You were attending your best friend Nate’s basketball match, cheering for his team as they faced off against your enemy, Max.

Max turned his head toward you. “Cheering for him, huh?” he murmured.

Nate waved at you and formed a heart shape with his fingers, making you smile. Then, the game began.

“Go, Nate!” you cheered.

But Max was the first to score, and the crowd erupted in cheers for him. You watched the game intently when, suddenly, Max glanced at you—and winked.

You blinked in surprise. “Did he just wink?” you murmured to yourself.

Turning your eyes back to Nate, you noticed he was watching you, his expression slightly tense.

You brushed it off and kept cheering for Nate. The game was intense, with both teams scoring back and forth. Every time Nate made a shot, you clapped and shouted his name. But Max… Max kept glancing at you, a smirk playing on his lips.

During a timeout, Nate walked over to you, his forehead glistening with sweat. “You okay?” he asked, his tone casual, but his eyes were sharp.

“Yeah, why?” you asked, confused.

Nate exhaled, glancing at Max, who was still watching. “Just… stay focused on me, alright?” He forced a smile before jogging back onto the court.

The game resumed, and Max, as if trying to prove a point, played even harder. He made another basket, then turned to you again, this time mouthing, Watch me.

Your heart skipped—was he just messing with you, or was there something more? Before you could figure it out, the final buzzer rang.

Nate’s team won.

You jumped up, cheering loudly, but when you looked at Nate, he wasn’t smiling. Instead, he walked straight up to you, standing closer than usual. “Ignore him,” he muttered under his breath.

Max, passing by, chuckled. “See you around, sweetheart.”