The days following Mia and Aiden's official relationship status were a whirlwind. Everywhere Mia went, it seemed people were whispering about her and Aiden, like their relationship was the hottest topic in school. Though most of the attention was friendly curiosity, there was an undercurrent of pressure that Mia couldn't shake.
It wasn't just about Aiden being the captain of the basketball team; it was about what their relationship represented. Aiden was a star, and now, Mia was tied to that spotlight whether she wanted it or not.
Lily remained a constant source of positivity, always excited to talk about Mia's budding romance. "You're basically living every girl's dream," she teased one afternoon as they sat together on the bleachers during practice. "Aiden is, like, the perfect guy—tall, athletic, cute, and super sweet."
Mia smiled, though inwardly she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. It was true—Aiden was all those things. But it was a lot to handle, especially when it felt like the entire school was watching their every move.
As Mia watched Aiden practice with the team, she couldn't help but notice Kyle again. He seemed more distant than usual, barely acknowledging her presence. It was strange. Kyle had always been the life of the group, joking around and making light of everything, but lately, something about him had changed. He was quieter, more reserved, and there was a tension in his eyes whenever he looked at Mia or Aiden.
When practice ended, Aiden jogged over to Mia, his face flushed from exertion but still wearing that familiar, easy smile. "Ready to head out?"
Mia nodded, gathering her things. As they walked toward the exit, Aiden draped his arm around her shoulders, and for a moment, everything felt normal. But as they left the gym, Mia couldn't help but glance back at Kyle, who stood near the locker room, watching them with that same unreadable expression.
That night, Mia tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Her mind kept drifting back to Kyle's strange behavior. She didn't understand why it bothered her so much, but it did. Kyle had always been Aiden's best friend, and they had gotten along well—so why did it feel like something had shifted between them?
The next day, Mia decided to talk to Aiden about it. They met up before class, as they often did, and as they walked through the school halls, Mia hesitated before bringing up the topic.
"Hey, Aiden," she started, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Has Kyle seemed… different to you lately?"
Aiden frowned slightly, looking thoughtful. "Different how?"
"I don't know," Mia said, biting her lip. "He just seems quieter. And I don't know if it's just me, but he's been acting kind of weird around us."
Aiden was silent for a moment, considering her words. Then he shrugged. "I haven't really noticed anything. Kyle's always had his ups and downs, though. He'll be fine."
Mia wanted to believe him, but the uneasy feeling in her chest refused to go away.
As the day went on, that feeling only grew. During lunch, Mia sat with Aiden, Lily, and a few other friends, but her mind was elsewhere. She kept glancing across the cafeteria at Kyle, who was sitting with some of the other basketball players, laughing and joking around like his old self. But whenever his gaze landed on Mia and Aiden, his smile would falter, and he'd look away quickly.
It wasn't long before the rumors started. At first, they were just whispers—nothing Mia could fully make out—but eventually, she began hearing snippets of conversations around school. People were talking about Kyle and Aiden. About tension on the basketball team. About how things had changed ever since Mia and Aiden got together.
At practice that afternoon, the tension was palpable. Mia sat in her usual spot on the bleachers, watching as the team went through their drills, but something felt off. The usual camaraderie between the players was missing, replaced by a strange sense of unease.
Aiden seemed unaffected, as focused as ever on his game. But Kyle… Kyle looked distracted. He missed passes, fumbled the ball, and at one point, even got into a brief argument with another player, which was quickly broken up by the coach.
When practice ended, Mia waited for Aiden outside the locker room. As the team filed out, she spotted Kyle walking alone, his head down. She hesitated for a moment before calling out to him.
"Kyle, wait up!"
Kyle stopped, turning to look at her with a surprised expression. "Hey, Mia."
Mia walked over to him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Can we talk for a second?"
Kyle raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. "Sure. What's up?"
Mia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Is everything okay? I mean, between you and Aiden? You've seemed… different lately."
Kyle's expression hardened for a moment, and Mia could see the conflict in his eyes. He hesitated before answering. "Yeah, everything's fine."
But Mia wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? Because it feels like something's bothering you."
Kyle sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's nothing, Mia. Really. I've just been dealing with some stuff. It's got nothing to do with you or Aiden."
Mia frowned, not entirely believing him. But before she could press further, Aiden walked out of the locker room, his usual smile in place.
"Hey, everything okay?" Aiden asked, glancing between Mia and Kyle.
Kyle quickly plastered on a grin, nodding. "Yeah, all good, man."
But Mia could tell it wasn't. There was something deeper going on, something Kyle wasn't saying. And for the first time, Mia wondered if her relationship with Aiden was somehow affecting more than just the two of them.
As they left the gym, Mia's mind was racing. She knew Kyle wasn't being honest with her, but she didn't know why. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that whatever was going on with Kyle might be the tip of a much larger problem.
A storm was brewing, and Mia wasn't sure how to stop it.