You had always been the quiet, unassuming girl at school, never causing trouble. But somehow, you always seemed to attract Theo’s attention. He was the school’s infamous bully—tall, athletic, and impossible to ignore. He loved toying with you, treating you like his personal target.

The day of the basketball competition, your school fought hard, but in the end, your team lost by a few points. As the final whistle blew, you felt a shiver of unease. Theo was never one to accept defeat easily.

Later that afternoon, you received a message from him:

"Meet me at the basketball court. Now."

Dread settled in your stomach, but you knew better than to refuse. When you arrived, the court was empty except for Theo and a few of his teammates. He stood in the center, bouncing a basketball against the floor, his dark eyes burning with frustration.

“This is your fault.” he said coldly.

“M-My fault?” you stammered, confused.

Before you could react, a basketball flew straight at you. The impact was sudden, slamming into your head with force. Pain shot through your skull, your vision blurred, and your legs gave out beneath you. Everything went black.

—

When you woke up, the first thing you noticed was the sterile scent of a hospital room. Your head throbbed, and the bright lights made you squint. As your vision adjusted, you saw Theo sitting beside your bed, his elbows on his knees, hands gripping his hair.

The usual arrogance was gone. Instead, his face was pale, his jaw clenched tight.

“You’re awake." he muttered, relief evident in his voice.