Hearts Out of Bounds

Chapter 1: When Clint Meets JC

The school bell rang just as JC dashed through the gates, his heart racing. Great. Late on my first day. His family had just moved to the neighborhood, and he was still getting used to the new surroundings. The morning had been a rush, and now he found himself running across campus, completely lost.

JC skidded to a halt, scanning the unfamiliar buildings. His breath hitched as he realized he had no idea which room he was supposed to be in. He glanced at his schedule, muttering to himself, "Room 203... but where is that?" After a few minutes of wandering, he finally found the right building, breathless and disheveled.

He hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open. The classroom was already filled, and all eyes turned toward him as he awkwardly entered.

"Ah, you must be the new student," the teacher, Sir Nick Castro, said with a raised eyebrow. "And you're late."

JC swallowed hard and tried to smile. "Yeah, sorry about that... I got lost."

The teacher gestured for him to stand in front of the class. "Since you're already making an entrance, why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Uh, hi. I'm JC. My family just moved here, so... yeah, I'm new."

"New and late," Sir Nick added with a teasing grin. "We don't usually start the day like this, but since you're here, let's grill you a little. How about some questions to get to know you?"

JC blinked. "Sure... I guess?"

Sir Nick leaned against his desk, eyeing him with mock seriousness. "Alright, JC. What's your favorite movie?"

"Uh, The Matrix... but also, Toy Story, if I'm being honest."

The class chuckled, and Sir Nick grinned. "Interesting. Let's dig deeper. What's your morning routine?"

"Hit snooze three times, regret it instantly, quick shower, and... usually run late," JC replied, trying to laugh it off.

Another round of giggles. Sir Nick nodded thoughtfully, clearly enjoying this. "Okay, now for the weird stuff. What are your top five biggest fears?"

JC paused, trying not to look too awkward. "Um, spiders... enclosed spaces... dark rooms... cockroaches... and... angry cats."

The entire class erupted in laughter, but none louder than Clint, who sat near the back of the room, his piercing gaze fixed on JC. He couldn't help it—the mention of angry cats struck a chord with him, though he tried to maintain his cool, indifferent facade. Inside, something clicked. He wasn't sure what it was about this new guy, but there was an unexplainable connection, a pull that both intrigued and confused him.

Sir Nick raised an eyebrow. "Angry cats, huh? Well, I'll try to keep them out of the classroom." With a chuckle, he nodded toward an empty seat. "You can sit next to Harold."

JC made his way to his seat, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes still on him. As he sat down, Harold, the guy next to him, smiled and leaned in.

"Hey, welcome to the school. Don't worry, Sir Nick always likes to mess with the new guys," Harold whispered.

"Thanks," JC said, relieved to have someone friendly nearby. They settled in for the rest of the class, but JC could still feel Clint's gaze burning into the back of his head. He glanced back once but quickly looked away when he caught Clint's eyes, maintaining his tough, unbothered expression.

At lunchtime, JC found himself walking with Harold, who was more than happy to show him around.

"So, why did you transfer here?" Harold asked as they navigated the bustling cafeteria.

"My family just moved for my dad's job. I didn't really want to switch schools, but here I am," JC explained, shrugging.

Harold smiled warmly. "You'll get used to it. I'll show you the ropes."

As they approached the lockers, JC spotted Clint and Claude, two of the school's star basketball players. Clint caught JC's eye for a brief moment before walking off without a word. Claude, on the other hand, smiled and approached them.

"Hey, you must be JC," Claude said, extending his hand. "I'm Claude, one of Harold's teammates."

JC shook his hand, noticing how Claude's eyes lingered a bit longer than expected. "Yeah, nice to meet you."

Harold stood nearby, feeling a small pang of jealousy as Claude and JC talked. He'd been friends with Claude forever, but there was something about the way Claude looked at JC that made his stomach churn.

After a bit more small talk, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. JC, Harold, and Claude headed back to class, but Harold couldn't shake the feeling that Claude's interest in JC was more than just friendly.

After a bit more small talk, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. JC, Harold, and Claude headed back to class, but Harold couldn't shake the feeling that Claude's interest in JC was more than just friendly.

By the time school ended, JC was ready to head home, but Harold and Claude had other plans.

"Hey, JC, you should come to basketball tryouts," Harold said. "You play, right?"

JC shrugged. "Yeah, I do. But I didn't think I'd try out here."

"Come on, it'll be fun," Claude chimed in. "We're headed to the gym now. You can watch."

JC hesitated but agreed. They made their way to the gym, where Clint was already practicing. JC sat on the bench as Harold, Claude, and Clint warmed up. He couldn't help but notice Clint—he was tall, athletic, and undeniably good at what he did. But there was something else about him. Despite his cocky and standoffish demeanor, Clint had a magnetism that JC couldn't ignore.

JC found himself staring, lost in thought, until Clint suddenly looked his way, catching him in the act. JC quickly looked away, feeling awkward.

After practice, JC walked outside with Harold and Claude. "You were staring at Clint, weren't you?" Harold teased, nudging him.

JC laughed nervously. "Just... watching the game."

Claude smirked. "Yeah, he has that effect on people."

They walked toward Claude's car, and Claude offered JC a ride. "Hop in. I'll take you home."

Grateful for the gesture, JC accepted, and they all drove off together, ending JC's first day with new friendships and a strange feeling he couldn't quite explain. Something was brewing, both on the court and off, and JC wasn't sure how to navigate it just yet.