Chapter 28: 28.

The next morning, Zephyr and I walked into school, a familiar but strange tension hanging in the air. As we passed through the hallway, I noticed the whispers—the usual rumors, the typical high school drama. But today, it felt different. There was something more charged in the air, as if everyone could sense the subtle change between Zephyr and me. Maybe it was just me being paranoid, but it felt like the world was suddenly paying attention to her more than ever before.

And then, the girls from the cheerleading squad. They were always around, always in groups, always with their polished looks and perfectly manicured attitudes. But today, one of them pushed Zephyr from behind, causing her to stumble. I didn’t think much of it at first; these girls had been making Zephyr’s life miserable for a long time. What I didn’t expect was how they treated her—like she was a target, an object for their amusement.

The push wasn’t enough to knock Zephyr off balance completely, but it made her stumble forward. My instinct kicked in immediately, and I was about to rush over to her, to confront them and let them know just how messed up they were for doing this, but then I noticed something.

Zephyr, as always, handled it with a small smile. She didn’t turn to me for help or ask me to step in. She just... smiled. Like she didn’t care. Like nothing could touch her.

Her eyes met mine across the crowded hallway, and for a second, I saw a flicker of something in her gaze—a quiet strength, like she was still fighting, still not letting those girls or anyone else bring her down. I opened my mouth to call her name, but then, just as quickly, I closed it.

The popularity that had gotten the best of me for so long held me back. The need to appear like I was above it all, like I didn’t care about Zephyr’s reputation, made me stay silent. She was walking away, and instead of rushing to her side like I wanted to, I let her leave with that smile on her face, like everything was fine.

It wasn’t until we reached the classroom that I started to regret not calling out. Maybe she would’ve heard me, maybe she wouldn’t, but now there was a strange pit in my stomach.

As I sat down at my desk, the thought hit me like a ton of bricks—the match is tomorrow. I had been so caught up in everything going on with Zephyr and the drama that I’d completely forgotten about it. But then the idea sparked in my mind—this match wasn’t just another game. It was important. It wasn’t just about winning; it was about celebrating this... friendship. No, connection—whatever this was that had been growing between us.

I wanted her to be there.

I wanted her to see me play for real, not just from the sidelines or on the sidelines of her life. It wasn’t about showing off; it was about her being a part of it.

I stood up and walked over to her desk, my steps quick but hesitant.

“Zephyr,” I said, her name sounding strange on my lips now. She looked up at me, that same quiet smile lingering.

“Yeah?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, a slight playfulness in her voice.

“The match is tomorrow,” I said, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. “And... I really want you to come. To, uh, celebrate... you know, our friendship.”

She laughed—soft, genuine—and I couldn’t help but notice how her laugh made everything seem a little brighter. “Friendship, huh?” she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to get me to watch you play?”

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “Of course not. But you know, it would be nice to have someone in the stands. Besides, you’ll see me actually playing on the ground this time. Not in the air.”

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “Oh, really?” She leaned forward, her voice dropping into a mock serious tone. “What, are you finally going to give up your superhero persona?”

I grinned, leaning against her desk. “Hey, don’t underestimate me. I might actually surprise you this time. And you’ll be the first to see it.” I leaned closer, teasing her, “But... only if you come. If you don’t, I’ll probably just float around and do nothing.”

Zephyr laughed again, the sound clear and free, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else—the school, the crowd, the expectations. It was just the two of us, and I could feel that small thread of something between us growing.

“You’re impossible,” she said with a roll of her eyes, but her smile was undeniable.

“Impossible and irresistible,” I replied, grinning.

She shot me a look. “Fine, fine. I’ll come. Just to see if you’re actually good on the ground, not just a floating head in the sky.” She smirked at me, her voice lowering teasingly, “But don’t get your hopes up.”

I stood up straighter, trying to act cool, but I was sure my grin was betraying me. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

She leaned back in her chair, still smiling. “I’ll be there. You better make it worth my time.”

I winked at her. “Oh, I will. I’m going to show you the real me.”

As the bell rang and the rest of the class shuffled in, I sat back down, my heart pounding with a strange mixture of excitement and nervousness. It was just a game, right? Just a stupid match. But somehow, with Zephyr in the stands, it felt like more than that.

And maybe—just maybe—it meant something more than I was ready to admit.