The gym was packed, buzzing with energy—cheers and shouts echoing off the walls, banners draped messily in the school colors, and the air thick with the smell of popcorn and adrenaline. Eliza squeezed through the chaos, clutching her drink with clammy hands, Ava trailing behind with a smirk.
She adjusted her sweater nervously, eyes flickering around until they inevitably landed on the court. It was impossible not to look. Especially when he was there.
Her gaze found Lucifer instinctively—at the center of the court, stretching with the rest of the team. His jersey clung to him, dark hair damp with sweat, that familiar confident smirk playing at his lips. His eyes, bright and determined, were focused entirely on the game. Eliza's heart did a stupid little flip, and she quickly looked away, cheeks warm.
"Your boy's really putting on a show," Ava teased, elbowing her side with a grin that was all too knowing.
Eliza glared, face turning red. "He's not—ugh, shut up before I strangle you," she hissed, taking a too-long sip of her drink to avoid the topic.
Ava just snorted. "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, babe," she said, draping herself lazily over the bleachers. "You're about as subtle as a neon sign."
Eliza huffed, cheeks burning. "He's not my—ugh! Why are we even friends?"
"Because I'm right," Ava sing-songed, fluttering her lashes.
Before Eliza could threaten her with something more creative than strangling, the game started fast—sneakers squeaking, bodies colliding, the crowd roaring with every shot. Eliza's eyes kept drifting back to Lucifer, tracking his every move almost unconsciously.
He was quick, weaving past defenders effortlessly, that stupidly confident smirk never leaving his face. Each time he scored, the crowd went wild, and Eliza's chest swelled with a mix of pride and something else she didn't want to name. It was infuriating—the way her heart stuttered each time he so much as smiled.
"He's gonna break you," Ava deadpanned, snapping a piece of gum with a smirk.
Eliza scowled. "Oh my God, shut up."
"Make me."
But, of course, the universe couldn't resist throwing in some drama. During a scramble for the ball, Lucifer went down hard—knees skidding against the court with a hiss of pain. Eliza's heart stopped. The sound seemed to fade out, cheers and whistles blurring into white noise as she stared, eyes wide and mouth dry.
She was on her feet before she even realized, fingers clutching the hem of her sweater.
"Oh my God," she breathed, voice small and shaky. "Is he—"
"He's fine," Ava sighed, though her eyes flickered with concern. "Chill. He's not that fragile."
But Eliza couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think past the panic clawing at her chest. Her fingers trembled around her drink, knuckles white.
Lucifer was limping slightly but waved off the coach's concern with a careless grin, like he hadn't just nearly face-planted in front of the whole school. Typical. Eliza huffed, dropping back into her seat, but her heart wouldn't stop hammering, each beat loud and frantic in her ears.
"I swear, he's gonna give me a heart attack one day," she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest to calm the erratic thumping.
Ava snorted, popping a bubble. "You're so whipped, it's sad."
Eliza's face flared. "I will murder you."
"Uh-huh. Sure, babe." Ava winked, entirely too pleased with herself.
The rest of the game passed in a blur—Eliza's eyes never straying far from Lucifer, watching the way he moved, the way his eyes glinted with determination, the way his grin was a little too smug whenever he scored.
And, naturally, every other girl in the gym noticed too.
A group of cheerleaders lingered by the sidelines, giggling behind their hands, eyes flickering to Lucifer with shy smiles and bright eyes. One of them even waved, biting her lip, cheeks pink.
Eliza gritted her teeth, fingers tightening around her drink with a glare that could've set things on fire. Ava wheezed beside her, barely containing her laughter.
"Oh, this is delicious," Ava gasped, wiping a tear. "The jealousy looks great on you, babe."
"I hate you," Eliza hissed, cheeks burning.
After what felt like forever, the game finally ended—with Lucifer's team winning by a hair. The gym exploded with cheers, students pouring onto the court, and Lucifer was instantly swarmed by high-fives and back slaps. His grin was wide, eyes crinkling at the edges, chest heaving with each breath. Eliza's heart fluttered painfully, pride and longing tangling together until she couldn't tell one from the other.
But she didn't waste a second. She shoved through the crowd, ignoring the annoyed huffs and glares, grabbing his arm before he could even catch his breath.
"Come on," she huffed, already dragging him away. "You're going to the nurse. No arguing."
Lucifer blinked, startled, before a lazy smirk stretched his lips. "Wow, bossy. You sure you're not my mom?" he teased, though he winced slightly with each step.
"Shut up," Eliza snapped, though her voice was softer, fingers curling around his arm a little tighter. "This is what you get for playing recklessly."
They wove through the crowd, Eliza's grip firm and determined, Lucifer following without complaint—though he couldn't resist teasing her.
"Aw, were you worried about me, Drama Queen?" Lucifer smirked, eyes glinting with that infuriating playfulness that made her chest twist.
Eliza's face flared red, and she scoffed. "In your dreams, idiot."
"Admit it," he chuckled, leaning a little too close, breath warm against her ear. "You were totally worried."
"I will throw you into traffic," Eliza seethed, yanking him along faster, ears burning.
But she didn't let go of his arm, and Lucifer didn't pull away—just followed her with that same lazy grin, like he belonged right there by her side.
And for a second—just a second—Eliza let herself pretend he really did.
As they reached the nurse's office, Lucifer slouched against the wall with a dramatic sigh.
"You're such a pain," Eliza muttered, rummaging through her bag for the small first-aid kit she'd started carrying.
"You love me," Lucifer said, eyes bright with mischief.
"Not even if you were the last human alive," Eliza snapped, but her fingers were gentle as she dabbed at the scrape on his knee, brows furrowed in concentration.
Lucifer chuckled, watching her with that infuriatingly soft look—the one that made her heart stutter and her mind blank.
And in that tiny room, with just the two of them, Eliza almost let herself believe it meant something more.
But then Lucifer grinned, ruffling her hair with a careless laugh, and the moment shattered.
Eliza rolled her eyes, huffing, but her chest ached with everything she couldn't say.
To be continued....