Crossed Lines

Eli

The buzz of my alarm dragged me out of a restless sleep. Tuesday mornings always felt like limbo—not close enough to the weekend to feel exciting, but far enough from Monday to have some hope. I slapped at my phone until the noise stopped and squinted at the sunlight creeping through the blinds.

Across the room, Noah was already up, tying his sneakers while shoving the last bite of his protein bar into his mouth.

"Morning, sunshine," he said, his voice muffled.

"Morning," I grumbled, swinging my legs out of bed. My desk was a mess of notebooks, a basketball playbook, and an empty water bottle I didn't remember leaving there. Above it, the Timberwolves banner hung like a silent reminder of Saturday's game against Hartford.

"Fuck, I'm tired. I feel like I wrestled a bear." I stretch my arms over my head, the feeling of my aching muscles run throughout my body.

"You going to class today?" Noah asked, lacing his shoes with quick, practiced hands.

"Yeah, but only because Coach would kill me if I missed again," I said, grabbing a hoodie from the back of my chair. "What about you?"

"Yup," he replied with a mock shudder. "Not my idea of a good time, but hey, at least it's not Hartford we're studying."

I smirked, shaking my head. "You're really letting them live rent-free in your head, huh?"

"Hard not to," Noah shot back. "You know they're gunning for us. Remember last year? That fucking cheap shot during overtime?"

I winced at the memory. Hartford didn't just play to win—they played to destroy. And with Saturday's game happening at our court, the pressure was even higher to defend our territory.

"Yeah, well, we'll handle them," I said, more for myself than for him. "One game at a time."

"Spoken like a true captain," Noah teased, grabbing his backpack. "Don't let Coach hear you say that, though. He'll make you run laps just for sounding cocky."

"Noted," I said, snatching my own bag and following him out the door.

The hallway was already bustling with teammates and other dorm-mates heading to class. Someone shouted about a group study session for Econ, and I made a mental note to avoid them later. I had enough on my plate without trying to relearn supply and demand.

Noah nudged me as we reached the stairs. "You talk to Mina yet about coming to the game?"

I hesitated, my hand on the railing. "Sort of. She's got work, though, so I don't know."

"She'll come," he said confidently. "She always does."

"Not always," I muttered, but Noah was already bounding down the stairs, throwing a quick "See ya later Cap." over his shoulder.

I sighed, pulling my hoodie tighter as I headed for the lecture hall. Mina always showed up when it mattered. But for some reason, this game felt different. I wasn't sure why, but I wanted her there more than ever.

______________________

The last few minutes of class dragged on, the professor's voice blending into a dull hum. I tapped my pencil against the desk, my mind already on lunch. As soon as the clock hit noon, I stuffed my notebook into my backpack and headed for the door, pulling out my phone.

Levi: Cafeteria. Usual spot. Can someone get me a cup of coffee on the way 
Alex: And don't be late like last time. And no.
Noah: You were late, Alex. Levi you're literally the closest to the cafe.
Connor: You're all late compared to me.
Me: I'll be there. Try not to eat everything before I show up.                                                                                    Alex: Wow you're not eating with Mina today? Did y'all break up

I scoffed at the screen and shoved the phone back in my pocket. The cafeteria was already buzzing when I arrived, the hum of voices and clatter of trays filling the air.

Our usual table by the window came into view, Malik standing out like a beacon with his height and loud personality. He waved as soon as he spotted me.

"Holy crap, you're actually here." Levi called out when I finally slid into the seat next to him.

"I literally ate with y'all yesterday." I shot back, dropping my textbook onto the table with a thud.

Connor leaned forward, smirking. "Yeah, but you came thirty minutes late because-."

"Because you were with Mina." Alex smirked, shoving a forkful of fries into his mouth.

I leaned back into my chair, giving them the middle finger as my answer. They barked with laughter as Levi changed topics.

"Anyway, I was just explaining to Alex how Hartford's guard doesn't stand a chance against me."

Connor chuckled. "He's been trying to convince us he's unstoppable all lunch."

"No trying about it," Levi shot back. "That guy's a benchwarmer with a good PR team. Trust me, he can't touch me."

"Still has the height advantage," Alex mumbled.

Our team's average heights is all over six feet, but recently, Hartford has been getting bigger and taller guys.

Levi sat up straighter, glaring. "Height doesn't matter when you've got skills. Watch and learn, little man."

"You're fucking only one inch taller than me dick face." Alex rolled his eyes, leaning back into his seat.

Noah, ever the mediator, cut in. "Hartford's tough, but Levi's got the edge. Just stick to the plays, and we'll be fine."

The banter rolled on as usual, with Levi's ego taking center stage and the rest of us chiming in with just enough sarcasm to keep him in check. I let it flow around me while I steal some of Alex's fries.

Then Levi turned his attention to me. "So, Moore, think Mina's coming to the game Saturday?"

Why is everyone asking this question? Trying not to show my annoyance, I played it cool. "She's working. Probably too busy."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "For Hartford? Seriously?"

"Biggest game of the semester, and she's skipping for work?" Levi said, shaking his head. "That's cold."

"She doesn't even like basketball that much. Plus this happens every year." I pointed out.

"Yeah, but this is our last game. We're seniors dude." Alex said.

"I'm just saying," Levi added, smirking. "Bet she'll show. She's gotta support her boy."

I rolled my eyes but didn't respond. I wasn't about to admit how much I wanted her there, especially not to these guys. Instead, I changed the subject, steering the conversation back to strategies and plays for the game.