The bell rang loudly, signaling the end of lunch break.
Students slowly returned to class, still talking about everything that had happened.
But Madison wasn't talking.
She was planning.
She walked down the hallway alone, phone in her hand, scrolling slowly.
A small smile stayed on her face.
Not a happy smile.
A calculated one.
"So Ryan," she whispered to herself.
"And Lia."
She tilted her head slightly.
"This is getting interesting."
In Class
Lia sat beside Ryan like usual now.
It wasn't planned.
It just… kept happening.
Like her feet already knew where to go.
Ryan was tapping his pen on the desk.
Lia looked at him.
"Can you stop that?"
Ryan paused.
"Why?"
"It's annoying."
Ryan nodded.
"Good. That means it's working."
Lia sighed.
"You're not serious."
Ryan leaned closer slightly.
"I'm always serious about annoying people."
Lia shook her head slowly.
But she was smiling a little.
From across the room—
Ethan saw everything.
Again.
Lia wasn't even pretending anymore.
She was comfortable.
She laughed.
She talked.
She existed freely beside Ryan.
Ethan looked down at his desk.
Then clenched his fist slightly.
After School – Basketball Court
Practice had started again.
The merged team was now real.
Ethan and Ryan on the same side.
But definitely not the same energy.
Coach blew the whistle.
"Pass the ball properly!"
Ryan immediately ran forward.
"Coach I am emotionally ready!"
Coach shouted back:
"I don't care about your emotions, RUN!"
The whole team laughed.
Even Ethan almost smiled—but didn't.
Ryan passed the ball to Ethan.
Ethan caught it cleanly.
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
No words.
Just tension.
Then Ethan passed it back.
Hard.
Ryan caught it and smirked.
"Oh so we're communicating now."
Ethan ignored him and ran forward.
From the sidelines—
Lia was sitting with other students watching.
But her eyes followed Ryan first.
Always Ryan now.
She didn't even realize it.
Ryan scored again.
And immediately looked at Lia.
She clapped without hesitation.
Small smile.
Natural.
Ethan noticed that too.
And this time—
Something inside him snapped a little.
Not loudly.
Quietly.
But deeply.
After Practice
Lia stood up to leave.
Ryan walked beside her immediately.
"Did I perform well today?"
Lia nodded.
"You were loud."
"That's my strength."
"You were also annoying."
"That's also my strength."
Lia laughed softly.
Ethan walked behind them.
Not close.
Not far.
Just enough to hear.
Enough to see.
Enough to understand what he was slowly losing.
Then—
Madison appeared at the gate.
Blocking their path slightly.
She smiled at Ryan first.
Then at Lia.
"Hey."
Lia paused.
Ryan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…hi?"
Madison tilted her head.
"You two are always together now."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
Lia didn't answer immediately.
Ryan stepped slightly closer to her without thinking.
Madison noticed.
Of course she did.
She smiled.
"I just wanted to say something," she said softly.
Then her eyes shifted to Lia.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
"You should be careful."
Lia blinked. "About what?"
Madison smiled wider.
"About people who get too attached too fast."
Silence.
Ryan's expression changed instantly.
Ethan stopped walking behind them.
Madison continued calmly:
"Because not everyone stays when things get difficult."
Her eyes stayed on Lia.
But the message was for Ryan too.
And Ethan understood that immediately.
Then Madison stepped back slightly.
"Anyway… just advice."
She smiled once more.
Then walked away.
Like she hadn't just dropped a bomb.
Silence stayed behind her.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Lia looked at Ryan.
Ryan didn't speak.
For once.
And somewhere behind them—
Ethan finally understood something clearly.
Madison wasn't just watching the situation anymore.
She was about to change it.