Practice was almost over.
The sky was turning orange, the court lights flickering on one by one. Sweat, echoing sneakers, the hollow bounce of basketballs — the noise slowly fading as players grabbed their bags.
Grace, Ella, and Zoey had already left.
They were too tired to stay till the end.
"Text us if you win," Zoey had called.
Dylan had shouted back, "Obviously we'll win."
Now the girls were gone.
And the court felt different.
Theo wiped his face with his jersey, eyes scanning the bleachers instinctively.
Empty.
Nate noticed.
Adrian noticed.
Julian noticed.
Ethan and David were laughing about something near the benches when Dylan joined them.
That's when Theo said it.
"I think he likes her."
Nate looked over. "Dylan?"
Theo nodded once.
Adrian crossed his arms. "He was hovering."
Julian frowned slightly. "Hovering?"
"He kept going to talk to her," Theo said quietly.
Nate shrugged. "She laughed a lot."
Adrian added, "And he asked her to come watch."
Julian looked between them.
"Guys…"
But they were already walking.
Dylan was mid-sentence when he noticed them approaching.
Julian slowed a little.
Adrian didn't.
Nate looked casual.
Theo looked tense.
Ethan stopped talking. "Uh… what's happening?"
David raised an eyebrow.
Adrian spoke first. "We just wanted to ask something."
Dylan blinked. "Okay?"
Theo stepped forward slightly.
"Do you like Grace?"
Silence.
Even the court felt quieter.
Ethan's eyebrows shot up.
David almost laughed — but didn't.
Dylan stared at them for a second.
"What?"
Nate shrugged. "It's obvious."
Adrian nodded. "You were all over her today."
Julian winced slightly at that wording.
Dylan looked confused. "All over her?"
Theo's jaw tightened. "You kept going to her."
Ethan finally spoke. "Because she was sitting there?"
David crossed his arms. "And we invited them."
Theo didn't look convinced.
Dylan ran a hand through his hair, slightly annoyed now.
"No. I don't like Grace."
The words landed flat.
Theo blinked.
Nate narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"
Dylan rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. She's my friend."
Ethan added, "They're literally in our class."
David nodded. "We sit together in projects half the time."
Adrian tilted his head. "So there's nothing?"
Dylan shook his head firmly. "Nothing."
Julian finally spoke, calm but firm.
"Then we're done here."
Theo didn't move immediately.
He searched Dylan's face like he was looking for something hidden.
Jealousy makes you imagine things.
Finally, Theo nodded once.
"Okay."
But it didn't sound relieved.
It sounded… unsettled.
As they walked back toward the lockers, Nate muttered, "Still seems weird."
Adrian shrugged. "Maybe."
Julian glanced at Theo.
"You don't trust him?"
Theo hesitated.
"I don't know."
That was the problem.
He didn't know.
He didn't know where he stood with Grace anymore.
He didn't know who she talked to.
He didn't know if she'd replace him without thinking twice.
And when you don't know…
Your mind fills in the blanks.
Across the hallway, Dylan exhaled sharply.
"That was random."
Ethan laughed softly. "You've been accused."
David smirked. "Should we tell Grace?"
Dylan paused.
"…No."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
Dylan shrugged. "It'll just make it weird."
David nodded slowly.
But the thing about secrets?
They don't stay quiet.
And somewhere down the corridor, Lucy had seen the boys talking in a tight circle.
She hadn't heard the words.
But she'd seen Theo's expression.
And she'd seen who they were facing.
Dylan.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Because misunderstandings don't start loudly.
They start like this.
With assumptions.