As Max walked down the hallway, her walkman in hand, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over her as she spotted Lucas approaching her with a basketball game ticket. Her heart sank, and a lump formed in her throat as he approached her. The memories of their past relationship still lingered, and the thought of seeing him again made her stomach twist with anxiety.

Lucas rubbed the back of his head, nervous. “Hey, Max. I wanted to give you this.” He handed her a basketball ticket. “It's a big deal. You never want to go to my games, but this one is special.” Max folded her arms, skeptical. “What's the big deal?”Lucas hesitated before speaking. “Maybe you should find something you care about too. You're just... It's like you're not even here anymore." Max's eyes narrowed. "What does that even mean?" Lucas took a deep breath. “You know what I mean. You're distant, like you're a ghost or something." Max's eyes flashed with anger and hurt. “There must be something wrong since I broke up with you, huh?” Lucas's face fell as he saw the hurt in Max's eyes. "No, that's... that's not what I meant." Max's expression turned cold, and she shook her head. "Just leave me alone, Lucas." Max sighed and handed the ticket back to Lucas. “Look, people just change, okay? That's it. I've changed. It's that simple." With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Lucas looking crestfallen.

Later that day, Max found herself reluctantly heading to the gym to talk to Lucas again. As she pushed open the door, she was caught off guard by the sight of Lucas talking to a stunning black girl in a fitted burgundy cheerleading uniform. The girl's hair was styled in curly locks adorned with a matching burgundy bow, and she wore sleek black boots that added a touch of sass to her overall look. Lucas was wearing his basketball uniform, complete with a bright yellow jersey and white shorts. He had a cheerful grin on his face as he talked to the cheerleader girl, and Max felt her heart sink.