로그인Tyler“Got it.”He gave one last approving look, then I watched him leave before turning towards the benches.Aaron tossed me a bottle of water.“Dude…” he laughed. “What the hell got into you today?”I twisted the cap loose.“You played like you had somewhere else to be.” The guys laughed, their voices echoing through the gym.I just ignored them, rolling the bottle between my palms.The whole day had been shit. Pretending I didn’t see Sydney, or hadn’t heard her laugh at something Maeve said, or notice the way she just walked past without sparing me a glance.Like any of this was normal.And I know.I know that’s what she asked for—space. But God…every single time I forced myself to look away instead of walking over, it felt like taking another punch to the gut.The veins in my temple throbbed.“I feel like we should be worried, though.” Dean’s voice pulled me back. “Little time out with his girlfriend and our captain’s planning to kill us all.”The benches erupted. Even Aaron hid
Tyler“Again!” Coach’s whistle cut through the gym.Sneakers squeaked across the polished floor as we reset, the sound bouncing off the high ceiling while balls smacked against the hardwood in a steady rhythm.Aaron’s pass found me without me even thinking. Dribbled once, twice. Then a quick crossover before driving straight down the lane.The defender shifted too late, making it a little less hard.I scoffed.Layup—straight into the net.“Good!” Coach yelled from the sidelines. “Again! Keep moving.”The ball somehow got to me again. I caught it clean, took one dribble past Sammy before he could even plant his feet. Then took the shot.The ball hit the backboard before dropping through.“There we go.” Coach clapped once. “Keep it up.”I let out one heavy breath and jogged back a little, my chest heaving, that familiar burn spreading through my body.Thirty minutes in, and my legs barely felt like mine anymore. My lungs burned, and my fingers complained with each pass I caught.But I l
SydneySomething changed the next morning.I stood in front of the mirror longer than I’d ever done, brushing my teeth while staring at my reflection like it might suddenly explain why my chest felt so…off.I took longer in the shower too. But as usual, an oversized shirt was my first pick as I pulled the blanket off my mirror.“I matter enough for him to choose me over you.” My own words echoed in my head, and something tightened quietly beneath my ribs.Only this time…it wasn’t out of fear.It was something different. Because somehow, it’d taken me about ten hours of sleep to realize I wasn’t so sure about how Brooklyn had reacted to what I said.I mean, the way her face had fallen was scary enough to tell me I’d hit somewhere. But God, her smile afterward?It sent a shiver down my spine.Oh and somehow, I texted Maeve one single line before I slept off, and that morning, her car was downstairs before I even had a chance to bite into rush through breakfast.“You really said that?”
Sydney “What does he show you?” Brooklyn’s voice echoed in the silence. And I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I wanted to tell her to shut up. That I thought Tyler liked me. That maybe it didn’t matter what he’d shown me because I’d never really given him the chance. That I hated telling him to stay away. That— My thoughts cracked apart. Brooklyn stepped even closer, folding her arms. “Don’t get me wrong, Sydney. Tyler’s charming.” She shrugged. “A little too much sometimes. But everybody knows a different version of him.” I watched her expression soften. “This version…” her voice dropped. “…is apparently willing to throw away a lifelong friendship for whatever’s going on with him.” My frown deepened. “What are you talking about?” Her eyes held mine, calm as ever. “He told me to stay away from you. And apparently…” her smile flickered. “from him too.” My heart dropped. But before I could even process it, she’d already turned back to the stove.
SydneyDon’t get me wrong.Before any of this started, Brooklyn used to get her hands dirty in the kitchen. But that was usually for pancakes whenever the cook ran late or something like that. And half the time, some of it ended up burnt or too sweet. Or somehow both.We used to laugh about it.Now she stood by a boiling pot, slicing vegetables like she knew exactly what she was doing.I kept my eyes on her for another second—on that small smile that seemed permanent now, like if I stared long enough, I’d suddenly understand what was going on inside her head.She looked nothing like someone who’d been yelled at by a childhood friend. Or someone who’d deliberately ruined his name for reasons I still wasn’t sure I wanted to know.If anything, she looked calm.Too calm.I tightened my grip around the knife before looking back down at the slab of beef in front of me.“Beef stew?” I asked quietly, breaking the silence that sat between us.“Yeah.” She stirred the pot once before smiling to
Sydney “She doesn’t get to walk all over you just because she knows how much you respect her.” Meave’s words echoed in my head.“But Tyler—” “Tyler nothing, Syd.” Her voice had gone soft. “She hurt you too. Not just Tyler.” Those words stayed with me for the rest of school. And safe to say, I barely concentrated.Not through the rest of the classes. Not at the library when I tried to read and do a little research. Not even when I eventually climbed into the back seat of the car.Because honestly, the more I thought of it, the more that tiny voice in my head rose above the others.The part that didn’t want to let it go. That part that still hurt knowing Brooklyn had lied to me. Smiled at me at the table while she said all those things.Made me believe her.Made me yell at Tyler.“She hurt you too. Not just Tyler.”I swallowed, feeling my breath shake as I squeezed my sheets between my fingers, my bed making a slight creak as I slid to the edge.All my life I’d wanted a sibling. Some
Sydney Being Sydney Walker had never been easy. Not when I was little. Not now, as you’re reading this. At first, I was just that antisocial, nerdy girl who never put up her hand in class even when she knew an answer, who never looked anyone in the eye in the hallway, the girl who ran home the s
Sydney Two days after I had ketchup stuck to my butt, the gossip grew louder. No one whispered anymore or tried to hide their mouth when they spoke, or cared if I was right there. “I still can’t believe she’s Brooklyn Prescott’s sister.” “Yeah, talk about differences. Are you sure they’re
Tyler I didn’t even want to come in the first place. Michael’s parties were always predictable—crowded house, expensive liquor stolen from his parent’s wine cellar, music loud enough to make you go deaf. Same faces, same people in silly costumes, thirsty for some recognition. The only reas
“Okay, rule number one,” Maeve said over the noise in the cafeteria. “Don’t challenge Tyler Sinclair in algebra.” I tried my best not to look around. "Why? He was wrong.” Maeve picked up a food tray and stopped in front of me. "I'm not blind, Sydney. And no one else in that class was. We all saw







