Everyone was now in the gym. The P.E coach split us into a basketball round, boys on one side, girls on the other, each with their own hoop.
Someone was already dominating the boys' side. Fast, fluid dribbling, and… a perfect three-pointer. Girls on the benches screamed and cheered like crazy while I sat quietly in the corner, just watching.
It was Ian.
Wiping sweat from his brow and adjusting his glasses, he looked… perfect. Not only a brainiac, but also athletic.
I'd be lying if I said I never had a crush on him too, but that was back then. Honestly… if he just fixed that attitude of his, maybe he'd be easier to get along with.
Still, the girls cheering around me were blinded by his charm, I wondered if they even knew how… egotistical he could be.
Probably not…
I've learned that even hard-to-get guys can be irresistible.
Then, suddenly, I heard a cheer on the girls' side of the court.
Wait… why are so many guys watching that side?
I stood and walked closer.
And there she was.
Elena.
Her steps were graceful, weaving effortlessly around defenders. She dribbled, spun, and shot the ball with perfect aim… not even breaking a sweat.
Wait… do aliens even sweat? Well… judging by this, I guess not.
I glanced to my side. Every guy nearby was absolutely smitten.
….Of course.
I turned back to the game and then I noticed… the opposing team was Faye. Normally confident and athletic, but now? Defeated. Sweating more than I'd ever seen her.
Well… she's playing against someone literally out of this world.
The ball moved around the court again. Faye dribbled desperately, trying to score she shot but the ball hit the rim and bounced… straight toward me.
Instinctively, I covered my face with both arms.
Peeked through my fingers… and saw the ball caught with one hand.
Elena.
She held it, then turned to face me, calm as ever.
"Hey…! Are you okay?" she asked.
"You… you were a bit close, Mayumi," she added, eyes scanning me briefly.
"Glad I caught it in time."
I froze, heart racing.
"…I-I'm fine," I stammered.
She smiled just a little, calm and composed, then dribbled the ball back like it was nothing. Even while moving, she glanced at me again, like checking if I was really okay.
I couldn't help it, but my stomach feels weird.
I sank back into my corner, heart still hammering, trying to process it.
The coach's whistle suddenly cut through the noise.
"Alright! Switch it up!" he shouted. "Bench players in—let's go!"
…Huh?
My stomach dropped.
Other students started moving, swapping places, and before I could even process what was happening.
That included me.
Wait…. I don't even know how to play basketball.
But here we are. The activity of the day. Somehow, I ended up on the same team as Elena… And on the opposite side?
Faye.
Along with a bunch of girls who were just as athletic as she was.
…Wow. This feels wildly unfair.
I glanced at our side a couple of average players. One girl who looked just as nervous as me…. And then there's me.
Below average. Actively bad.
Can Elena really carry this whole team…?
The coach motioned for the center. Elena and Faye stepped forward, facing each other. The coach held the ball between them.
My chest tightened.
Then—
He tossed the ball straight up and blew the whistle.
Both of them jumped.
For a split second, they were suspended midair.
Elena reached it first. She was just a bit taller than Faye the ball tipped toward our side.
"Yes—!" someone shouted.
One of our teammates caught it and started dribbling, but immediately two girls from Faye's team closed in on her. She panicked, tried to pass—
It was bad. Way too wide.
Faye's team intercepted it instantly they moved fast. Clean passes. No hesitation.
And then—
They scored.
…Yeah.
We're cooked.
"Oh man… my bad, guys," the girl who passed said quickly, shoulders slumping.
"I totally flunked that."
Before anyone could say anything, Elena stepped up beside her.
"It's alright," she said gently, tapping the girl's shoulder.
"We'll get it next time."
Her voice was calm. Steady. No blame.
…She really is a team player.
The game resumed. Another round. And another.
I ran. And ran. And ran.
My legs started burning. My chest felt tight. I was pretty sure I was wheezing at this point.
How long has this been going on…?
Then—
The ball suddenly came flying toward me. I barely reacted in time, awkwardly catching it against my chest.
