Page 26 of Ruthless Court

“Stella and I are good.”

Marcus snorts. “You had your shot last year.”

“I still have it.”

“Then why haven’t you locked her down?”

“Because she doesn’t need locking down.”

Eli looks toward Marcus. “That sounds like something a man says when the girl keeps refusing to date him.”

“She didn’t refuse.”

“What did she say?”

I retrieve the ball.

“That she wanted to focus on volleyball.”

Both of them laugh.

I point at Marcus. “You lost a girl to a lacrosse player last semester.”

His smile disappears.

“And you,” I say to Eli, “got blocked by twins.”

“They shared a phone.”

“They had separate accounts.”

“That feels unnecessary.”

“Learn from it.”

He flips me off.

I grin and pull up for another shot.

New year. New season.

Stella and I had spent enough time circling each other. Late-night meals after practice. Study sessions that had very little studying involved. Her legs across my lap while we watched games in the lounge. My hand on her thigh, her head against my shoulder, both of us pretending we were friends because she didn’t want labels interfering with her season.

I gave her space.

That was last year.

This year, she would be beside me after games instead of waiting near the tunnel. She’d sit in my seats when she wasn’t traveling. People would stop asking what we were because the answer would be obvious.

Tristan Vale could transfer wherever he wanted.

It changed nothing.

“New year,” I say. “New day.”

Marcus groans. “Here we go.”

“Stella will be sitting beside me this season.”