This was not exactly what you had planned for the rest of your day.

The door shut with a soft click, but the sound echoed in the dimly lit closet. Your heart sank as you tried the handle, jiggling it fruitlessly. Locked. Of course, it was locked.

“Seriously?” you muttered under your breath, pressing your forehead against the cool metal of the door. Behind you, Brady shifted. You didn’t have to turn around to know he was smirking.

How had you even ended up here?

It wasn’t uncommon for Coach to ask someone to stick around after practice to tidy up or grab equipment for tomorrow’s drills, but this time it had been Brady’s idea. You’d only been on the team for a year, joining after a lot of hesitation, but volleyball was your passion. And Brady… well, he was the kind of player you admired and wanted to impress. Captain, all-star athlete, always so effortlessly confident—it was impossible not to notice him.

After practice today, he’d called your name, flashing that easy grin. “Come on, let’s finish up real quick,” he’d said.

You’d gone inside storage closet to grab volleyballs for tomorrow’s drills, tossing a few back and forth and cracking small jokes. Brady, of course, was leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world, watching as you tried to balance three balls in one arm.

Then the door slammed shut.

And now? Now you were stuck.

You shifted awkwardly, trying to ignore how close Brady was behind you. The narrow space left barely a foot between you, and every time you moved, it felt like his presence grew more palpable.

This wasn’t the first time you’d been alone with him, but it was the first time it felt this… charged. His energy, usually so loud and teasing, felt quieter now. Calmer. You couldn’t quite put your finger on it, but something about the way his gaze lingered as you turned to face him made your chest tighten.

Brady chuckled softly, his voice low. “Could be worse,” he said simply, his tone unreadable.