The practice gym of Royal Court buzzed with energy. The hardwood echoed with sneakers squeaking, basketballs bouncing, and the sharp voice of Coach Tunde cutting through drills. Everyone was fired up after their hard-fought elimination victory, still riding the momentum.
Then the gym doors creaked open.
Standing there was Kiisi Gale, the star guard from Pent Villa Court Academy. Her gaze was calm but firm, her duffel bag slung over one shoulder. She looked like she belonged there.
The entire gym fell silent.
AJ froze mid-dribble, the ball rolling off his foot.Ebun blinked in disbelief.Jasmine's jaw nearly dropped.Treasure muttered, "No way…"And King turned to Coach Tunde with a look that begged for answers.
Coach Tunde stepped forward. His tone was steady, but his words hit like thunder:"Everyone, meet your new teammate. Kiisi Gale will be joining Royal Court for the rest of the tournament."
The silence broke instantly.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Ebun almost shouted."From Pent Villa Court?!" Jasmine added, eyebrows raised.Cadel scratched his head, whispering to King, "This is crazy… She's one of the best guards in the country."
But AJ… AJ's face said it all. His heart was pounding so loudly he swore the whole gym could hear it. He had known Kiisi would transfer, but seeing her walk in wearing Royal Court colors—it hit differently.
Kiisi's eyes found AJ's across the gym. A small smile tugged at her lips, quick and subtle. Only he caught it.
Coach Tunde clapped his hands."Enough chatter. This wasn't an easy decision, but with Pent Villa eliminated, Kiisi requested to continue her journey with us. And after careful thought—I agreed. Her talent and experience will strengthen this team. Get used to it."
Ebun crossed her arms, skeptical."Strengthen the team, huh? Or throw it into chaos?" she muttered.
Jasmine nudged her playfully."Don't be salty, Ebun. You'll adjust. Besides… now you've got some competition for who gets the ball."
Kiisi stepped forward finally, her voice calm and respectful."I know this is a shock. I'm not here to cause trouble—I'm here to win. And I'll earn your trust on this court, the same way I did at Pent Villa."
The words hung heavy. Some teammates nodded, others remained unconvinced.
But AJ couldn't stop staring. His mind spun with memories—their conversations back at the tournament village, their late-night talk after Pent Villa's loss, the way she promised him she'd never let their connection fade.
Now here she was.
Royal Court's newest member.
Later That Day…
As practice wrapped, AJ lingered behind, tying his shoes slowly. Kiisi walked over quietly, making sure no one else was watching.
"You didn't tell them, huh?" she teased softly.AJ smirked nervously. "I… thought it'd be better if you did it yourself."She tilted her head, amused. "Coward."
Then her tone softened."Don't worry. I'm not here to ruin your rhythm. I just… couldn't sit out the rest of this tournament. Not when you're still playing. Not when we still have… something."
AJ's chest tightened. Something. She had said it out loud.
Before he could answer, Coach Tunde's whistle blew again from across the gym."Lovebirds, break it up! We've got work to do!"
The whole team laughed—even Ebun cracked a grin. AJ turned beet red, Kiisi just smirked.
And just like that, Royal Court officially had a new spark—one that could either ignite their championship run… or burn them from within.