Hearts on the Court

Chapter 16: First Day

Soon it was time for the inauguration. The excitement in the gym was palpable as teams from different universities gathered, along with spectators, cheerleaders, and student council members, all there to witness the beginning of the tournament. 

The gym was buzzing with energy, but despite the hustle and bustle, my eyes were constantly searching for one person—William. He was in the front of the line, looking as focused as ever, and just seeing him there made my heart flutter.

William had been working with the student council and cheerleaders to organize this event, and I couldn't help but admire how incredible everything looked. From the elaborate decorations to the smoothly coordinated performances, it was clear that countless hours had gone into making the day a success. And seeing William, so composed and proud, filled me with admiration. I was proud of him. Even though I was lined up with my team, standing at attention as Coach had instructed, I couldn't help but steal glances in William's direction.

We'd been organized from shortest to tallest, and while William wasn't short by any means, he wasn't the tallest on the team either. 

This landed him in the front of our formation, standing there with that quiet determination in his eyes that always made me want to get closer to him. I really wanted to go up to him, maybe share a quiet word or just let him know how amazing everything looked. But with Coach's eyes trained on us like a hawk, there was no way I could risk it. 

I could feel the intensity of the moment, the expectation to remain focused, but deep inside, all I wanted was to talk to William, to feel connected to him again, if even for a second.

The inauguration continued, and though I tried my best to pay attention, my thoughts kept drifting back to William. 

I knew he had worked so hard to help organize this event, and it showed. The cheerleaders moved with such precision, the decorations gleamed in the gym lights, and the entire setup had an air of perfection. The student council, including William, had truly outdone themselves. My heart swelled with pride just watching him.

Finally, the ceremony concluded, and I saw my chance. As soon as the crowd began to disperse, I made my way toward William, eager to finally catch his attention. 

I had so much I wanted to say—about how amazing he was, about how proud I was of him, and maybe, if I was brave enough, a little bit more about how I felt. But just as I was closing the distance between us, Alex appeared out of nowhere, stepping directly in front of me and blocking my view.

"Hey, we need to go prepare for the game," Alex said, his tone urgent as he grabbed my arm.

"Yeah, I know," I replied quickly, brushing him off. "I just need to do something quick."

I managed to push him away, but by the time I looked back, William was gone. My heart sank, the opportunity slipping through my fingers. I scanned the crowd frantically, hoping to catch sight of him again, but it was no use. 

He had vanished, and I had no choice but to head to the locker room and get ready for the game.

As I changed into my jersey, my thoughts were still with William. I had been so close, yet now, he felt so far away. I wondered if I had missed my chance to talk with him. But then, as I walked out of the locker room, there he was—William, washing his hands at the sink. 

My heart skipped some beats, and without thinking, I rushed over to him, grabbing his arm.

"William, can we talk?" I asked, my voice softer than I had intended.

He didn't even turn around to face me. Instead, he pulled his arm away gently and said, "Sorry, but I have to go," his voice flat and distant.

And just like that, he walked away. I stood there, dumbfounded. My chest felt tight as I watched him leave, his retreating figure disappearing down the hall. 

He was definitely avoiding me. I was lost and didn't know what to do. I felt a wave of regret wash over me, wishing I had said something different or reached out sooner.

I sighed heavily, trying to shake off the sadness that clung to me. I had to focus on the game. I grabbed my things and headed back to the court, meeting up with Ryan on the way. He slapped my shoulder, giving me a goofy grin.

"Hey, are you ready for this?" he asked, trying to hype me up.

I barely registered his words, my mind still on William. 

I was too distracted to respond properly, just nodding absently as we set our stuff on the bench and began warming up. Ryan noticed my lack of enthusiasm and snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Dude, are you even listening to me?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"Yeah, sorry," I muttered, shaking my head as if to clear it. "I'm just trying to focus on the game."

"Whatever, man," he said, brushing it off. "Just don't lose it out there."

But even as we warmed up, my eyes kept drifting to where William was. He seemed tense, his movements stiff as he shot the ball. I could tell something was off with him, and it made me feel uneasy.

The game started, and William was out on the court, playing as a starter. My eyes stayed glued to him, watching his every move. But just a few minutes in, the buzzer blared, and I saw it—William had committed his first foul. The crowd gasped, and Coach Martin tried to keep us calm, reminding everyone that it was just the beginning and William needed to settle down.

But then, just two minutes later, it happened again. Another foul. This time, Coach was visibly worried, pulling William to the side during the timeout.

"William, you need to be careful," Coach said, his tone firm. "That's two fouls in the first five minutes. Calm down, and focus."

William nodded, but I could see the strain in his face. He was trying so hard, but something was bothering him, and it was affecting his game. I felt an overwhelming urge to go to him, to tell him that it was going to be okay, but I couldn't. I was stuck on the bench, watching helplessly as the game continued.

The first quarter ended with William still struggling. He had managed to avoid more fouls, but the stress was evident in every move he made. When we gathered during the break, Coach led us outside for a quick pep talk. I grabbed my water bottle, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

As we stood outside in the cool air, I couldn't stop thinking about William—how distant he had seemed earlier, how stressed he looked on the court. My mind was a mess of thoughts and emotions, torn between wanting to win the game and wanting to figure out what was going on with him.

"Come on, let's get back out there and play smart," Coach said, breaking through my thoughts.

I nodded and followed the team back inside, determined to do my part. But as we stepped onto the court, my eyes found William again. He was staring off into the distance, lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly, the game didn't feel as important anymore. I knew what I had to do. After the game, I would find William. I wouldn't let him slip away again, not without understanding what was going on between us. Because deep down, I knew that what I felt for him was more than just friendship, more than admiration.

It was love.. And no matter how this game ended, I wasn't going to let him go without a fight.