Oh.
Oh no...
This is bad. Really bad.
I looked up.
The opposing team's attention snapped straight to me.
Of course it did.
They know.
Everyone in my class knows… Little ol' Mayumi sucks at sports. Even Faye, standing just behind them, looked at me and smiled she suddenly became confident and relaxed.
Like this was already a guaranteed point for them.
…Yeah.
I wouldn't doubt it either.
The ball felt heavier than it should've in my hands. Everyone was watching… I could practically feel their expectations... no, their lack of expectations pressing down on me.
Okay.
Okay, Mayumi.
Just… pass it. That's all you need to do. Don't trip. Don't embarrass yourself. Don't—
"Mayumi."
Elena's voice… I glanced to the side.
She was already moving, positioning herself just right, eyes sharp but calm when our gazes met, she smiled... not flashy, not confident in a loud way.
Encouraging.
"You've got this," she said.
My heart skipped.
I swallowed. "I— I really don't—"
The opposing team closed in.
One of them lunged.
Instinct kicked in. I took a step back—
And then—
My body moved.
Not clumsy.
Not delayed.
Clean.
My foot slid back smoothly, pivoting just enough to avoid the steal.
…Huh?
I blinked. Did I just—?
Another girl rushed in from the side.
I meant to panic.
Instead, my hands adjusted their grip on the ball without me telling them to. My arms moved like they knew exactly how far to stretch, how fast to turn.
I dribbled.
Once.
Twice.
The bounce was perfect. My breath caught.
Wait—
I don't dribble like this…!?
The gym noise faded into the background, my pulse roared in my ears. My legs felt… light.
Almost electric…?
It was like something underneath my skin had woken up—guiding me, nudging me, correcting every tiny mistake before it even happened.
I spun to the side.
Someone gasped.
I heard Faye shout, "—Huh?!"
I didn't even look at her. I passed the ball, a clean straight pass, right into Elena's hands.
She caught it effortlessly and for a split second, her eyes flicked back to me.
There was something there.
Not surprise.
Relief.
Then she turned and shot. The ball sank through the hoop.
The whistle blew.
Our team scored. The gym erupted.
"What the—?"
"Did you see that?"
"Was that Mayumi?!"
I stood there, frozen.
My hands were trembling. My chest felt tight, like I'd just run way farther than I realized.
…What just happened?
Elena jogged over, smiling softly. "Nice pass," she said.
Nice—
Nice pass?
I stared at her.
"I— I don't—" I glanced down at my hands like they'd betrayed me.
"I don't play like that."
She tilted her head slightly. "You did just now."
That… didn't help.
The game continued, but I stayed hyper-aware of my body.
Every step felt too smooth.
When I moved, it felt like my muscles responded a split second before I told them to. Like my clothes hugged me tighter but not uncomfortably, just… weird..?
The ball came to me again. My stomach dropped.
No. No no no.
But this time, when I moved... It wasn't panic driving me.
It was flow.
I dodged.
I passed.
I moved where I was supposed to be.
Not amazing. Not unstoppable.
Just… right.
When the whistle finally blew, signaling the end of the round, I bent over with my hands on my knees, gasping for air.
Sweat dripped down my face.
I looked up—
Elena wasn't sweating… Of course she wasn't.
She handed me a water bottle. "You did well," she said gently.
I took it with shaky hands.
"…Elena," I muttered.
"Yes?"
"…Did you do something?"
Her expression didn't change.
But her eyes… Widened just a little.
Then she smiled softly, almost reassuring.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "You did great out there."
I swallowed.
"That didn't feel like me," I said quietly.
Elena held my gaze for a second longer than necessary. Something unreadable flickered there.. And it made me feel uneasy..
"…Let's talk later," she said softly. "Okay?"
Not dismissive.
Not defensive.
Just… gentle.
For some reason, that scared me more than if she'd laughed it off. She gave my shoulder a light squeeze before jogging back into position.
And I stood there, heart racing not from the game anymore, but from the way her touch lingered through the fabric of my uniform.