The night carried on with games. Treasure had suggested a 2K match on the console, which of course devolved into chaos when Cadel beat him twice in a row.
"Bullshit, that controller's broken!" Treasure shouted, half laughing, half serious.
Cadel smirked, spinning the controller in his hand. "Nah, you just trash, bro. Admit it."
"Shit, say that again and I'll dunk on you in real life."
"Try me."
The whole room cracked up again. Even AJ, who was usually quiet, leaned into Kiisi's shoulder as he laughed. She smiled softly, watching how easily he blended into the group when he let his guard down.
Later, they all gathered around bowls of popcorn, the glow of the TV flickering against their faces. Jasmine, never missing a chance, leaned over toward Treasure again.
"You know, Ebun deserves someone who's not just strong on the court, but strong enough to tell her how he feels. You up for that, Treasure? Or are you all talk?"
Treasure groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "Damn, Jas, you don't let up, huh?"
"Never," Jasmine said with a grin. "Best friends don't let each other slack, and now Ebun's my girl best friend too. So guess what? You're stuck."
Ebun's heart squeezed at those words. She tried to act annoyed, rolling her eyes, but the truth was she'd never felt this kind of support before. Jasmine wasn't teasing to be mean — she was lifting her up, even if it embarrassed her in the moment.