I can love you better than she cannnnn

Reese Whittaker and JuJu Watkins swear they're just best friends, but if that's true, then best friends cuddle a lot, stare at each other too much, and get way too jealous over random people. Everyone knows they're in love-except for them, because denial is a hell of a drug. [juju watkins x fem oc]

I moved to the sink, pretending she wasn't there. My fingers rubbed the soap into a lather, the rhythm grounding me. Her gaze bore into my back, heavy and unyielding. "Um, Kartier, can we ta-" "Don't call me that," I cut her off, my voice low but sharp. The nickname sat between us like a shard of glass, a reminder of everything we weren't anymore. I focused on washing my hands, refusing to meet her eyes. Her voice softened. "Well... Karter, can we talk? Please?" I turned slowly, squinting at her. "Why now, Aubrey? After five years? You know how weird that is?" My words were harsher than I intended, but the wound was still raw, even if the scar had formed over it. Her expression faltered, the shine in her eyes turning glassy. She looked away, and I could see her swallow hard, her chest rising and falling with the weight of whatever she wanted to say. "I can explain what happened," she started, her voice fragile, almost lost. "I just... I need you to let me. I want to clear things up between us." I studied her, trying to find the truth beneath her pleading eyes. Sympathy tugged at the edges of my resolve, but I buried it deep. She had her chance, and what she did-it still burned. "Clear things up?" I let out a dry laugh, my tone hollow. "I don't care, Aubrey. I don't need your explanations or your apologies. I don't want you calling me, texting me, none of that. Just... stay away from me."

𝘫𝘶𝘫𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘤

Italy Adrian, USC's most sought-after hairstylist, has spent years despising Juju Watkins, the school's basketball star, after a bad high school run-in left a sour taste in her mouth-but when their paths start crossing more often, old misconceptions turn into undeniable tension, forcing them to question if their hate is really something else entirely.

❝ You're not understanding just how much you're worth to me. ❞ Her eyebrows knit together and she made sure to lower her voice. You are a part of me, you are essential to my being . . / 𝑱𝑼𝑱𝑼 𝑾𝑨𝑻𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑺 © skullhoe

𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝗉𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗋 𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗌𝗌 𝗉𝖺𝗍𝗁𝗌 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗓𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗇 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗎𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗆𝖺𝗀𝗂𝗇𝖾𝖽

Hoops & Hearts follows Juju Watkins, whose life revolves around basketball-until she meets Zaria James, the younger sister of Bronny James and daughter of LeBron. Zaria is just as competitive and driven as Juju, but there's something about her that draws Juju in like no one else. As their connection grows, tensions rise between Juju and Bronny, who's caught between his best friend and his sister. With the pressures of family, fame, and competition, Juju and Zaria must navigate their feelings for each other in a world where every move is under a spotlight. Will their bond survive, or will they find themselves on opposite sides of the court?