her. As Aiden walked past her table, she caught his eye. For a brief moment, they locked gazes, and Mia quickly looked down at her notebook, embarrassed.
"Hey," his voice broke the silence.
Mia looked up, surprised. "Uh, hi?"
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "You're Kyle's sister, right?"
Why was everyone referring to her like that? She wasn't just Kyle's sister, she had a name. But before she could say anything, Aiden continued.
"Heard your brother did well at tryouts. Coach seems to like him."
Mia nodded, feeling awkward. "Yeah, I guess so. He's really into basketball."
Aiden leaned against the nearby bookshelf, his expression unreadable. "You don't seem to care much about it."
Mia blinked, not sure how to respond. "I mean, it's not really my thing."
Aiden let out a small chuckle, almost as if he found that amusing. "Yeah, I figured. You don't look like someone who spends much time in the gym."
"Thanks?" Mia wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult.
Aiden shrugged, then pushed himself off the shelf. "See you around."
And just like that, he walked away, leaving Mia more confused than before. What was his deal? He didn't seem like the kind of guy who bothered talking to people like her. Was he just being polite because of Kyle? Or was there something else behind those piercing green eyes?
---
After school, Mia found Kyle waiting for her outside by the bike racks. He was grinning ear to ear, clearly excited about the prospect of making the team.
"Did you hear? I got an official invite to join the varsity team!" Kyle announced proudly.
Mia smiled. "That's great, Kyle. I'm happy for you."
"You should come to the game on Friday. It's gonna be awesome. You'll finally get to see me in action."
"I'll think about it," Mia replied, the same answer she'd given Jake earlier.
Kyle nudged her playfully. "You never come to games. You'll have fun, I promise."
As they started walking home together, Mia felt a strange sense of anticipation building. She had no interest in basketball, but for some reason, it felt like she was already getting pulled into that world—whether she liked it or not.
And then there was Aiden. His distant, unreadable presence lingered in her mind long after he'd left the library.
What was it about him that made her feel so uneasy?
Mia shook her head. She wasn't going to let herself get caught up in the drama. All she wanted was to finish the school year quietly and focus on her studies.
But as Friday's game loomed closer, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change.