Darkson High

2.10

After the adrenaline-filled tryout, the group decided to head out and celebrate Mike's stellar performance. Originally, Mike and Nikky had planned to study together, but after the intensity of the day, both agreed to push that to another time. Right now, a little bit of fun was in order. The group headed over to a retro-style diner known for its milkshakes and burgers—a favorite hangout spot.

The diner's neon sign buzzed brightly as they walked in, laughter already bubbling up among them. The smell of fried food and the chatter of other patrons filled the air, creating a cozy, lively atmosphere. They slid into a large booth, squeezing together and shifting around until everyone had a spot.

Trey, Harry, and Ricky joined them not long after, fresh from a pick-up basketball game. Harry was still wiping sweat from his brow, and Trey had a big grin on his face, clearly riding high from their game.

"Guess who nailed the half-court shot? Twice," Ricky announced loudly, sliding into the booth with a chaotic energy that always seemed to follow him around. He elbowed Trey with a smirk. "And Trey here couldn't hit a three-pointer to save his life."

Trey laughed, throwing a balled-up napkin at Ricky. "Yeah, but I'm still the only one who can dunk."

"Dunk my foot," Ricky shot back, stealing a fry off Kendra's plate with a wink. "Next time, I'll show you how it's done."

"Please, Ricky. You'd trip over your own feet before you got halfway down the court," Kendra teased, her guard down as she joined in on the banter.

Shanti, sitting beside Kendra, giggled at their antics. "You guys are like a walking sitcom," she said, leaning a bit closer to Kendra as they both watched the back-and-forth. "But I guess it's never boring."

Kendra smiled, her shoulders relaxing a bit more. "Yeah, that's the good part."

Nikky, meanwhile, was talking to Mike, who had settled in next to her. She was genuinely curious about his previous experience. "So, what position did you play at your last school? You seemed pretty versatile out there today."

Mike took a sip of his chocolate milkshake before answering. "Mostly quarterback, but I played a bit of safety too. Coach always said it was good to know both sides of the ball. Helps with reading plays better."

Jake, sitting across from them, leaned back with a smirk, clearly listening in. "Quarterback, huh? Guess you like being the one in control."

Mike met Jake's gaze calmly, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I like being the one who gets things done."

Jake's eyes narrowed slightly, his trademark sarcasm in place. "Well, hope you're ready for all the drama that comes with it."

Oliver, who still hadn't quite warmed up to Jake, shot him a look. "You really enjoy playing the cryptic bad boy, don't you?" His tone was half-teasing, half-annoyed. "Maybe tone it down a bit, yeah?"

Jake, feigning a look of deep thought, then suddenly leaned forward, knocking over a straw wrapper that Oliver had carefully rolled up and placed in front of him. "Oops," he said, his smirk growing wider. "My bad."

Nikky groaned, giving Jake a light smack on the arm. "Jake, knock it off. You're annoying us with your cringe 'bad boy' act. Apologize."

Jake held up his hands in mock surrender, his grin still in place. "Alright, alright. My bad, Oliver. Didn't mean to ruin your... art project."

Oliver huffed, shaking his head but couldn't help the small smile that broke through. "Just... try to be a little less of a jerk next time, okay?"

Before Jake could respond with another quip, the diner door swung open, and in walked Maggie, Maria, and Kyle. The atmosphere shifted slightly—still light, but with a tinge of awkwardness. Maggie's eyes immediately landed on Nikky and Kendra, her lips pressing together in a tight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.