Courtside Hearts

Chapter 24 - Sweet 16

Colet woke to the sound of her mother's voice echoing from downstairs. "Colet! Aiah is here!"

She jolted upright, instinctively moving to stand, but the moment she put weight on her foot, she winced. Her ankle, though the swelling had gone down, still ached with a dull pain. It can carry, she thought, brushing off the discomfort. She quickly got dressed and hobbled downstairs, trying her best not to limp.

When she reached the living room, she saw Aiah sitting at the table, deep in conversation with her mother, laughing together as if they'd been lifelong friends.

"Hey, Aiah," Colet called out, drawing their attention.

Aiah turned to her with a warm smile. "Hey, Col!"

Her mother's cheerful expression softened with concern as she addressed Colet. "I didn't know you got hurt! You didn't even tell us! If Aiah hadn't mentioned it..."

Colet shrugged it off with a smile. "It's nothing, Mom."

Her mother sighed, clearly not convinced, but chose to let it go. "Well, I'll leave you two to talk. I'm going to get lunch started, and Aiah, you're staying for lunch, right?" Colet's mom winked playfully.

Aiah nodded graciously. "Of course, thanks, Tita!"

As her mom bustled into the kitchen, Colet sat down across from Aiah. "You're getting along really well with my mom, huh?" Colet teased, recalling how nervous she'd been the first time she introduced Aiah as her girlfriend. Her mother had been shocked at first, but soon enough, she and Aiah had become fast friends, almost like besties.

Aiah grinned. "Well, I think I'm her favorite now."

Colet chuckled. "Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised." There was a soft pause before she added, "Hey, I was thinking... maybe we could go to the mall later? I'm planning something."

Aiah's face shifted, a slight tension in her smile. "Oh... actually, I'm going to the mall with my family later."

Colet's expression faltered for a second, but she tried to brush it off. "That's great. How about we go together?"

Aiah looked down, clearly hesitant. "You know I can't do that yet, Colet."

Colet immediately regretted asking. She knew Aiah's situation well. Her father was strict, especially when it came to basketball and relationships. He never approved of Aiah's love for the sport, wanting her to focus solely on her studies. The idea of Aiah telling her parents she was dating—on top of being a basketball player—seemed impossible for her right now.

Aiah sighed, her voice quiet but firm. "I'm sorry, Col. I just... I'm not ready to introduce you to them yet."

Colet forced a smile, trying to hide her disappointment. "It's okay. I understand. I'm sorry for asking."

Aiah reached out and squeezed Colet's hand. "Soon. I promise. I just need to figure out how."

Colet nodded, appreciating the gesture but knowing how difficult it was for Aiah. "No pressure," she said softly. "I'm here whenever you're ready."

The weight of Aiah's family situation hung in the air, a subtle reminder of how different their lives were. Colet felt lucky to have her parents' support in everything she did, while Aiah had to keep parts of herself hidden. Still, as they sat there, Colet felt an unspoken understanding between them. Despite the hurdles, they'd face everything together.

Aiah's eyes softened as she looked at Colet, concern lingering in her gaze. "How's your ankle, really?"

"It'll be fine," Colet said, brushing it off like usual, but Aiah's gentle gaze told her she wasn't buying it.