~ Chapter 10 ~
Eva decided she hated large crowds about five minutes after walking into the arena.
It wasn't that anything was actually wrong.
No one was being rude.
No one was bumping into her aggressively.
No one was staring.
But there were too many people.
Too much noise.
Too many overlapping conversations and squeaking sneakers and booming announcements and echoing cheers that made her chest feel tight in a way she didn't love. The sound seemed to press in from every direction, settling heavy in her ears and under her skin.
She instinctively stayed close to Sandra.
Very close.
Like, basically attached.
Sandra noticed immediately, slipping her arm around Eva's and tugging her a little closer. "You okay, Bubbles?"
Eva nodded even though her heart was doing something weird. "Yeah. Just... a lot of people."
Parker walked on Eva's other side, occasionally placing a gentle hand at the small of Eva's back whenever the crowd surged forward, grounding her without making a big deal about it. Parker never made a big deal about anything. She just showed up in the ways that mattered.
Cassie bounced slightly on her toes beside Sandra, excitement practically radiating off her.
"I can't believe you guys actually came," Cassie said for what felt like the tenth time since they'd met up.
Sandra laughed. "Girl, you promised basketball and overpriced nachos. You had us."
Eva gave a small, shy smile. "Mostly the nachos."
Cassie grinned at her. "You're gonna like it. I swear. It's different when you're here in person."
Eva wasn't sure about that.
But she nodded anyway.
They found their seats about ten rows up from the court. Close enough to see faces. Close enough to hear sneakers squeak against hardwood. Close enough that Eva could feel the energy humming through the air, vibrating through the soles of her shoes and into her bones.
It made her nervous.
And a little curious.
Players were warming up.
Running drills.
Shooting.
Laughing.
Talking.
Eva tried to look at everything.
She really did.
The court.
The scoreboard.
The cheerleaders.
The crowd.
Anything but—
Her eyes drifted anyway.
And then they landed on him.
Reed.
Her brain stalled.
Not in a cute way.
In a full system shutdown kind of way.
He wasn't wearing a hoodie tonight.
Just a simple practice jersey and shorts.
And suddenly Eva became painfully aware of things she had not been prepared toison: the width of his shoulders, the way his jersey stretched across his chest, the long lines of his legs, the flex of muscle every time he moved.
Oh.
Oh no.
Her stomach flipped.
Her chest tightened.
Her palms felt warm.
Her soul did a quiet little backflip.
And somehow all of this happened at once.
He looked taller than she remembered.
Broader.
More real.
More... there.
Eva swallowed hard.
He moved differently on the court.
More fluid than she expected.
Not flashy.
Not showy.
Just steady.
Confident in a quiet way.
Like he trusted his body to know what to do.
Like he trusted himself.
Something about that made her feel strange.
In a good way.
In a dangerous way.
Cassie leaned toward Sandra. "Ryan's over there."
Sandra squinted. "Which one?"
Cassie pointed.
Sandra's eyes widened. "Oh."
Eva didn't know what that meant.
She didn't ask.
Because her eyes were still very much stuck on Reed.
Which felt slightly illegal.
Parker noticed.
Of course she did.
Parker always noticed.
"Is that the library guy?" Parker asked softly, leaning toward Eva so no one else could hear.
Eva's heart launched itself into her throat.
"I— I mean—" Eva whispered, immediately panicking. "Maybe?"
Sandra whipped around. "Library guy?"
Eva sighed, defeated. "Yes."
Sandra stared at Reed.
Then at Eva.
Then back at Reed.
"Oh my god," Sandra whispered.
"Please don't make this a thing," Eva begged, already shrinking into her scarf.
Sandra grabbed Eva's face gently between her hands. "Bubbles. Sweetheart. It is already a thing."
Parker smiled softly. "He's cute."
Eva hid her entire face this time.
Warm-ups ended.
Players jogged toward the bench.
Reed grabbed a towel, lifting it to wipe his face.
And then—
He looked up.
Straight toward their section.
Eva froze.
Like actually froze.
She had no idea if he was looking at her.
Or at Sandra.
Or at Parker.
Or just vaguely in their direction.
But then his gaze locked onto hers.
Direct.
Unmistakable.
Her stomach dropped.
Her heart stuttered.
