Chapter 5

Kai Anderson

The new week starts off quietly, and to my relief, the gossip about me and Keith finally seems to be dying down. For once, no one's whispering or pointing as I walk through the hallways. The glances have mostly faded, and I feel like I might actually be blending into the background again. Finally.

As usual, Jackson bolts off as soon as we get out of the car, leaving his bag behind. I'm stuck lugging both of our bags to class. Typical Jackson. At least carrying his stuff gives me something to focus on other than the lingering tension from last week's drama.

I'm halfway to my classroom, struggling a bit with the extra weight, when a smooth, familiar voice speaks up beside me.

"Good morning."

I flinch, nearly dropping Jackson's bag. My heart skips a beat as I turn and come face-to-face with Keith, his green eyes bright with a mischievous sparkle. He's standing a little too close, leaning in with that easy confidence that makes it clear he knows exactly what effect he has on people.

Great. Just what I needed.

"Do you make a habit of sneaking up on people?" I mutter, gripping the straps of the bags a little tighter. Keith lets out a soft, amused chuckle, and it's almost... nice. Almost.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he says, though the slight smirk on his face suggests otherwise. "You just looked like you could use a hand."

Before I can protest, he reaches over and slides Jackson's bag off my shoulder, swinging it over his own with casual ease. I open my mouth to say something, but he's already moving, his relaxed stride setting the pace as if I've agreed to this.

"I'm fine, actually," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "And I can handle the bags myself."

He raises an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "So independent. I like that."

I roll my eyes, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up my neck. "Why are you even here?"

Keith shrugs, completely unbothered. "Thought I'd walk you to class. Saw Jackson gossiping somewhere, and figured you could use some company." He glances over, his expression a little too amused. "Or does my presence offend you?"

"Maybe I just don't need an entourage," I say, doing my best to sound cool and unaffected. "Not everyone enjoys having half the school staring at them, you know."

Keith's laughter is soft, but I can tell he's genuinely entertained. "Don't worry about them. If anyone bothers you, let me know-I've got your back." He says it with a nonchalance that almost makes me believe he means it.

For a second, I'm thrown. He seems sincere, but the casual way he says it only makes me more determined not to take him seriously. He's Keith Morgan, after all-people like him don't go out of their way for people like me.

"Thanks, but I can handle it," I mutter, focusing on the hallway ahead. But he's still right there, walking beside me, completely undeterred.

We reach my classroom faster than I'd like, and he stops just outside the door, handing me Jackson's bag with a smile that's almost... warm. It's disarming, and I hate that it makes me feel anything at all.

"Nice seeing you, Kai," he says, his voice dropping as he lingers over my name, like he's savoring it. There's a softness to his gaze, something that feels almost... personal.

I feel my face heat up, and I fight the urge to look away. "Yeah, well, don't make a habit of it," I manage, trying to sound annoyed. But the words come out weaker than I'd like.

Keith tilts his head, his smile turning into a smirk. "I'll keep that in mind." He pauses, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping to a teasing murmur. "You might want to work on that poker face, though. You're practically broadcasting your thoughts."

My jaw tightens. "Excuse me?"

He chuckles, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Just saying. It's cute."

And then, with a final wink, he turns and strolls away, completely unbothered, leaving me standing there with my heart racing and my thoughts spinning. He's halfway down the hall before I can even process what just happened, and all I can do is stand there, feeling equal parts annoyed, flustered, and-unfortunately-a little intrigued.

By the time I gather myself and step into the classroom, I realize the whispers have already started. A couple of students glance my way, their eyes flicking between me and the doorway Keith just walked through. Someone stifles a laugh, and I catch snippets of conversation as I pass:

"Did you see Keith walking him to class? That's new..."

"Is he, like, dating him now? He never does that."

"Who even is that guy?"

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the wave of curiosity directed at me. Just when the rumors were finally dying down, Keith's little stunt has thrown fuel on the fire. Now, everyone's staring again, and I feel like I'm back at square one-stuck in the middle of everyone's attention, all because Keith can't seem to resist messing with me.

I drop into my seat, letting out a heavy sigh. This is exactly why I wanted to stay invisible. Keith Morgan, with his easy charm and infuriating smirk, is ruining everything.

But as much as I want to be mad, a small part of me-a very, very small part-can't help but feel... something else. An excitement, or maybe a curiosity, that I don't really want to acknowledge.

