Hearts on the Court

Chapter 12: In My Arms

It was exactly one week before the big tournament, and I could feel the pressure mounting. Every minute seemed to count, and I knew I needed to step up my game if I wanted to make a real difference. That night, I decided to put in extra hours at the club. 

The regular training sessions weren't enough—I had to do more, push myself harder. The gym was quiet in the evenings, almost peaceful, and I figured it would be the perfect place to focus. I wanted to make sure I was sharp, ready to give everything.

The day went by as usual—I attended classes, hung out with my friends, but all the while, my mind was on the court. 

When the time finally came, I headed to the club, put on my training clothes, and went through the regular drills with the rest of the team. After our standard practice ended, I was about to head to the convenience store to grab something to eat before getting back to work.

As I was gathering my things in the locker room, I bumped into Alex. "Hey, Jacob, where are you headed?" he asked, raising an eyebrow with a curious smile.

"Oh, hey Alex. I'm just running to the store for some snacks," I replied casually.

He seemed surprised. "Snacks? Are you planning to stay and train more tonight?"

I smiled, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah, I think I need to put in a little more work. I'm hungry, though, so I need to fuel up."

Alex grinned, clearly impressed. "That's awesome. Honestly, I think you're doing great. If you keep this up, Coach might start you in the tournament."

Hearing those words made my heart race. "Wait, really? You think so?"

"Yeah, man. Why not? You've been putting in the work, and it's showing," Alex said with an encouraging nod.

I felt a rush of gratitude. "Thanks, Alex. That means a lot."

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted William. He was standing at the edge of the locker room, looking like he was getting ready to leave. For some reason, I felt this weird jolt of excitement seeing him there, but I didn't want to look too long and make it obvious. I quickly thanked Alex again and headed out, waving goodbye as we went our separate ways.

I rushed to the store, grabbed some snacks to refuel, and returned to the gym. It was mostly empty now, with just the faint echo of a bouncing ball in the distance. 

I loved the quiet of it—just me and the sound of my shoes on the court as I started throwing up shots working on my footwork, and perfecting everything I felt needed improvement.

I was so focused on my training that I didn't notice when someone entered the gym. Suddenly, I heard my name.

"Jacob."

I spun around, startled, and there he was—William, standing just a few feet away, with a serious look on his face. My heart skipped a beat.

"You scared me," I said with a laugh, trying to shake off the tension. "I didn't see you come in. What are you doing here?"

He paused for a moment, and then, in that calm, steady voice of his, he said, "I came to train with you."

I blinked in surprise. "Really? I thought you were heading back to your place after practice."

William smiled, a little mischievously, and shrugged. "I was, but I figured I could use some extra training too. Want to go one-on-one?"

My heart raced even faster. Training alone was one thing, but going one-on-one with William? That was a whole different ball game. He was one of the best players on the team, and even though it was just practice, the idea of having him all to myself, even for a little while, felt... exhilarating.

"Sure," I said, trying to keep my cool. "Let's do it."

We started the game, and right from the start, I was determined to give it my all. But it wasn't easy. William was quick, agile, and every time he moved, I found myself trying so hard not to touch him in the wrong way, to avoid getting too close. 

I didn't want to make things awkward, even though something inside me kept buzzing whenever I was near him.

After a few minutes, he must've noticed my hesitation because he suddenly stopped, grabbed my arm, and said, "Jacob, you've got to be more aggressive. Don't hold back."

He stepped closer, placing my hand around his waist to show me the right defensive stance. My heart pounded in my chest, the warmth of his body radiating through his shirt. 

His waist was firm and muscular, but what caught me off guard was how small it felt. I tried to ignore the thoughts racing through my head, telling myself to focus, but it was impossible. My mind wandered as I felt the faint outline of his abs beneath the fabric. I wondered what it would feel like if I—

"Jacob," William said, snapping me back to reality. "Stay focused."

I cleared my throat, shaking my head to push the thoughts away. "Right. Sorry."

We continued playing, and this time, I tried to follow his advice, moving faster, getting more aggressive. But in one quick, clumsy moment, I lunged too hard and knocked William off balance. He fell to the ground with a thud, and I froze.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" I rushed over to him, dropping to my knees beside him. Panic started rising in my chest. What if he was hurt? The tournament was only a week away—if I had injured him, he wouldn't be able to play, and I couldn't live with that. My head started spinning with guilt and worry.

William lay there, catching his breath, while I babbled apologies. "I'm so sorry, William. I didn't mean to. Are you hurt? Can you move?"

Suddenly, he started laughing.

I blinked, confused. "Why are you laughing?"

He grinned up at me, that playful glint back in his eyes. "Relax, I'm fine. It's just cute how much you're panicking."

I felt my face heat up at his words. "Cute? I'm not panicking!" I protested, standing up quickly to hide my embarrassment. "You're so annoying, get up."

But William just smiled, staying where he was. "Can you help me up?" he asked, his voice soft, teasing.

I sighed, offering him my hand, but instead of taking it, he gave me that irresistible grin. "Actually... why don't you carry me?"

I stared at him, bewildered. "Are you serious? You're not hurt, William!"

He shrugged, that mischievous twinkle in his eye still there. "No, but you knocked me down, so you have to help me up. You broke it, you fix it, right?"

His playful tone made my heart flutter, and though I wanted to argue, I found myself smiling. "Fine. You're impossible, you know that?"

"Just proving a point," he said with a laugh.

I leaned down, and before I knew it, I had scooped him up into my arms, lifting him like he was some kind of prince. He was lighter than I expected, his body fitting perfectly in my grasp, and he seemed entirely too satisfied with the situation.

"Comfortable?" I asked sarcastically as I carried him off the court.

William smirked, leaning his head back with a dramatic sigh. "Very. I could get used to this."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're unbelievable."

But as I carried him, something shifted between us. The teasing, the laughter—it all seemed to mask something deeper, something neither of us was quite ready to say out loud. 

The night felt warmer, the air between us charged with unspoken words, lingering touches, and the silent understanding that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something more.

And in that moment, with William in my arms, I realized—I didn't mind carrying him at all.