DELUSIONAL HEART

ch2 : TANGLED AFFECTION

   CHAPTER 2 : TANGLED AFFECTION

Phil took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He turned to Nick, walking beside him, offering silent support.

“Hey, Nick, maybe you should come with me,” Phil mumbled, second-guessing his decision before even finishing the sentence.

Nick smirked, clapping Phil on the shoulder. “Nah, brother. This is all you. You got this. I’ll be over here, cheering like an embarrassing mom at a soccer game.”

Phil chuckled nervously. “Great. Just what I needed—an overenthusiastic mom figure.”

Nick winked. “Better that than a disappointed coach. Now go! And, for the love of everything, don’t trip over your own feet.”

Phil rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. “Easier said than done.”

⇨ *Phil, trying to muster all his courage, started walking toward Lily. His stomach was doing backflips. He was about to say something when...*

Whoosh!

⇨ *A basketball came flying right at him.*

Instinct took over. Phil’s hand shot out, catching the ball with a smooth, one-handed grab. He stood there for a second, stunned, as the small crowd around them went silent.

Lily’s eyes widened. "Whoa! Are you okay? That was... kinda awesome."

Phil gulped. His nerves kicked back in harder than before. "Uh, yeah. No big deal. Just, you know... another day in the office." He winced immediately, cringing at his awkward attempt to sound cool.

Lily giggled. "That’s pretty impressive for ‘just another day.’ I’m Lily, by the way."

"Phil," he replied, shifting awkwardly. "I mean, yeah, I’m Phil."

"I’ve seen you at the games." Lily smiled warmly, her eyes bright. "You always seem really into basketball."

Phil shrugged, trying to seem casual, though his heart was pounding. "Yeah, I like it. It’s... fun."

Lily raised an eyebrow playfully. "Fun, huh? Wanna show me how fun it is? Let’s play."

Phil’s mind froze. Did she just ask him to play? He swallowed. "Uh, yeah! Sure, let’s do it!"

---

*They played for a few minutes, laughing and tossing the ball back and forth. Every time Lily smiled, Phil felt like he was floating. After a while, they decided to take a break, walking off the court together.*

---

Lily turned to Phil with a grin. "You’re really fun to be around, you know that?"

Phil tried to suppress the ridiculous grin spreading across his face. "Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself."

---

*Meanwhile, Nick observes Becca.*

Nick was on his way home when something caught his attention. Becca was standing near the corner of the building, half-hidden behind it, peeking around the side.

He frowned, following her gaze. It was directed at Phil and Lily, who were walking together down the sidewalk, laughing.

Nick approached her, his expression curious but suspicious. "Hey, Becca. What are you doing? Spying?"

Becca spun around, startled. "What? No! I was just... checking on Lily. Making sure she’s okay."

Nick folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. ‘Cause, you know, Phil’s a real dangerous guy. I’m sure Lily’s in peril."

Becca scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, no, but... you never know. He could trip over his own feet and take her down with him."

Nick didn’t laugh. Something about Becca’s behavior didn’t sit right. He watched her closely, trying to gauge her. Her eyes were darting around, her smile forced, like she was hiding something.

"You keep saying stuff like that," Nick said, his tone sharp, probing. "What’s your deal? Why are you so invested in Lily and Phil? And why didn’t she talk to him much before, but now suddenly she’s into him?"

Becca’s face twitched, a flicker of something—guilt? Frustration?—crossing her expression before she shrugged. "You think I’m lying?"

Nick didn’t answer immediately. His gut told him something was off. Becca’s usual confidence was missing, replaced by something that felt... rehearsed. Fake.

"I think you’re being vague," Nick said, his tone firmer now. "Which is weird. And unlike you."

Becca let out a dramatic sigh, like she was annoyed by the interrogation. "Fine. Lily had a boyfriend, okay? He cheated on her. It broke her heart. So she’s been cautious, but she told me recently she’s ready to move on."

Nick studied her closely, still not convinced. "And then what? You just went to Phil and gave him the green light?"

Becca nodded quickly. "Yeah. She asked me to, you know, give him a little encouragement."

Her voice sounded too eager, too certain. Nick’s unease deepened. Something didn’t fit. Becca was a great liar—he’d seen it before—but there was a crack in her story this time. A hesitation.

Nick squinted, crossing his arms tighter. "And you’re sure Lily’s into him now?"

Becca flashed a bright smile. "Positive."

Nick’s eyes narrowed. "Right. So why are you hiding in the shadows, then? Why not just come out and talk to them?"

For a moment, Becca’s mask slipped. She shifted awkwardly, her expression flickering with something he couldn’t quite read—nervousness? Anger? It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

"You’re overthinking it, Nick," she said, her voice tight, defensive. "I’m just looking out for my friend. That’s all."

Nick nodded slowly, but his gut churned with suspicion. Becca was too smooth, too prepared. She was hiding something, and whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

"Alright," he muttered, turning to leave. But as he walked away, he heard Becca whisper, just under her breath:

"It’s starting... just like I planned."

Nick froze, his eyes widening. He whipped around, but Becca was already gone, disappearing into the twilight.

His stomach twisted, dread creeping in. What was she planning? And why?

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