I take a deep breath, trying to shake it off, but the warmth of his gaze and the teasing edge to his voice linger in my mind, stubbornly refusing to fade.

Keith knows my name, and apparently, he's decided I'm his new favorite person to mess with.

*********

Keith Morgan

The squeak of sneakers and the rhythmic thud of the basketball against the polished gym floor were Keith's sanctuary. Out here, surrounded by his teammates, he could shut out everything else and just play. He was in his element-until, of course, his teammates decided to make it about more than basketball.

Keith dribbled down the court, weaving through defenders before passing the ball to Matt, his best friend and the team's power forward. Matt caught it and went for a layup, scoring with a casual precision that Keith had always secretly envied.

"Nice one!" Keith called, clapping as he jogged back to the other side of the court.

Matt jogged over, tossing an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Just warming up. Don't get jealous yet, superstar."

Keith rolled his eyes. "You wish, Matt. I'll outscore you any day."

Behind them, Danny, one of their other teammates, smirked. "I dunno, Keith. These days, you seem a little... distracted."

Keith felt the familiar smirk tug at his lips, the one he wore like armor. People liked to say he was a heartbreaker, a player, the school's golden boy who could get anyone he wanted. Usually, he'd play along with it, but lately... lately, things were different.

He thought of Kai-the quiet guy who seemed to flinch every time their paths crossed. Kai with his awkward glances, who clearly wanted nothing to do with him, and yet kept turning up in Keith's thoughts. There was something about Kai that was... intriguing.

"Earth to Keith!" Matt nudged him, snapping him back to the present.

Keith blinked, realizing he'd been zoning out. "What?"

Matt grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Let me guess-you're thinking about that guy you keep asking Chen about? Kai, right?"

Danny chuckled, spinning the basketball on one finger. "Oh, yeah, the one you called 'darling' in the cafeteria. Real smooth."

Keith felt a faint heat creeping up his neck but shrugged it off with practiced ease. "So what if I was?"

Matt Gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "It's just weird seeing you actually interested in someone, man. Usually, they're the ones chasing after you, not the other way around."

Keith rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like I'm stalking him. I just... bumped into him a couple of times."

Danny raised an eyebrow, amused. "Bumped into him? Twice? Keith, you're interested, whether you want to admit it or not."

Keith sighed, feeling a flicker of annoyance at his friends' teasing but not entirely wanting to deny it, either. "I don't know what it is, alright? Maybe I just want to get under his skin a little."

The truth was, there was something about Kai's quiet presence that got to him. Unlike everyone else in Keith's orbit, Kai didn't seem remotely interested in impressing him. In fact, he seemed actively determined to avoid him. And maybe that was why Keith found himself thinking about him more than he should.

Matt clapped him on the back, grinning. "Well, whatever it is, just don't scare the guy off. You can be... a lot to handle."

Keith shrugged, smirking. "Yeah, but that's what makes me fun."

As the team reset for the next play, Keith's eyes drifted to the bleachers-and his heart did a strange little skip. There, standing by the doorway, was Kai. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, with his usual guarded expression. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, yet there he was, watching. Standing next to him was Jackson, chatting animatedly, completely oblivious to the way Kai's gaze kept drifting to the court.

A slow smile spread across Keith's face. He raised a hand in a small, casual wave.

Kai's eyes widened, and for a split second, he looked like he might bolt. But instead, he gave a hesitant, awkward little wave back, his cheeks tinged pink.

Keith's smirk deepened. It was almost too easy to fluster him. But, somehow, seeing that hint of pink on Kai's cheeks made something warm settle in Keith's chest.

Matt noticed the exchange and nudged him. "So, that's him, huh? The guy who's got the great Keith Morgan acting all mysterious and shy?"

Keith scoffed. "Who said anything about being shy?"

Matt just laughed. "Well, you're definitely not hiding the fact that you're into him. The whole gym probably saw that wave."

Keith shrugged, unbothered. "Let them look."

As Kai quickly turned away, tugging Jackson along with him, Keith couldn't help but watch him go. Something about the way Kai glanced back, just for a second, like he was trying to figure out what Keith's deal was... it was thrilling. There was a spark there, and Keith wanted to see just how far he could fan it.

The whistle blew, pulling him back to the game, but as he focused on the court, he couldn't quite shake the anticipation building inside him.

Maybe he'd see Kai again after practice. Maybe he'd even bump into him "by accident." After all, there was something undeniably fun about the chase.

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