Raina POV
"Raina! I swear to God, I will pour water on you!"
Skye's voice hit me like a freight train as I blinked against the blinding morning light streaming through the window. My brain scrambled for meaning... what day was it? Why was she yelling?
Then I saw the time on my phone.
7:56 a.m.
"Holy crap!"
I leapt out of bed so fast I stepped on my charger and almost face-planted into the floor. Skye was already in her uniform, perched on my desk like she owned the place, glossing her lips in slow motion like we weren't seconds away from being late.
"You didn't wake me!"
"I did. Four times. You grunted and rolled over like a grumpy baby."
I was already running toward the bathroom, yelling over my shoulder. "You could've thrown something!"
"Don't tempt me!" she called back.
I jumped into the shower and scrubbed faster than I ever had in my life. No time to deep-condition or sing sad girl anthems, this was war. I brushed my teeth with my left hand while trying to smoothen my hair with the right. At one point, I almost brushed my face with my toothbrush and my mouth with my hairbrush.
Five minutes later, I ran out dripping, towel barely clinging to me. Skye glanced up with one brow raised. "So… this is the look you're going with?"
"Give me a break!"
I dove into my closet and pulled on my jeans, hoodie, and sneakers in record time. Skye tossed me a clean pair of socks like it was a relay race. "You're lucky I love you."
"You love drama," I shot back, brushing mascara over my lashes as quickly as possible. "And watching me suffer."
"Same difference."
When we were finally out the door, I realized I hadn't eaten. Of course, Skye had already snatched two slices of toast on our way out and handed one to me without a word.
My mum has gone to work already.
We power-walked down the sidewalk, cold air biting at our cheeks, my curls still damp from the rushed shower.
"You think Ryder's already at the gate?" I asked casually.
Skye smirked. "Aha. So that's why you're in panic mode."
"No, I just don't want to be late."
"You don't want to miss him. Just say it, Cookie."
I froze slightly at the nickname.
He used to call me that.
Ryder. My best friend. The boy I've loved in silence since we were kids.
He gave me that name after I baked him cookies on his worst birthday. Said I was sweet, soft, and probably dangerous if overbaked.
I smiled when he said it.
I've been burning quietly ever since.
Skye bumped her shoulder into mine, snapping me out of the spiral. "Relax. He probably didn't even notice you weren't around this weekend."
Ouch.
She didn't mean it that way, but it still stung.
I forced a smile and took a bite of the toast. "Whatever. Let's just get there."
The school gates were already buzzing with students when we arrived, breathless from our half-jog down the block. The early morning sun spilled gold over the front lawn of Willow Heights High, but all I saw was him.
Ryder.
Leaning casually against the black railing, hoodie half-zipped, curly hair tousled like he just rolled out of bed and still managed to look like a freaking teen magazine cover.
His laughter reached us before we did.
My heart did that stupid thing again the one where it skipped, then slammed against my ribs like a trapped bird. I tried to ignore it. Tried to stay cool. But then I saw who he was laughing with.
A girl from our Literature elective. Zara, I think her name was.
Ryder leaned in and kissed both of her cheeks.
Left.
Right.
Slow and smooth, like it wasn't the first time he'd done it.
Zara blushed so hard her face could've been used as a stop sign. She giggled and tucked her hair behind her ear like a walking cliché.
Skye rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck.
"Oh please. If she giggles any louder, the earth might crack."
I forced a laugh, but my throat felt dry.
Ryder looked up and our eyes met.
He smiled.
That lazy, crooked smile that had been undoing me since I was eleven.
"Cookie!" he called, holding his hand out like he always did.
I walked over, heart thumping. "Hey."
He ruffled my hair. "You look like you fought a tornado this morning."
"Because I did," I muttered, fixing my hoodie. "Thanks for noticing."
Zara looked between us, clearly confused. "Cookie?"
"She's sweet," Ryder answered, throwing an arm around my shoulders like it meant nothing.
Like it didn't ignite every nerve in my body.
"She baked me cookies once," he added, flashing Zara a grin. "Best I've ever had."
Zara laughed politely. "Lucky you."
"Yeah," he said, squeezing my shoulder gently. "She's always been my girl."
My lungs forgot how to breathe.
My girl.
Except… not really.
Because the way he said it... it was teasing, casual. Something you'd say to a childhood buddy or a sibling. Not to someone who stayed up at night wondering what it would feel like to kiss you.
And definitely not to someone who watched you kiss other girls and smiled through the pain.
Zara waved and walked off a moment later, still glowing from her two-cheek moment. Ryder tugged on my backpack strap.
"You guys coming to the scrimmage today after school?"
"Depends," Skye said coolly. "Are you kissing girls between baskets again or actually playing?"
He laughed. "Haters gonna hate."
I didn't say anything. Just smiled and nodded.
Because that's what I do.
I stay close.
I stay quiet.
I stay in love.
Even when it hurts.
___
The final bell rang and Skye stretched with a dramatic groan, tossing her pen into her bag like it personally offended her. "If I had to listen to Mrs. Patterson drone on for five more minutes, I might've thrown myself out the window."
I snorted, zipping up my hoodie. "You say that every day."
"Because it's true every day."
We were the last ones left in class, taking our time even though the gym was already alive with the sound of bouncing balls and echoing whistles. The scrimmage was starting soon, and students were already filing toward the court like ants to sugar.
