"Is today your big day? First cheer dance and homecoming?" Mrs. Chibuike asked with a hopeful smile as she leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Yeah, Mom. And I'm so nervous," Kamsi said, biting her lower lip as she adjusted the pleats of her uniform for the third time.
Mrs. Chibuike's smile faltered. "I'm so sorry, baby. I won't be able to make it."
Kamsi froze. "What? Why not?"
"You know I work night shifts now. And of all days, today's the one I was called in. They're short on nurses, and the hospital's a mess. They need every hand."
"More important than your daughter's big day?" Kamsi asked, half-joking, half-serious, her brows furrowed.
Her mom chuckled and leaned in, planting a quick peck on her cheek. "Maybe," she teased with a playful smirk.
"Moooooom!" Kamsi groaned, pushing her lightly.
"Just kidding," her mother said warmly, pulling her into a firm hug. "I promise I'll make it up to you."
"I love you," she whispered.
"Love you more, Mom," Kamsi replied, her voice soft.
Mrs. Chibuike paused at the door, turned with a smile, and said, "Keep the door shut."
"I will," Kamsi nodded.
As the door clicked shut behind her mother, Kamsi lingered, her eyes resting on the empty hallway. Maybe it was for the best. Less pressure. Less expectation. Just her... and the stage.
The gym buzzed with anticipation. The pep talk had just ended, the coach's voice still echoing through the players' heads.
"Today's not just another game," he had said. "It's a chance. A mature day. A day where you catch the eyes of scouts, where you carve out your future. So go out there—give it your best. And have fun while you're at it."
The scent of sweat, popcorn, and stadium polish mixed in the air. The roar of students and the beat of the drums made the walls pulse. It was electric.
Coach's eyes swept across his team before landing on one player. "Alistair."
Xavier stepped forward.
"Now we go out there and we dominate. We show them why we're the..."
"RED DEVILS" the entire team roared.
"Who are we?"
"RED DEVILS"
"WHO ARE WE?!"
"RED DEVILS"
The ground shook as the chant grew louder. Damon and Gilbert clapped Xavier on the back, offering silent nods of encouragement.
Outside the court, the cheerleaders lined up, bouncing lightly on their toes. Kamsi stood among them, her hands clammy, heart hammering inside her chest.
She scanned the crowd, trying to focus—but her gaze snagged on Xavier. He was staring at her.
He gave her a slow, confident smile.
And just like that, her thoughts unraveled—drifting to the night before.
"You okay?" Xavier had asked as they sat under the flickering streetlight outside her house.
Kamsi had swallowed hard, her nerves balled up in her chest. "Hmm... I don't even know," she admitted, lowering her head slightly.
He tilted his face to catch her gaze.
"I have to admit," she continued, "I'm nervous about tomorrow. It's my first cheer dance."
He'd smiled then. A small, rare smile that reached his eyes. "Kam,you're a stressed self."
She laughed under her breath. He wasn't wrong.
"But it's okay to be nervous," he added. "It means you care. Just don't overthink it or you'll mess up."
He leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Her breath caught. Her heart stumbled.
Then, in true Xavier fashion, he muttered, "Relax, Nudist. You'll survive the dance. Just try not to trip and flash the crowd."
She gasped, smacking his shoulder as she tried to stifle a laugh. "You're the worst."
He just smirked, that devilish grin lighting up his face. "I know."
She shook her head, still smiling, then pulled him into a hug—tighter than she meant to.
In his arms, the nerves didn't vanish, but they quieted. Her thoughts stopped spiraling. She felt... safe. Which was strange, because she never felt safe around him. Not like this.
And before she could stop herself, she began to fall for him.
Back on the court, the crowd roared as the teams began their entrance. But Kamsi stood frozen for just one heartbeat longer.
She had fallen—deep.
And what she didn't know was that Xavier...
He'd held her just a moment longer too.
And in that moment, he knew.
He was falling too.
The game had reached its peak, the score tied, the energy in the stadium electric. The Red Devils and the Lakeside Lancers had been neck-and-neck for the entire match, each team fighting for every inch of the court. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, watching every move, every shot, every play with bated breath.
Xavier's focus wavered. Despite the loud roars and the urgency of the moment, his eyes kept drifting toward the cheerleaders on the sideline. Kamsi was front and center, her movements fluid and precise. She danced with energy, every step and jump a perfect rhythm, her cheer leading the charge for the home team. He couldn't help but watch her, captivated by the way she moved. She didn't just perform; she commanded the attention of everyone around her.
