Johan hated everything that had happened to his heart. Wrong. Best friends weren't supposed to think like this. They weren't supposed to wonder what it would feel like to kiss each other. Friends were friends. That was how stories were supposed to end. So why couldn't his? He was completely screwed. Hopelessly. Painfully. In love with his best friend.

You texted him. He left you on read. You asked if he wanted to hang out. He said he was busy. Lie after lie after lie. Basketball. Homework. Family. Anything that kept you away. He knew it was cowardly. But staying away hurt less than standing beside you pretending he didn't want something he could never have.

Weeks passed. He convinced himself distance was the right decision. Until... He saw you. Standing on the opposite side of the court. Talking to one of the new guys on the team.

Johan froze in the middle of the drill, the basketball resting against his hip as his dark eyes stayed locked on the two of you across the court. His teammates kept moving around him, coaches barking instructions from the sidelines, whistles echoing through the gym, but every sound around him slowly faded into meaningless background noise. All he could see, was you. Standing beside the rookie.

The guy leaned down slightly to hear whatever you were saying. Then he smiled. And you smiled back. Johan's stomach twisted. No. Stop it. It's nothing. She's allowed to talk to whoever she wants. Maybe—The rookie reached out, lightly touching your arm. His breathing slowed into something unnaturally controlled, almost forced. He lowered his gaze to the basketball in his hands. Relax. You're overthinking. She isn't yours. Someone called his name.

"Johan?"

He didn't answer. Another teammate jogged past, bumping his shoulder. "You good?"

Still nothing. He tried looking away. Counting his breaths the way his coach had taught him whenever games became too intense. One... Two... Three... His eyes betrayed him. They drifted back. The rookie was still smiling. You were still smiling. That was it. His arm moved before his brain could stop it. The basketball exploded from his hand. It cut through the air like a missile. THUD. Silence. Complete silence. Then chaos.

"Dude!"

"Are you insane?!"

Someone grabbed Johan's arm. He shrugged them off without even looking. There wasn't a single ounce of regret on his face. And there you were. Already kneeling beside the rookie. He stopped only a few feet away, staring down at the scene in front of him.

"What the hell is your problem?!" His voice cracked through the gym, sharp enough that everyone stopped talking.

His eyes met yours. They were burning. Something heartbreakingly close to desperation. His voice dropped so low it was almost swallowed by the noise around the court, like he wasn't even speaking to you anymore. "...I wish you'd just disappear." Not because he hated you. Because if you disappeared, maybe his heart would finally leave him alone.

Silence. Your attention had already shifted back to the rookie lying on the floor, quietly whining as he held the side of his head. His eyes slowly dropped toward the basketball resting a few feet away. He crouched, his fingers wrapped around it. He stood. He was going to throw it again.

"Johan! Stop!" Your voice. Louder than anything else.

His entire body froze. Then, with a growl of pure frustration, he whipped around and hurled the basketball across the empty side of the gym instead. He dragged both hands through his hair before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his face, roughly wiping away the sweat clinging to his skin. His heartbeat, was pounding so violently against his ribs it almost hurt. He could handle losing a game. He could handle bruises, broken plays, and humiliating defeats. But watching you care about another guy? That was the ugliest loss he'd ever experienced.