TWO
1063 Words
Annabel’s POV
Three consecutive matches later, I still couldn’t squeeze in a face-to-face conversation with Justin.
“Anna, you’re being ridiculous. Joining that fan club must have made you a little crazy,” Lisa, my best friend, snickered from where she lay on my student-sized bed.
“No, it’s a solid plan. Justin would pretty much be down to date any girl who throws herself at him for a couple of days. This is just a bad start. My plan would start sailing the moment I’m able to talk to him,” I said determinedly.
“Oh yeah, how do you intend to make that happen?” Lisa grinned, dropping her phone and looking at me like I was a live comedy show.
I knew I looked ridiculous, but I had a vision, and she just hadn’t seen it yet.
“I don’t know, but I’ll figure something out. Pretend to run into him or something,” I said exasperatedly. Lisa burst into fits of laughter in response, clutching her stomach.
“Oh my gosh, “ she laughed. “I’m so sorry,” she managed between laughs.
“Hey! You’re supposed to be supportive.” I glared at her in mock annoyance. I couldn’t even be mad at her for laughing, knowing I’d do the same if the roles were reversed.
Lisa finally caught her breath and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Okay, okay. I’m supportive. I’m supportive.”
I rolled my eyes and fell backward onto the bed beside her, sighing dramatically. “You’ll see. When this story becomes a bestselling romance novel, I’ll put you in the acknowledgments. It’ll say: ‘Thanks to Lisa for all the moral support. And by support, I mean relentless mockery.’”
She snorted. “As long as I get to play myself in the movie adaptation.”
We both stared at the ceiling for a beat before I turned my head toward her.
“Kate texted me there’s another game tonight. I’m going to shoot my shot this time,” I began. “Wanna come with for emotional support?” I asked.
“Heck yeah. I wouldn’t want to miss watching you firsthand when you make a move on Justin Goldberg,” she grinned, wiggling her eyes suggestively.
I groaned. “Can we not call it making a move? That makes it sound like I’m going to pounce on him the second he breathes near me.”
Lisa smirked. “Aren’t you, though?”
I grabbed a pillow and whacked her with it, half-laughing. “I’m going to strategically approach him with the intent of starting a mutually beneficial relationship. That’s what I’m doing.”
“Oh yes, because that sounds completely normal.”
I sat up and made my way to my mini closet to look for something appropriate for tonight.
Lisa watched me with amusement as if she knew exactly what was going on in my head. “So… are we talking red lipstick or that innocent sweater that makes you look like you bake cookies and write poetry about heartbreak?”
I paused, thinking. “Maybe somewhere in the middle. Like… ‘I didn’t plan this, but also I absolutely did.’”
She gave an approving nod. “Subtle thirst trap. I support it.”
Later that evening, The gym was packed.
Even before we stepped inside, we could hear the crowd roaring. Students crammed into every inch of bleacher space, waving signs and screaming chants that barely made sense.
Lisa and I squeezed into a space beside Kate and some other girls from the fan club. She was already holding up a sign that said “GOLDBERG 4 MVP,” like her life depended on it.
“Hey,” I said breathlessly.
Kate turned, grinning. “You’re here! Tonight’s gonna be wild. It's the last game before the midterms. Justin's been on fire lately.”
I nodded in agreement, and simultaneously, the whistle blew, announcing the start of the game. The boys moved effortlessly, dribbling the ball around the court. Justin was easy to spot. He moved as if the game belonged to him as if the ball only obeyed him. Every time he made a pass or glided across the court, the crowd lost it. Kate screamed his name twice in thirty seconds while I clapped half-heartedly and tried not to look like a total fraud.
Basketball still confused me. Why were they bouncing it so much? And why did the referee keep blowing his whistle every five seconds like we were in a marching band rehearsal?
I glanced at Lisa, who was pretending to cheer while texting. Honestly, same.
Not being a real fan of the sport, I spaced out a little and only snapped back into reality when the crowd yelped in shock.
“Oh my God!” Kate gasped, clutching her hands to her chest. My eyes darted around the court, and I frowned in confusion when I saw a couple of the players from both teams surrounding a corner.
“What happened?” I asked Lisa quietly, my voice barely audible through the loud grumble from the crowd.
“Your Romeo got attacked by one dude in the opponent team,” Lisa responded lowly.
Before I could ask what she meant by Romeo, one of the players made way, revealing Justin groaning on the ground with an open wound on his hand. He was bleeding badly!
“s**t!” I gasped.
“Where’s the team doctor??” One of the players yelled angrily. Their coach was crunched next to Justin but not exactly doing anything to help, and it didn’t seem like the so-called team doctor was coming anytime soon.
Without thinking, I began sprinting down from the bleachers towards the court.
“The hell?” One of the players cursed, staring at me in confusion as I ran towards them.
“I have a CPR/AED certificate; get me a first aid kit now. Let me help, we have to stop the bleeding immediately,” I barked orders.
Justin looked up, slightly dazed, his brows furrowed as I dropped to my knees beside him. His hand was slick with blood, and his breathing uneven, but his eyes, those impossibly dark eyes, locked onto mine like he was trying to read me.
At that moment, I felt my heart skip a beat.
- Writer