His heart skipped a beat when he noticed her glancing in his direction, her gaze briefly meeting his. The connection was brief, but the weight of it lingered. His eyes shifted, pulling himself back to the game. His team needed him.
The score remained tied, the clock ticking down, each second feeling like an eternity. But then, there was a loud crash from the far side of the court, a player from the Lancers colliding with one of the Red Devils. The game screeched to a halt. The injured player was down on the ground, and it was clear—this was serious.
The referees huddled. Xavier's heart raced, his nerves tightening. The team was already tense, the stakes impossibly high. The tension in the air felt thick, and then—just as it looked like Gilbert was about to be substituted out—something shifted. A penalty kick was awarded to the Red Devils.
The crowd roared. The penalty shot was everything. Xavier, heart pounding, glanced around the stands. He spotted his mother, Ruby, cheering wildly, eyes sparkling with pride. But then something unexpected caught his attention. His father was pushing through the crowd, making his way toward an empty seat. Hadn't he had a business meeting scheduled for today?
Xavier's pulse quickened, surprise and confusion coursing through him. His father's face was unreadable, as usual, but he acknowledged Xavier with a slight nod. Xavier returned the gesture, and for a brief moment, the tension between them seemed to ease. Then, as if on cue, Jade waved enthusiastically from a few rows away, her excitement contagious. Xavier's lips curled into a smile as he waved back, momentarily distracted from the game.
The referee blew the whistle. It was time.
Gilbert steadied himself on the line, his face tense with determination. The game had come down to this single, heart-stopping moment. Xavier's eyes locked onto the ball, his focus narrowing, every ounce of his attention on what was about to unfold.
The ball soared through the air. The crowd held their breath as it neared the basket. Time seemed to slow.
The sound of the ball hitting the net was deafening.
The Red Devils had won. The roar from the crowd was so intense, it shook the stadium. Xavier's team erupted in celebration, but all he could do was stand there for a moment, a mixture of relief and exhilaration flooding his system.
But then, before he could fully process the victory, Kamsi appeared in his line of sight again. She was still on the sidelines, beaming with pride, her cheer dance finished but the excitement still radiating from her.
In a sudden, bold move, Xavier found himself walking toward her, his heart pounding in his chest. She wasn't expecting it. Before she could even react, he pulled her close, his hands gently cupping her face as he leaned in. The kiss was urgent, yet gentle, full of unspoken words, full of all the emotions they had been skirting around.
It was only a moment, but it felt like a lifetime.
Kamsi's eyes widened in surprise, and for a second, she froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Did she pull away? Did she kiss him back? The conflict raged inside her, but before she could process it, the harsh voice of her mother cut through the tension like a knife.
"kamsi! " Mrs. Chibuike's tone was sharp, demanding her attention.
Kamsi jerked back, her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. Xavier's heart raced, but he let go of her reluctantly, stepping back just as quickly as he had moved forward. He could feel the weight of her mother's gaze burning into them, a cold reminder of the lines Kamsi could never cross.
Kamsi's breath was shaky as she glanced at her mother. Her emotions were a tangled mess. What had just happened? Was she ready for this? Was she even allowed to feel this way?
Xavier stood there, unsure of what to do next. He was confused, torn between the euphoria of the game and the undeniable pull he felt toward her. His heart hammered in his chest as he tried to regain his focus. The rush of victory still surged through him, but it didn't feel like enough.
He stole a glance back at the crowd. His father's eyes met his again—silent, distant, and cold as always. Xavier turned away, shaking off the weight of his father's gaze, refocusing on Kamsi.
But she wasn't looking at him anymore. Her eyes were cast downward, and she was visibly unsettled.
Xavier's chest tightened. He wanted to approach her, to talk to her, but he knew it wasn't the right time. Not with her mother watching. Not with everything still so complicated between them.
And then, there it was—the kiss. He had kissed her, and yet, it felt unfinished, like there was still so much more to say.
But Kamsi wasn't ready for that.
She wasn't ready to confront the storm inside her, the emotions she had been hiding from for so long.
As she turned away to join her mother, Xavier watched her go. His heart sank. He wanted to follow, to explain, but something told him that the time wasn't right.
Not yet.
The game was over. But this was just the beginning.