Beyond The Court

5. Promises and Distance

The day after a win is always the same—students hyping me and the team up like we're some kind of heroes. I don't mind it, but it doesn't mean much to me. They care about the victories, about how I make the school look, but that's all it is. I walk through the halls, headphones in, letting their voices blur into the background.

"Yo, Izzi! You killed it last night!" someone shouts.

I give a half-hearted wave, not even bothering to pull my headphones out. They keep moving, and so do I. The only people who matter are my teammates. Even then, I'm careful with them. They're like family on the court, but off it? I keep my distance. I don't let them in—not really.

I head toward the cafeteria, catching sight of Sierra at the lunch table. She waves me over, the rest of the team already sitting with her, talking about last night's game. I grab my tray and join them, sitting in the usual spot. There's laughter, joking around about plays, but I mostly just listen, zoning in and out of their conversation.

"You seriously carried us last night, Izzi," Mack says, grinning from across the table. "Like, we might as well just let you play one-on-five at this point."

I smirk but don't respond. I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for some kind of response, but I don't give them one. I don't need to. My role is clear. They look to me to win the games, and I do. That's all there is to it.

As they talk, my eyes drift across the cafeteria, scanning the crowd without thinking. And then I see her.

Kesley.

She's sitting with her new friends at a table near the windows, laughing about something one of them said. She looks... different now. She's got a new group, new clothes, a whole new vibe. It doesn't really surprise me anymore, but it still feels strange, like looking at a version of her I don't really know.

I tell myself not to stare, but I can't help it. My eyes always find her.

I'm about to look away when one of the guys at her table, Jacob, stands up, all confident and cocky. I watch as he says something to her, loud enough to get everyone's attention. The table goes quiet, and that's when I hear it.

"So, Kesley, you going to prom with me or what?"

My stomach drops. I wasn't expecting that. Not at all.

Kesley looks startled at first, her eyes widening slightly. For a second, she doesn't say anything. She just sits there, like she's frozen, and then—she turns her head. 

Right toward me.

Our eyes meet, and suddenly the entire cafeteria fades away. It's just the two of us, like it always used to be. Her gaze is sharp, almost searching, and for a second, I see the girl I used to know. The one I was best friends with, the one I... loved. The one I still-

My breath catches in my throat, and I'm stuck there, staring back at her, not knowing what to do. Not knowing what to feel. I can see something in her eyes—something I haven't seen in years. But then she blinks, breaking the moment, and turns back to Jacob.

She says something to him, but I can't hear it over the noise of the cafeteria. Whatever it is, everyone around her laughs, and she shakes her head, giving a small smile. It's like nothing happened. Like that moment between us didn't mean a thing.

I look away, suddenly feeling like I can't breathe. I don't care who she goes to prom with. Why should I? We're not those girls anymore. We're not even friends. I force myself to focus on my team, pushing the weird tension out of my head.

"So, prom's coming up," Sierra says, nudging me. "You going with anyone, Izzi?"

I give her a blank look. "You know I'm not into that stuff."

"Yeah, but you could if you wanted," Mack chimes in. "You've got half the school lining up to ask you."

I shrug, trying to play it off. "Don't care."

They laugh, but I can tell Sierra's watching me a little too closely. She's been doing that a lot lately, like she's trying to figure me out. I stay quiet, not giving her anything to work with. I know she cares, but that's the problem. I don't need anyone caring. It's easier to keep them at arm's length. Safer.

The bell rings, and we all start packing up to head to class. I grab my bag, ready to get out of the cafeteria and away from the weirdness of the last few minutes. As I stand, I catch one last glance of Kesley, her laughter fading into the background as I leave the room.

I tell myself it doesn't matter. It's just a look. She's got her new life, and I've got mine. I've moved on. I have to. Basketball is all that matters. The game is the only thing keeping me from losing it, and that's what I need to focus on.

Not her...