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and looked over at Skye. "Ready?"
She blew on her freshly glossed lips and stood, smoothing her skirt. "Born ready."
We stepped out into the hallway, walking in sync like we always did. We hadn't gotten far when it happened.
A figure turned the corner at the same time as us and before either of them could stop, Skye bumped hard into him.
"Whoa," he said, steadying her by the elbow.
She regained her balance quickly, brushing invisible lint off her arm. "Easy, football star."
"Sorry, didn't see you there." He gave her a grin that made something flicker in Skye's eyes but she recovered fast.
"Well, try not to run over your classmates next time," she said, cool as ever.
Jax Monroe.
Quarterback. Charming. Loud. A little cocky, but undeniably likeable. We'd known him since freshman year. He'd shared our class in three different subjects, and he always had something smart or annoying to say.
"Hey, Raina," he added with a nod, acknowledging me as his eyes flicked between us.
"Hey, Jax," I replied casually, watching Skye out of the corner of my eye.
She was composed. Flawless, as usual. But I knew her well enough to catch the faint shift in her posture, the way her hand toyed with her bracelet a second longer than usual.
"Heading to the scrimmage?" he asked.
"Obviously," Skye answered, arching a brow. "Wouldn't miss the drama."
He laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It's just a practice game."
"Right," Skye said with a small smirk. "And yet you've been hyping it like it's the Super Bowl."
He grinned. "That's called marketing. Gotta keep the fans excited."
"I'm sure your fans will be very... excited," she replied, giving him a knowing look.
Something passed between them. Just for a second. A moment quiet enough to be missed unless you were looking.
And I was.
"Catch you both later," Jax said with a final nod before jogging off toward the gym.
Skye turned smoothly and kept walking like nothing happened.
I followed, narrowing my eyes. "You're gonna pretend that wasn't a thing?"
She raised a brow. "What thing?"
"Oh come on."
"Rai."
"What?"
"I don't like him."
"You so like him."
She smirked but said nothing. Which, from Skye, meant everything.
I chuckled. "Wow. You really are good at hiding stuff."
"And you," she said, bumping her shoulder into mine, "are terrible at hiding yours."
I looked away, my smile faltering just a little.
The gym doors came into view, wide open with the buzz of voices spilling out. Music was playing over the speakers now, and the bleachers were already filling.
I pushed open the door, stepping into the noise, the lights, the people.
And there he was.
Ryder.
On the court.
Ball in hand.
Students packed the bleachers like it was a championship game, even though it was just a scrimmage. Phones out. Voices loud. That smell of rubber, sweat, and cheap perfume hanging thick in the air.
Skye and I found a spot somewhere in the middle row. Not too high. Not too close.
Perfectly placed for me to see him.
Ryder stood at the center of the court, bouncing the ball lazily, a smug little grin tugging at his lips. His jersey hung loose over his frame, curls damp with effort. Confidence oozed from every move he made, like he was built for moments like this.
The game started with a loud whistle.
Squeaks of sneakers. The slap of palms against the ball. Shouts echoing across the court.
Ryder moved like water smooth, fast, unpredictable. He dodged one defender, spun around another, then faked a pass before launching the ball from just outside the arc.
Nothing but net.
The crowd erupted.
Cheers. Claps. Screams of his name.
And then it happened.
One of the cheerleaders, Aubree sprang from the sidelines like she'd been waiting for her cue. Blond ponytail swinging, uniform perfectly snug, she rushed onto the court and jumped into Ryder's arms mid-cheer.
"Oh my God…" Skye muttered beside me.
Aubree wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him right there in the middle of the court. Not a peck. Not a joke.
A kiss.
A long, deliberate, claim-him-in-front-of-everyone kind of kiss.
And the worst part?
He kissed her back.
My heart dropped straight into my stomach.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't think.
I stood up like someone pulled a fire alarm in my chest and rushed down the bleachers, weaving through the crowd, ignoring the voices, the noise, the ache cracking wide open inside me.
"Raina!" Skye called from behind, already following.
But I was out of the gym before she caught up.
The hallway outside was dim and quiet in comparison. My chest rose and fell too fast. My eyes burned, but I refused to let the tears fall. Not here. Not where anyone could see.
Not after everything.
He kissed her like it meant nothing.
Like I wasn't even there.
Skye finally caught up, breathless, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the side near the water fountain. "Rai—Rai, hey! Slow down!"
I turned away, staring hard at the trophy cabinet like it could distract me from the sharp, hollow pain in my chest.
"I'm fine," I said.
"You're not fine. You ran out like your heart got stomped on because it did."
"I shouldn't care."
"But you do."
Silence.
The kind that stretches between two people who know the truth but don't want to say it too loud.
Skye's voice softened. "You've loved him forever. That doesn't just switch off."
"I'm just his Cookie," I whispered. "Just the sweet friend."
Skye didn't say anything right away.
She didn't have to.
She just wrapped her arms around me and let me stand there..
"You know you can't keep doing this, right?"
I looked up.
"Loving him in silence. Watching him kiss other girls while you pretend you're okay. That's not strength, Rai… that's slow torture."
I let out a shaky breath. "What if he doesn't feel the same?"
"Then you'll finally stop wondering. But what if he does?" She nudged me gently. "You owe it to yourself to find out."
I nodded slowly, the words sinking in.
Maybe it was time.
Even if it broke me.