Her lungs forgot their job.
He didn't smile.
He didn't wave.
He just held her gaze.
For a second longer than necessary.
Then gave her a small nod.
The same one.
The one that somehow felt private.
Intentional.
Like it belonged only to her.
Eva forgot how to exist.
Parker elbowed Sandra.
Sandra elbowed Eva.
Cassie noticed everything.
Cassie's eyes widened slowly.
"Oh," Cassie said.
Eva wanted to pass away.
----
The game started.
Loud.
Fast.
Chaotic.
The buzzer echoed through the arena, the crowd erupted, and suddenly everything felt like it was happening at once.
Eva tried to pay attention.
She really did.
She tried to watch the ball.
Tried to follow the plays.
Tried to understand what was happening beyond "people running very fast in different directions."
But every single time Reed stepped onto the court, her eyes betrayed her.
They found him without permission.
Like they were magnetized.
He wasn't the loudest player.
He wasn't the one yelling.
He wasn't the one hyping himself up.
But he was solid.
Grounded.
He defended hard, staying low and focused, eyes locked on whoever he was guarding. He passed clean, precise, like he trusted his teammates. He took shots when he needed to, not forcing anything, not chasing attention.
Missed some.
Made some.
Every time he made one, the crowd roared.
Every time he missed, he didn't throw his hands up or look frustrated.
He just turned and ran back.
Like it didn't shake him.
Like he trusted himself enough to move on.
Something about that hit Eva right in the chest.
She liked that.
She didn't know why.
She just did.
Parker leaned toward her. "He plays really calm."
Eva nodded. "Yeah."
Sandra squinted at the court. "Which one is he again?"
Eva lifted her chin slightly.
"That one," Parker said before Eva could even answer.
Sandra looked. Then looked at Eva.
"Oh," Sandra said slowly.
Eva felt her cheeks warm. "Please don't."
Cassie smiled. "He has good energy."
Sandra nodded. "He does. Not in a douchey way."
Eva whispered, "Can we not analyze him?"
Sandra grinned. "We absolutely cannot."
On the court, Reed drove toward the basket and got clipped mid-step.
His body hit the floor.
Eva's breath left her in a small, involuntary gasp.
Parker immediately grabbed her arm. "He's fine. He's fine."
Eva didn't answer.
She couldn't.
Her eyes stayed glued to him.
Reed rolled onto his side.
Pushed himself up.
Stood.
Barely shook it off.
Eva finally exhaled.
Sandra glanced at her. "You're gonna give yourself a heart attack."
Eva groaned softly. "I don't like this."
Parker squeezed her hand. "You're okay."
Cassie said gently, "He gets back up fast. That means he knows his body."
Eva nodded even though her chest still felt tight.
The game kept going.
Reed stole the ball.
Passed to a teammate.
Ran the floor.
Sandra clapped. "Okay, Reed."
Eva whispered, "You don't have to yell his name."
Sandra smirked. "I absolutely do."
Eva buried her face in her scarf.
Halftime came.
The buzzer sounded again.
People stood, stretched, talked loudly.
Sandra popped up. "Nachos. Now."
Parker grabbed Eva's sleeve automatically.
Eva clutched it. "Don't let go."
"Not happening," Parker said easily.
Sandra glanced back every few steps. "Still with us, Bubbles?"
Eva nodded. "Barely."
When they returned to their seats, Eva's eyes drifted back to the bench without thinking.
Reed sat with a towel draped around his neck.
Sweaty.
Breathing a little heavier.
Focused.
Not invincible.
Not untouchable.
Human.
Something about seeing him like that made her chest ache in a strange, tender way.
Parker noticed. "You look worried."
Eva whispered, "He looks tired."
Sandra softened a little. "That means he's working."
Cassie nodded. "And he cares."
Eva swallowed.
He glanced up.
Casually.
And then his eyes found hers.
Held.
This time, his lips tilted upward.
Just barely.
Not big.
Not showy.
Just for her.
Eva's heart did a full somersault.
Her stomach flipped.
Her hands felt warm.
Her soul quietly screamed.
Sandra leaned in. "He smiled at you."
Eva whispered, "No, he didn't."
Parker deadpanned, "He definitely did."
Cassie grinned. "Yeah... he did."
