~ Chapter 11 ~
The first thing Reed noticed when he stepped onto the court wasn't the crowd.
It wasn't the noise.
It wasn't even the opposing team warming up.
It was her.
Ten rows up.
Curled into an oversized sweater.
Dark hair spilling over her shoulders.
Small. Soft. Very real.
Eva.
She wasn't screaming.
Wasn't jumping.
Wasn't pretending to be a basketball fan.
She was just... watching.
Like she was trying to understand the game.
Like she cared.
Something in Reed's chest shifted.
Subtly.
Dangerously.
Ryan jogged past him and muttered, "Eyes front, Romeo."
Reed shot him a look. "Shut the fuck up."
Ryan grinned. "So it is library girl."
Reed didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
Because when Eva looked up and their eyes met?
His whole body reacted.
Not in a stupid, horny, teenage way.
In a quiet, low-burn, gut-pull kind of way.
She looked nervous.
And beautiful.
Not loud beautiful.
Not look-at-me beautiful.
Soft beautiful.
The kind that sneaks up on you and sits heavy in your chest.
The buzzer sounded.
Game started.
Reed forced himself to focus.
Dribble.
Pass.
Defend.
Run.
But every few plays?
His eyes betrayed him.
She was still there.
Still watching.
Still looking small between two girls who clearly had a "touch her and die" energy.
He liked that.
A lot.
Mid-second quarter, Reed drove to the basket and got clipped.
Hit the floor hard.
Before his brain even registered the pain, his eyes flicked to the stands.
Eva had half-stood.
Hand over her mouth.
Wide-eyed.
Concern written all over her face.
That look did something feral to his soul.
He pushed himself up immediately.
Not to prove anything.
Not to look tough.
Just so she wouldn't look like that.
When he glanced back up, she was exhaling.
Like she'd been holding her breath.
Reed felt... weird.
Protective.
Possessive in a way he didn't have a right to be.
He hated that.
He also didn't fight it.
Late third quarter.
Reed hit a clean three.
The crowd lost its damn mind.
Ryan pumped his fist toward the stands.
Reed didn't look at Ryan.
He looked at Eva.
She wasn't screaming.
Wasn't jumping.
She was just staring.
Like she couldn't decide if what she'd seen was real.
Their eyes locked.
Longer than necessary.
Something passed between them.
Not flirting.
Not performance.
Recognition.
Reed's mouth tipped into a smile before he could stop it.
Her knees visibly wobbled.
Yeah.
He was definitely fucked up.
The locker room was loud.
Win loud.
Someone blasted music.
Someone was yelling about Taco Bell.
Someone threw a sweaty sock at someone else.
Reed sat on the bench, peeling off his jersey, towel around his neck, brain still stuck on a girl in an oversized sweater.
Ryan dropped beside him. "You were in demon mode tonight."
Reed shrugged. "Felt good."
Vinod said, "Defense was cleaner."
Caleb nodded. "You looked locked in."
Ryan smirked. "Locked in on basketball or locked in on library girl?"
Reed groaned. "You're all exhausting."
Felix poked his head out of his locker. "So she came to the game."
Reed froze. "How do you know that?"
Ryan laughed. "Because you kept checking the same section like a psycho."
Reed rubbed his face. "I wasn't checking."
Vinod deadpanned. "You were checking."
Caleb studied him. "You like her."
Reed exhaled slowly. "I don't even know her."
Ryan shrugged. "Didn't stop you from looking like you wanted to protect her from the entire arena."
Reed snapped, "I did not look like that."
Felix smirked. "You stood up faster when she looked worried than when Coach screams."
Dead silence.
Reed hated them.
Vinod casually added, "She invited everyone to her place for the next study group."
Reed looked up. "She did?"
Vinod nodded. "Said she'd cook."
Ryan clutched his chest. "Bro. She's domestic and smart? You're done."
Reed muttered, "Shut up."
But his brain immediately pictured:
Eva in her kitchen.
Hair up.
Oversized shirt.
Cooking for people she barely knew.
His chest felt tight.
Not horny.
Not reckless.
Warm.
Dangerous in a different way.
Caleb tilted his head. "You gonna text her?"
Reed's stomach dropped.
"I don't have her number."
Vinod already had his phone out. "I do."
Reed hesitated.
He never hesitated.
"Yeah," Reed said. "Okay."
Vinod sent it.
Reed stared at the screen like it was a loaded weapon.
Ryan leaned over his shoulder. "Don't overthink it."
Reed typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Deleted.
"Why does this feel harder than free throws," Reed muttered.
Caleb said, "Because you care."
Reed glared. "Fuck you."
Caleb smiled. "Love you too."
Reed typed:
Hey. This is Reed. Vinod gave me your number. Hope that's okay.
Stared.
Sent.
Immediately wanted to crawl into a hole.
Later, lying on his bed, phone in hand.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Reed held his breath like an idiot.
Simple.
Soft.
Very her.
Reed smiled.
Glad you came tonight.
That made him smile and sent his heart racing.
Me too.
Sent.
And somehow they landed heavy.
Good heavy.
Reed stared at the ceiling.
He didn't know what Eva was to him.
He didn't know what this would become.
But he knew this:
She wasn't just cute.
She wasn't just pretty.
She wasn't just "nice."
She was a woman.
A quiet, soft-spoken, steady woman who made him want to be careful.
Want to slow down.
Want to do this right.
And that scared the shit out of him.
But not enough to stop.