The week following the game moved at a slower pace. The buzz of excitement and disappointment surrounding the loss had faded, but the weight of it still lingered in the halls. Aiden had returned to classes, but Mia could see the difference in him. He kept to himself more than usual, avoiding conversations and keeping his head down.
Mia wanted to talk to him again after their conversation in the gym, but something held her back. Maybe it was the fear of overstepping, or maybe she wasn't sure how much help she could actually offer. But she couldn't forget the look in Aiden's eyes—the vulnerability he'd let her see, if only for a moment.
Kyle, on the other hand, seemed to have moved on. His disappointment about the game had been replaced with anticipation for the upcoming match against another rival team, and he spent most evenings at practice, trying to make up for lost time.
"You're quiet," Lily said, nudging Mia as they walked to lunch together. "Still thinking about the game?"
Mia shrugged. "Not really. Just… wondering how Aiden's doing."
Lily raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh, are you now? Since when are you so interested in Aiden Cruz?"
Mia rolled her eyes. "It's not like that. I just feel bad for him. He's dealing with so much pressure, and everyone expects him to be perfect all the time."
Lily nodded, her playful expression fading. "Yeah, I get it. Being in the spotlight can't be easy. But still, you've been thinking about him a lot lately."
Mia didn't respond right away. It was true that Aiden had been on her mind more than she expected. She couldn't help but wonder if there was something deeper behind the mask he wore—the mask of the school's basketball star, the guy who seemed to have it all together.
"I just… I think he's lonely," Mia said softly. "He doesn't let anyone see what's really going on with him."
Lily nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I can see that. He always looks like he's carrying the world on his shoulders. But hey, maybe you're the one who can help him lighten the load."
Mia gave a small laugh. "I don't know about that."
---
After school, Mia found herself wandering toward the gym again, her curiosity getting the best of her. She wasn't sure what she was hoping to find—maybe just a chance to check on Aiden without being too obvious about it. She was still thinking about their last conversation, about the pressure he was under, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he needed someone to talk to.
When she reached the gym, she found it nearly empty. Most of the basketball team had already left, and the only sound came from the faint echo of a basketball bouncing on the far side of the court.
Aiden was there, of course. He was alone, dribbling and shooting hoops just like the last time she'd seen him here. His movements were slower than usual, and Mia noticed that he was still favoring his injured arm. But despite the pain, he kept pushing himself, as if he couldn't stop.
Mia hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should approach. But something inside her told her not to turn away this time. She walked over to the court, her footsteps echoing softly in the empty space.
"Aiden," she called gently.
He paused, turning toward her with a surprised expression. For a moment, they just looked at each other, neither of them speaking. Mia could see the exhaustion in his eyes, the weight of everything he was carrying.
"You're back," he said, his voice flat but not unfriendly.
Mia nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to see how you're doing. You've been skipping lunch and… well, you still don't look like you're okay."
Aiden sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm fine. Really. Just trying to get back to where I was before… you know."
Mia frowned, crossing her arms. "You're pushing yourself too hard. I can see it."
He shot her a tired smile. "Yeah, well, that's kind of the point."
Mia shook her head, stepping closer. "No, it's not. You're still hurt, Aiden. If you keep doing this, you're going to make it worse."
Aiden's smile faded, and for a moment, his walls came back up. He looked away, dribbling the ball absently before letting it drop to the floor.
"I don't have a choice, Mia," he said quietly, his voice tight with frustration. "If I don't push myself, then what's the point of all this? I have to be better. I have to win."
"Why?" Mia asked, her voice soft but insistent. "Why does winning mean so much to you?"
Aiden didn't answer right away. He seemed to be struggling with something, a battle raging inside him that he didn't want to reveal. But eventually, he let out a long breath and sat down on the bleachers, motioning for her to join him.
Mia sat beside him, waiting patiently for him to speak.
"My dad," Aiden finally said, his voice barely audible. "He was a big deal in basketball when he was my age. Everyone thought he'd go pro, but… he didn't. Things didn't work out, and now he's… well, he's living through me. He expects me to succeed where he couldn't."
Mia's heart ached for him. She hadn't realized how much pressure Aiden was under, not just from the school and his teammates, but from his own family.
"That's not fair," Mia said softly. "You shouldn't have to carry that on your own."
Aiden let out a bitter laugh. "Fair? It's not about fair. It's about expectations. Everyone has them—my dad, the school, the team. And if I don't live up to them, then what am I?"
Mia looked at him, her eyes full of empathy. "You're Aiden. That's enough. You don't have to be perfect, or win every game, or live up to anyone else's standards. You just have to be you."
Aiden stared at her, as if he couldn't quite believe what she was saying. For so long, he had been defined by basketball, by the expectations placed on him. The idea that he could be something more, something separate from all that, was foreign to him.
"How do you do that?" he asked quietly. "How do you just… be yourself?"
Mia smiled gently. "You start by letting people in. By letting them see the real you. Not the guy who has to win every game, but the guy who's just trying his best. You don't have to carry everything alone."
Aiden looked down at his hands, as if considering her words. For a moment, they sat in silence, the only sound the faint echo of their voices in the empty gym.
"I don't know if I can do that," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You can," Mia said firmly. "You don't have to do it all at once, but you can start by letting people help you. You've already done that with me, even if you didn't realize it."
Aiden glanced at her, a small, grateful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Thanks, Mia. I… I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come back here."
Mia felt a warmth spread through her chest, a sense of connection that she hadn't expected to find with Aiden. Maybe they were more alike than she'd realized—both of them trying to navigate the expectations placed on them, both of them searching for something more.
As they sat together, the tension between them seemed to melt away, replaced by something quieter, something unspoken but understood. And in that moment, Mia knew that she and Aiden were no longer just two people crossing paths in the hallways.
They were becoming something more.