HIGHSCHOOL CHAOS!Homework, Hormones and Horrible Timing

EIGHT

CHAPTER 8

     One day before the tournament, my ankle still throbs with pain.

I'm lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, ankle wrapped in an ice pack. The coach had insisted I rest before the tournament after my little tumble during practice.

Great.

Just the kind of momentum I need before the biggest game of the season. My ankle isn't too bad, but enough to keep me off the court until tomorrow. Coach's orders.

I'm hoping to have a quiet evening, maybe get my head straight, but apparently that was wishful thinking. Because right now, my room has been invaded. Clara, Ryan, and Jake are sprawled out in various corners, each taking turns reminding me of why isolation sometimes feels like a good idea.

Clara is perched at the edge of my desk, recounting my encounter with Isabel in the library. But, knowing Clara, she's not just telling the story.......she's amplifying it with wild hand gestures and way too much enthusiasm.

"So there they were," she says, her voice overly dramatic, "Daniel and Isabel, all alone by the bookshelf. His fingers brush hers, and I swear, time stopped! You should've seen his face, guys. I've never seen Daniel look so. . . .so dreamy."

Ryan snickers from the floor, leaning back on his elbows. "Dreamy, huh? I don't think I've ever seen that look on him. Daniel, care to explain?"

I groan, covering my face with a pillow. "For the last time, nothing happened. It was just... I handed her a book. That's it. End of story."

Clara continues, undeterred by my protests. "Oh please, you had that look! You know, the 'oh no, I'm falling for her but I don't even realize it yet' look."

"I did not," I mumble from beneath the pillow, but Clara's not backing down.

Jake, who's sitting by the window, chimes in, "I mean, Daniel, you've been kind of... different lately. Smiling to yourself, spacing out during practice. It's a dead giveaway."

I sit up, tossing the pillow aside. "I have not been spacing out. And smiling? People smile, it's a normal thing. Doesn't mean anything."

Ryan, ever the opportunist, leans over and taps Clara's arm. "Maybe Isabel gave him something to smile about. A little spark, perhaps?"

"Guys, seriously," I start, but it's too late. They've already formed a teasing tag-team, and I'm the helpless target. Clara grins like she's about to launch into another exaggerated version of the library moment.

I open my mouth to defend myself, but before I can get a word in, there's a knock at the door.

Thank God, a distraction.

Ryan sits up, curiosity flashing across his face. "You expecting anyone?"

I shrug, hobbling off the bed to open the door. When I pull it open, my heart does that weird skip thing again because standing there is Isabel.

Oh man.

Ryan whistles under his breath from across the room, and I send him a glare that could melt steel.

Isabel smiles, but it's a little hesitant. "Hey, Daniel. I heard about your ankle. Are you okay?"

For a moment, my brain forgets how to form coherent sentences, and all I can think about is how my room suddenly feels so small, like all the air has been sucked out. I manage to nod, though I'm half-worried my face is doing something weired.

"Uh, yeah. Just a minor sprain. Nothing serious."

Her eyes flick over to Clara, who's still sitting at my desk. There's a flicker of something. . . . what?. . .sadness?. . . but it's gone as quickly as it appeared, and knowing me, I probably just imagined it. Isabel and Clara don't hang out much, but I've never thought there was any tension between them. Still, it feels... off.

"Good to hear," Isabel says, offering a small smile. "I just wanted to wish you good luck for the tournament tomorrow. I know you'll do great."

There it is again. That odd warmth spreading through my chest. My friends are not making this easier. I shoot Ryan a quick glare as he smirks in my direction.

"Thanks," I manage to say, trying to sound normal. "That means a lot."

Ryan, of course, can't help himself. "You should've seen him earlier, Isabel. He's been training so hard. Practically flying across the court, right before he... y'know... crashed."

I can feel the heat rising in my face as Isabel glances between me and Ryan, her brows furrowing slightly. "Really?" she asks, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah," Jake chimes in, shaking his head in mock sadness. "All that focus and energy...right up until his big fall."

"Seriously?" I mutter under my breath, glaring at my friends. This is the last thing I need right now.

Isabel's lips quirk into a smile. "Well, I hope you're not too injured. You're kind of important to the team, Daniel."

There it is again; her saying something simple, but it sends my pulse into overdrive. I feel like a kid who just got caught sneaking candy, even though there's nothing going on between us. At least... not that I'm aware of.

"Thanks, I'll be good by tomorrow," I say, and then quickly change the subject before Ryan or Clara can throw more fuel on the fire. "Are you coming to the game?"

She nods. "Wouldn't miss it. See you then?"

"Yeah. See you."

She gives me a final smile before turning to leave, and as soon as the door closes behind her, I collapse back onto the bed with a sigh!

Of course, the second she's gone, Ryan and Jake break into exaggerated applause.

"Oh, bravo, Daniel. That was smooth. Real smooth."

I throw a pillow at them. "You guys are impossible."

Clara shakes her head, but she's smiling too. "I mean, for what it's worth, Daniel, I think she likes you."

I scoff, though the thought of it sends my mind spinning. "Nah. We're just friends. You guys are reading way too much into this."

Jake raises an eyebrow. "Sure, buddy. Keep telling yourself that."

As they start up again, teasing and tossing out theories about Isabel and me, I lean back against the headboard, trying not to think too hard about what they're saying. But it's hard to ignore the way my heart had raced when she walked in, or the way her eyes seemed to linger just a little longer than usual.

Maybe... just maybe... they're not entirely wrong. But for now, I'll keep that thought buried deep, somewhere these blabbermouths can't reach.