The gym buzzed with the rhythmic sound of sneakers on polished wood, echoing the determination of the basketball team in full swing. Liam was in his element, the court a place where everything else melted away. Dribble, pass, shoot. It was second nature to him, and today, it was all that mattered.
But something felt off. His shots weren't falling as they usually did, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The gym was nearly empty; not many teams ever practiced at the same time. The only students in the gym were the varsity team, JV team and the boys volleyball. teammates scattered on the sidelines, stretching and catching their breath.
He paused for a moment, catching the gaze of a girl standing by the bleachers.
Zoey Nakamura.
She was standing with her volleyball bag slung over her shoulder, her head tilted slightly as she watched the basketball practice. The corner of her mouth twitched up, as if she was amused by something, maybe a play he'd just made or just the general chaos of the gym.
Their eyes met, only for a quick second before Zoey looked away. Liam on the other hand didn't look away staring at Zoey as she walked out the gym.
Liam blinked. He hadn't seen her like this before. Normally, she was in her own world, focused on her sport, with barely a glance toward the basketball team or any team for that matter. Today, however, she seemed more… present. His curiosity piqued, he returned to his practice, but the image of Zoey's soft smile lingered in his mind.
Zoey was quietly contemplating the court as the basketball players moved with grace and precision. She'd always admired the sport, even if she couldn't fully understand the complexity of it. Volleyball was her game fast, dynamic, and filled with unexpected moments. The basketball team's movements seemed slower in comparison, but there was an undeniable rhythm to it.
She leaned against the bleachers, suddenly thinking about the eye contact she made with that boy on the basketball team. "Did I look weird? Should I have held eye contact? No I could never!" She said blushing once again.
"Why did Emi have to say those things about a boy." she pouted quietly to herself.
***
The whistle blew, signaling the end of practice. Liam jogged over to the sidelines, wiping the sweat from his brow. His teammates were already starting to gather their things, some heading toward the locker rooms while others lingered, stretching or chatting.
Liam's mind, however, was still caught on the unexpected moment from earlier the brief exchange of glances with Zoey. He didn't know why it had affected him, but it had.
"Hey, Tanaka, let's go!" Daichi called out, already halfway to the door.
"Yeah, coming!" Liam called back, throwing his towel over his shoulder.
They walked through the school hallways, their bags slung over their shoulders, chatting about random things, teachers giving too much homework, a new game everyone was playing, and where to grab food after.
Daichi raised an eyebrow as Liam fell into step beside him. "You were kinda spaced out back there. Everything good?"
Liam shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, just thinking about the game next week.
"Man, you always overthink it. You've been playing great," Daichi said with a grin, giving Liam a light shove.
Liam smiled, but deep down he knew he was putting pressure on himself. "Yeah, well… I just wanna make sure I don't mess up."
***
By the time Liam got home, the sun was already dipping low in the sky, painting his room in soft shades of orange and pink. He dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. His body ached in that good, satisfying way after practice.
From downstairs, he could hear his mom calling, "Dinner in ten, Liam!"
"Okay!" he yelled back, rolling onto his side.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He reached over and glanced at the screen.
Daichi: You better not be stressing about the game already lol
Liam shook his head, smirking, and typed back:
Liam: Me? Never. Totally calm.
Daichi:Liar.
Liam chuckled, tossing the phone down and sitting up. He stretched, running a hand through his damp hair. "Let's eat," he said, making his way downstairs.
Meanwhile, Zoey walked home, the weight of her volleyball bag a familiar comfort on her shoulder.
The sky was starting to darken, and she quickened her pace a little.
As she walked, her mind drifted to volleyball practice drills, the way her spikes hadn't landed right today, and of course, Emi's teasing words.
"Maybe I should try talking to people more…" she muttered to herself, kicking a loose pebble on the sidewalk.
She wasn't used to putting herself out there, especially not with people outside her close circle. But part of her knew Emi wasn't completely wrong. Still, Zoey wasn't about to make a fool of herself just to prove a point.
When she reached home, her mom greeted her from the kitchen, the smell of dinner filling the house.
"How was practice, Zoey?"
Zoey set her bag down and smiled faintly. "It was good. Tiring, but good.
"Have you met anyone special at school yet?" her mom added after a few minutes of quietness.
"You ask this almost everyday mom. I know you would like for me to meet someone but I'm just too shy when it comes to boys." Zoey said, looking at her feet.
I'm sorry sweetie, I just want the best for you and for you to be happy." Her mom responded.
The evening passed like most others — a quiet dinner, a little homework, and some music playing softly from her phone.
As she sat at her desk, flipping through her math textbook, Zoey glanced out the window at the stars just beginning to appear.
Tomorrow's a new day, she thought, resting her chin in her hand. Maybe it'll be better.
She let out a soft sigh and returned to her work, not realizing that somewhere across town, Liam was thinking the same thing — about games, about school, about everything that felt so big and small all at once.
***
Morning came too soon.
Liam groaned as his alarm blared, rolling over to smack the snooze button. A few extra minutes wouldn't hurt… right?
Wrong.
By the time he actually dragged himself out of bed and got ready, he was already running late. He slung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed a slice of toast from the kitchen, and shouted a quick goodbye to his mom before rushing out the door.
The walk to school was brisk, the cool morning air helping to wake him up. His mind drifted to the usual thoughts—homework he hadn't finished, practice later that day, and whether or not Coach was going to make them run extra laps.
As he stepped onto campus, the familiar noise of students filling the courtyard surrounded him. He barely had time to settle before an arm suddenly hooked around him.
"There you are, slowpoke," a teasing voice chimed.
Liam turned his head and grinned. "Morning, Ava."
Ava stood beside him, her striking blue hair catching the sunlight. She was short compared to him, but her presence had always been larger than life. With an easygoing smirk and a playful glint in her eyes, she had a way of making mornings a little more bearable.
"You're late," she pointed out.
"And you're annoyingly on time," Liam shot back.
Ava rolled her eyes, but there was something warm in her gaze. "I had a feeling you'd oversleep again. You're lucky I waited for you."
Liam smirked. "What would I do without you?"
Ava opened her mouth—probably to say something sarcastic—but then she hesitated for just a second. A flicker of something unreadable crossed her expression before she brushed it off.
"You'd probably be a mess," she said, nudging him.
Liam laughed, not thinking much of it. "True."
The two of them walked into school together, just like they had since they were kids.
For Liam, it was another normal day.
But for Ava…
She wasn't so sure anymore.
She stole a quick glance at him when he wasn't looking, something soft in her expression before she masked it with her usual confidence.
One day, she thought. Maybe one day…