Eva wanted to crawl under her seat and live there forever.
But she couldn't stop smiling.
And she didn't entirely want to.
-----
By the fourth quarter, Eva realized something strange.
She was enjoying herself.
Not in a screaming, jumping, paint-your-face, sports-fan kind of way.
But in a quiet, attentive way.
The kind where she found herself leaning forward without realizing it.
The kind where her eyes stayed on the court even when the noise around her blurred.
She liked watching Reed move.
Liked the way his body seemed to know where to go before his mind caught up.
Liked the way his teammates slapped his back after good plays, like a silent acknowledgment of trust.
Liked the way he nodded when Coach said something, serious and focused, like he was actually listening.
She liked seeing him exist in this space.
It made him feel... real.
Not just library guy.
Not just study group guy.
Reed Taylor.
Human.
Talented.
Trying.
Her chest felt full in a way she didn't have words for.
Parker leaned toward her. "You're smiling."
Eva blinked. "I am?"
Sandra smirked. "You've been smiling for like ten minutes."
Eva ducked her head. "I didn't notice."
Cassie glanced at the court and then back at Eva. "You look proud."
Eva frowned slightly. "I barely know him."
Sandra shrugged. "Doesn't matter."
And somehow, that felt true.
At one point, Reed caught the ball near the three-point line.
Time seemed to slow.
Eva didn't breathe.
He squared his shoulders.
Lifted.
Released.
The ball arced cleanly through the air.
Swish.
The crowd exploded.
Ryan turned toward their section and pumped his fist.
Cassie screamed.
Sandra screamed louder.
Parker clapped politely but enthusiastically.
Eva just stared.
Her heart felt like it was trying to climb out of her chest.
Reed glanced up.
Found her.
Held her gaze.
Everything else faded.
The noise.
The people.
The lights.
Something unspoken passed between them.
Not words.
Not promises.
Just awareness.
Just recognition.
Like they both knew this moment mattered.
Eva's fingers curled into the fabric of her sweater.
Her stomach fluttered.
Her chest warmed.
She felt small.
And seen.
And oddly safe.
The game pushed forward.
The final minutes blurred together.
More running.
More shouting.
More tension.
Eva didn't fully understand the plays, but she understood the feeling in the room.
Hope.
Anticipation.
When the final buzzer sounded and their team was up, the arena erupted.
People jumped to their feet.
High-fives everywhere.
Cassie squealed and threw her arms around Sandra.
Sandra immediately pulled Parker into a hug.
Parker, laughing, reached for Eva.
Eva hugged back, a little dazed, a little overwhelmed, a little floaty.
She wasn't used to this much energy.
But she wasn't drowning either.
She was... okay.
As players high-fived each other on the court, Reed looked toward their section one more time.
Not scanning.
Not searching.
Looking.
At her.
Her heart stumbled.
He lifted his chin slightly.
Like a silent question.
Like a quiet check-in.
Eva didn't know what it meant.
But she nodded.
Slow.
Small.
Honest.
Reed smiled.
Not small this time.
Not barely.
A real smile.
Soft.
Unguarded.
Just for her.
Eva's knees almost gave out.
Sandra grabbed her arm. "Do you need to sit?"
Eva nodded weakly.
Parker rubbed her back. "You're doing great, sweetie."
Eva pressed her hand to her chest.
She had come here for nachos.
She had come here for her friends.
She had not come here to feel this.
And yet.
Here she was.
Short.
Nervous.
Anxious.
Very much out of her element.
And somehow...
Exactly where she was supposed to be.
----
On the walk out, Sandra was vibrating.
Not metaphorically.
Physically vibrating.
"I have thoughts," Sandra announced.
Eva sighed. "Please don't."
"I'm going to ignore that," Sandra said. "Because my thoughts are important."
They were halfway down the steps when Sandra abruptly stopped.
"Holy shit."
Parker turned. "What."
Sandra pointed, eyes wide. "Staircase guy."
Eva blinked. "What staircase guy."
Cassie followed Sandra's line of sight and immediately went, "Oh."
Caleb stood near the tunnel entrance, talking to one of the assistant coaches, hair still damp, hoodie pulled on, hands shoved into his pockets.
Sandra swallowed.
Hard.
"He looks illegal," Sandra whispered.
