Jayden's POV
The next day, I tried my absolute best to hide my wrist from everyone.
Before coming to school, I had spent over an hour in the bathroom scrubbing at the ink, but no matter how hard I tried, it just wouldn't come off.
Great.
Now I was stuck walking around with Olivia written on my wrist like some lovesick idiot.
Pathetic.
Anyway, today was the annual basketball tournament. Students from neighboring schools had all come to watch, making the atmosphere much livelier than usual.
After what felt like forever, the final bell rang, and it was finally time for our match.
I had purposely worn a long-sleeved compression shirt beneath my basketball jersey to cover the writing on my wrist.
No way was I letting anyone see it.
Or so I thought.
Back in the changing room, everyone was getting ready while Jake kept talking about how we'd crush the other team. Dylan, on the other hand, was unusually quiet.
Then I felt his eyes on me.
"Hold up, Jayden..." he said slowly.
My heart skipped a beat.
"Is that... Olivia's name?"
He pointed at my wrist where the sleeve had rolled up just enough to expose the ink.
Good.
Busted.
I quickly pulled my sleeve back down.
"Uh... it's not what you think."
Jake walked over, curiosity written all over his face.
He grabbed my wrist before I could react.
His eyes widened.
"Bro..." He looked up at me with the biggest grin I'd ever seen. "You have Olivia's name written on your wrist?"
Dylan folded his arms with a knowing smile.
"I knew something was up with you."
Jake burst into laughter.
"Man, Jayden! You've got a crush on Olivia, don't you? I swear I've been suspecting you since the day we talked about her at the steakhouse."
"I don't."
"Oh really?" Jake smirked. "Then explain the name."
"I..."
For the first time in a long while...
I couldn't think of a single excuse.
The coach's whistle echoed through the changing room before either of them could tease me any further.
"Alright, boys! On the court!"
I had never been so grateful to hear a whistle.
The gymnasium was already packed by the time we stepped onto the court. Cheers erupted from every direction, students waving banners and chanting our school's name.
As captain, I stood at the center circle for the tip-off.
The referee tossed the ball into the air.
The game began.
For the first few minutes, everything felt normal. We moved the ball well, and Jake scored the first basket. The crowd erupted into cheers.
"Nice one!" I shouted.
But as the game went on, my focus slowly slipped away.
Every time I caught the ball, my mind wandered.
I wondered if Olivia was somewhere in the crowd.
Was she watching?
Did she even know I played basketball?
"Jayden!"
Jake's voice snapped me back.
The ball had already been stolen from my hands.
The opposing team sprinted down the court and scored.
Our coach blew his whistle in frustration.
"Hayes! Wake up!"
I clenched my fists.
What is wrong with me?
A few possessions later, Dylan passed me the ball near the three-point line.
This time, I forced myself to focus.
I dribbled past one defender, crossed over another, and drove straight to the basket.
The crowd exploded as the ball dropped cleanly through the hoop.
"There you go!" Jake shouted, pointing at me.
I nodded, but something still felt off.
Even after scoring...
My mind refused to settle.
By the end of the game, we won by twelve points.
Everyone celebrated the victory, but I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it as much as I usually did.
As we walked back toward the lockers, Jake threw an arm around my shoulder.
"You were weird today."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Dylan chuckled.
"I think I know why."
I immediately shot him a warning look.
He only smiled.
Neither of them brought it up again.
But judging by the looks on their faces...
They had already figured me out.
Rule No. 4.
Don't Think About Her.
Too bad...
She was already on my mind before the game even started.