[Verse 1]
In a school where the sun kissed the floor
The courts were alive with the echoes of war
Of rallies and drills and sneakers in flight
Of laughter that danced in the gold afternoon light
He was the loud one, the confident flame
With jokes like arrows and a teasing game
He knew how to read what others would miss
And he saw the boy who fell hard with a wish
[Pre-Chorus]
He'd point and grin at the captain's red face
Make her blush just to brighten the place
But behind all the mischief and jokes that he tossed
He knew what it meant to be quietly lost
[Chorus]
Because he'd looked across courts and forgotten to breathe
When someone met him with fire underneath
A glance, a smile, a toss of the ball
And suddenly he wasn't so sure of it all
It wasn't just games or words on repeat
It felt like a moment that made him believe—
That maybe this time,
He was playing for keeps
[Verse 2]
She handed the ball with a sly little grin
Asked if he'd dropped it just to talk again
He joked like he always did, smooth and bold
But his heart beat loud, like secrets untold
She was steady, fierce, never trying to shine
But she lit up the gym like a neon sign
He lingered, watched from the edges of play
Towel 'round his neck, nothing left to say
[Pre-Chorus]
And when she called him out with a look so clear
He just shrugged and said, "I like standing near"
Because truth wrapped in charm was still truth all the same
And he knew when it started—this wasn't a game
[Chorus]
Because he'd looked across courts and forgotten to breathe
When someone met him with fire underneath
A glance, a smile, a toss of the ball
And suddenly he wasn't so sure of it all
It wasn't just games or words on repeat
It felt like a moment that made him believe—
That maybe this time,
He was playing for keeps
[Bridge]
They talked like the world had finally slowed down
No crowds, no cheers, no practice sounds
Just two players off the court, at ease
With bottled drinks and a sunset breeze
She said, "You always tease like it's all pretend"
He said, "It's how I get close to the hearts I defend"
And in that stillness, in that space so small
He asked with his silence, she answered it all
[Final Chorus]
Because she'd looked back once, and he knew it was real
Like she caught his heart and knew how it feels
A brush of the hand, a promise so deep
No scoreboard needed to show what they keep
It wasn't a crush or something that fleets
It wasn't a line or a win to repeat
It wasn't for glory or high school acclaim—
It was something quiet
Something warm
Something like flame
[Outro]
And as they walked side by side down the street
The air felt new and the rhythm complete
He wasn't just laughing, or chasing the heat—
He'd found something real.
He was playing for keeps.