Parker deadpanned. "You are unwell."
Caleb glanced up.
Their eyes met.
Sandra forgot how to blink.
Caleb's brows lifted slightly, recognition flickering across his face.
Then he smiled.
Not cocky.
Not teasing.
Just... real.
Sandra grabbed Eva's arm like she was about to fall over. "He remembers me."
Cassie grinned. "He was asking Ryan about you earlier."
Sandra whipped toward her. "WHY would you say that so casually?"
Eva blinked. "He was?"
Cassie nodded. "Yeah. Wanted to know who you were."
Sandra fanned herself dramatically. "I need medical attention."
Parker tugged Sandra forward. "Walk. You're spiraling."
Sandra let herself be dragged, still looking over her shoulder.
"Okay," she muttered. "Now I actually have thoughts."
Eva sighed. "Please don't."
They spilled out into the cool night air, the noise dulling, the crowd thinning, everything suddenly feeling a little quieter.
Better.
Eva hugged her sweater closer to herself.
Parker glanced down at her. "You survived."
Eva nodded. "Barely."
Cassie smiled. "You did good for someone who hates crowds."
Eva shrugged shyly. "I had emotional support humans."
Sandra leaned in. "Also you had a very tall, very attractive emotional support basketball player."
Eva groaned. "Stop saying things like that."
Sandra smirked. "You watched him like he personally invented oxygen."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Parker added gently, "You looked... soft."
Eva frowned. "Soft?"
Parker nodded. "In a good way."
Eva didn't know what to do with that.
Cassie bumped Eva's shoulder lightly. "He kept looking up at you, you know."
Eva froze.
"He did not."
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "He did."
Sandra gasped. "See? I'm not crazy."
Eva's face felt warm.
Very warm.
She looked down at her shoes. "Maybe he was just... looking around."
Parker smiled knowingly. "Mmhm."
They reached the sidewalk.
Eva finally felt like her heartbeat was slowing.
And then—
Her phone buzzed.
Eva stopped walking.
Sandra noticed immediately. "What."
Eva stared at the screen.
Unknown number.
Her stomach dropped.
Her hands started sweating for absolutely no reason.
She didn't move.
The phone buzzed again.
Eva held it up like it was a bomb.
Sandra peeked. "Open it."
Eva whispered, "What if it's spam."
Parker gently took Eva's wrist and lowered the phone slightly. "Open it."
Eva unlocked her screen.
A message.
Unknown Number: Hey. This is Reed. Vinod gave me your number. Hope that's okay.
Eva's soul left her body.
Sandra made a strangled noise.
Cassie slapped Sandra's arm. "Be quiet."
Parker blinked slowly. "Oh."
Eva couldn't breathe.
"I can't do this," Eva whispered.
Sandra grabbed her shoulders. "You absolutely can."
Cassie nodded. "Just say hi."
Eva stared at the keyboard.
Typed.
Eva: Hi.
Deleted.
Typed.
Eva: Hey.
Deleted.
Typed.
Eva: Hi. Yeah. That's okay.
She stared at it.
"I sound weird."
Parker shook her head. "You sound like you."
Eva hit send.
Immediately regretted everything.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Eva squeezed Sandra's hand.
"I'm going to throw up."
Sandra squeezed back. "If you throw up, I'm holding your hair."
Cassie leaned in. "Romantic."
A new message appeared.
Reed: Glad you came tonight.
Eva's chest felt warm.
Not racing.
Not exploding.
Just... warm.
Like a quiet glow.
She typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Eva: I almost didn't. I'm glad I did though.
Sandra nodded approvingly. "Good answer."
Three dots.
Reed: Me too.
Two words.
That was it.
And somehow it felt like everything.
Eva didn't scream.
Didn't jump.
Didn't squeal.
She just held her phone to her chest and breathed.
Parker wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Sandra kissed the top of her head. "You're blushing."
Eva whispered, "I feel weird."
Cassie smiled softly. "Good weird."
Eva didn't know what this thing was.
She didn't know where it was going.
But she knew how it felt.
Soft.
New.
A little scary.
A little exciting.
Like the very beginning of something she didn't want to rush.
For the first time in a long time...
She felt like something new was beginning.
Quietly.
Gently.
And somehow...
Right.