The Game

Sienna had never understood why people screamed at basketball players.

They weren't saving anyone.

Nobody was being chased.

Nobody was on fire.

Yet the second Jace scored, the entire arena sounded like it was about to collapse.

Sienna sat between Maya and a girl she'd met approximately twelve minutes earlier.

The girl was already yelling.

“COME ON, JACE!”

Sienna flinched.

“Are you okay?”

The girl looked at her.

“What?”

“You screamed like someone stepped on your foot.”

“I was cheering.”

“That was cheering?”

“Yes.”

Sienna nodded slowly.

“Interesting.”

Maya leaned closer.

“Please don't start.”

“I'm not starting anything.”

“You've been here ten minutes and you've already offended two basketball fans.”

“That's impressive.”

Maya sighed.

“You're impossible.”

Sienna smiled.

She looked back at the court.

Jace had the ball.

The crowd started chanting his name.

“Jace! Jace! Jace!”

He dribbled past one player, then another.

Sienna watched him carefully.

He was good.

Really good.

She'd expected the usual campus-famous athlete who got attention because he was handsome and knew it.

But Jace actually knew what he was doing.

He moved like he already knew where everyone else would be.

Then he scored.

The arena erupted.

Sienna clapped twice.

Maya stared at her.

“That's it?”

“What?”

“That's your reaction?”

“He scored.”

“He scored a three-pointer!”

“Okay.”

“Can you at least pretend to care?”

Sienna looked at her.

“Fine.”

She jumped up.

“Yay!”

Maya burst out laughing.

“That was the worst fake excitement I've ever seen.”

“I tried.”

“You're terrible.”

“Thank you.”

On the court, Jace glanced toward the stands.

His eyes moved across the crowd.

Then stopped.

On Sienna.

She froze.

Maya noticed.

“Oh.”

“What?”

“He's looking at you.”

“No, he's not.”

“He absolutely is.”

Sienna looked away.

“Maybe he's looking behind me.”

“There is a wall behind you.”

“Exactly. Very interesting wall.”

Maya laughed.

“You're blushing.”

“I am not.”

“You are.”

“It's hot.”

“We're in an air-conditioned arena.”

Sienna grabbed her drink.

“Maybe I'm sick.”

Maya grinned.

“Sure.”

Sienna refused to look at the court again.

For approximately thirty seconds.

Then she looked.

Jace was still watching her.

She raised an eyebrow.

He smiled.

She rolled her eyes.

He laughed.

And somehow, that annoyed her more than it should have.

At halftime, Maya disappeared to buy snacks.

Sienna stayed in her seat.

She checked her phone.

Nothing.

No anonymous messages.

Good.

She put the phone away.

“Running away from me?”

She looked up.

Jace stood in front of her.

Sweaty, slightly out of breath, and still wearing his jersey.

Sienna glanced around.

“You're talking to me?”

“You're the only person here looking at me like I'm annoying.”

“I wasn't.”

“You were.”

“Maybe I'm just naturally judgmental.”

He laughed.

“You came to the game.”

“Maya dragged me.”

“Maya isn't sitting on your lap.”

Sienna looked at him.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“So you could've left.”

She shrugged.

“I considered it.”

“Why didn't you?”

She thought for a second.

“Popcorn.”

He smiled.

“That's your reason?”

“It's a strong reason.”

“I see.”

He leaned slightly closer.

“So, did I impress you?”

Sienna looked him up and down.

“Do you want the truth?”

“Yeah.”

“No.”

His eyebrows rose.

“No?”

“You're good.”

“That sounded like a compliment.”

“It wasn't.”

He laughed.

“What's your problem with me?”

“I don't have a problem with you.”

“You've been insulting me since we met.”

“I've been honest.”

“That's worse.”

Sienna smiled.

“You'll survive.”

He looked at her for a moment.

Then his eyes dropped to the drink in her hand.

“That's mine.”

She looked at it.

Then at him.

“No, it's not.”

“Yes, it is.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I left it on the bench.”

Sienna looked behind her.

There was another identical drink sitting on the seat.

She slowly looked back at him.

“Oh.”

Jace smiled.

“You stole my drink.”

“I borrowed it.”

“Without asking.”

“I didn't know it was yours.”

“Still stealing.”

She held it out.

“Here.”

He took it.

Their fingers touched.

Neither moved for a second.

Then Sienna pulled her hand away.

“Happy?”

“Very.”

He smiled.

“Come tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“Practice.”

She laughed.

“You want me to watch you practice?”

“Maybe.”

“Why?”

He looked at her.

“Because I like talking to you.”

Sienna's smile faltered for half a second.

Then she recovered.

“That's unfortunate.”

Jace laughed.

“You really don't make this easy.”

“Was I supposed to?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Someone called his name from the court.

Jace glanced back.

“I've got to go.”

“Go.”

He took a step away.

Then stopped.

“Sienna.”

“Hmm?”

“Don't disappear.”

She smiled.

“I wasn't planning to.”

He walked back onto the court.

Sienna watched him for a moment.

Then whispered to herself,

“That's going to be a problem.”

“What is?”

She nearly jumped out of her seat.

Maya was standing beside her with two bags of popcorn.

“Where did you come from?”

“The snack stand.”

“You scared me.”

Maya handed her a bag.

“Jace was talking to you.”

“Yes.”

“Alone.”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?”

Sienna opened the popcorn.

“Mostly nonsense.”

Maya stared at her.

“You're going to make me lose my mind.”

“Please don't. I don't know where the hospital is.”

The Wolves won by nine points.

By the end of the game, the arena was chaos.

Students rushed toward the court.

Music blasted through the speakers.

Maya grabbed Sienna's hand.

“Come on.”

“Where?”

“Down there.”

“Why?”

“Because I want pictures.”

“With who?”

“Everyone.”

Sienna groaned.

“Maya.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Five minutes.”

“No.”

“Three.”

“Still no.”

Maya pulled her anyway.

They were halfway down the stairs when someone bumped into Sienna.

Her phone slipped.

Before it could hit the floor, someone caught it.

Jace.

He held it between two fingers.

“Looking for this?”

Sienna stared at him.

“Are you secretly following me?”

“Maybe.”

“That's creepy.”

“You're welcome.”

She reached for the phone.

He didn't give it to her.

“Password?”

“Why?”

“I want to see if you're really as boring as you pretend to be.”

She laughed.

“Give me my phone.”

“Say please.”

“No.”

“Then I guess I'll keep it.”

She crossed her arms.

“Fine.”

Jace looked at her.

“You're serious?”

“Completely.”

He laughed and finally handed it back.

“You're strange.”

“So I've been told.”

“Are you coming to practice tomorrow?”

Sienna opened her mouth.

“No.”

Jace smiled.

“Yes.”

She frowned.

“I didn't say yes.”

“You will.”

“That's very confident.”

“I usually get what I want.”

Sienna looked at him.

“That's probably why someone needs to tell you no.”

He smiled.

“See you tomorrow.”

He walked away before she could answer.

Maya appeared beside her.

“Girl.”

“What?”

“He likes you.”

Sienna looked at Jace disappearing into the crowd.

“No.”

Maya laughed.

“Yes.”

Sienna shook her head.

“He barely knows me.”

“Exactly.”

She looked down at her phone.

The screen lit up.

One new message.

Unknown Number.

Sienna's smile disappeared.

She opened it.

You're getting too close to him.

Her fingers went cold.

Another message arrived.

Walk away while you still can.

Sienna stared at the screen.

Across the arena, Jace turned around.

Their eyes met.

This time, Sienna didn't smile.

And for the first time since arriving at Westbridge, she wondered if someone was watching both of them.