Stranger on the Roof

The final whistle blows and the audience cheers in joy. Lincoln is flushed with success, sweating profusely but is still energetic. He spots Halsey at the stands and winks at her. Halsey smiles a little but her heart isn’t into the game. Even though she’s supposed to be cheering for Lincoln, she can’t help thinking about Nathan.

He’s been missing ever since that afternoon and she suspects that he’s probably up on the roof. She’s worried about him but is forced to hide her concerns as Lincoln makes his way towards her.

“Did you see that?” He exclaims. “I made the final dunk! We won!”

“Yeah!” Halsey smiles. “Congratulations. When are you leaving for the interstate tournament?”

“Nelson said that if we win, we’ll have to leave right after the match,” Lincoln sighs. “He’s very strict about it. We’ll have to catch some sleep on the bus.”

“So soon? Won’t you at least stay till dinner?”

“Nah. It’s best if we leave as per schedule. I need to know more about our rival teams. The competition is