Our silent symphony

CHAPTER FOUR

Gym days weren’t my favorite, but at least I came prepared. I stretched my arms overhead, rolling out my shoulders and legs as the class gathered on the court.

Of course, that was when Zack jogged up to me, all sweat and overconfidence.

“So, Gwen,” he said, leaning a little too close. “Have you thought about what I asked?”

I let out a groan, not even bothering to hide my irritation. “For the umpteenth time, Zack—stop asking.”

He just grinned, like my annoyance was some kind of invitation. Before I could snap back, an arm slid firmly around my shoulder.

“Borrowing her,” Bert’s voice said smoothly, and before Zack could respond, I was being steered across the gym floor like some kind of package delivery.

“Seriously?” I muttered as Bert leaned down to whisper, “You can thank me later.”

I rolled my eyes so hard they almost hurt and swung a playful punch into his arm.

“Yeah, yeah. My hero,” I said dryly.

He only grinned, looking way too satisfied with himself.

Coach’s whistle blew, and in seconds, the gym floor turned into a battlefield. Dodgeballs zipped past like comets, sneakers squeaked against the polished wood, and everyone was screaming way too loudly for it to just be “a game.”

I was doing fine—duck, dodge, weave—until of course McKenna decided to make me her personal target practice.

The first ball smacked into my side, knocking the air out of me.

“Oops! Accident,” she sing-songed with the fakest wide-eyed look I’d ever seen.

I gritted my teeth, grabbed another ball, and hurled it across the court at someone else just to keep moving.

Then came the second one, this time stinging against my hip.

“Oops again!” McKenna called, smirking this time.

I shot her a glare but kept playing, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

The third one, though—she launched straight at my face. I flinched, bracing for impact—

—but it never came.

A strong hand shot out right in front of me, snatching the ball clean out of the air.

“Enough,” a low voice said behind me, sharp but calm. “Quit the silly pranks before you actually hurt someone.”

I turned my head, startled, and for a moment I just… froze. His eyes were this piercing, brilliant blue, and his hair fell in that messy-yet-perfect style, framing his face like it belonged in some teen drama poster. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and right then, he looked like some kind of hero who’d just dropped out of the sky.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice softer now, eyes locking with mine.

My lips parted, but before I could get a single word out, Bert swooped in, shoving the guy’s hand off my shoulder like he was swatting a fly.

“She’s fine,” Bert said firmly, answering for me as if I didn’t have a mouth. He slung an arm around me and started steering me toward the sidelines, leaving me blinking and stunned.

I didn’t even resist—I was still caught replaying the way those blue eyes had looked straight through me.

Bert didn’t stop until we reached the benches at the side of the gym. He guided me down onto the wooden seat and pressed a cold bottle of water into my hands.

“Here. Drink.”

I uncapped it and took a long gulp, my heart still thudding louder than it should’ve from a dodgeball game.

“You okay?” Bert asked, crouching slightly to catch my eye.

I nodded quickly, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just—” I hesitated, the image of piercing blue eyes flashing in my head. “Who was that guy?”

Bert frowned, leaning back on his heels. “No idea. But…” His gaze flicked back to where McKenna stood, arms crossed, clearly annoyed. “From the look of it, he knows McKenna.”

That made my stomach twist a little. Whoever he was, he’d stepped in for me—and McKenna didn’t like that one bit.

I had just washed up in the girls’ locker room and was heading for my locker to grab my notes when someone called out to me.

I turned—and nearly dropped my books.

It was him. The same guy who saved me from McKenna’s latest “oops, my bad” attempt to murder me with a dodgeball. Up close, he looked even more unreal. Sparkly eyes, that annoyingly perfect hair, and this whole calm confidence thing going on.

“Hey,” he said, walking over. “Sorry about earlier. McKenna can be… well McKenna.”

I hugged my notes to my chest, trying not to look awkward. “It’s fine. Thanks for, you know… saving my face.”

He chuckled, low and warm. “Don’t mention it. But I have to ask—are you always this oblivious?”

My brows shot up. “Excuse me?”

“You’ve been so stuck on one guy that you haven’t noticed others,” he teased, eyes glinting. “I’m not new. Been around. Just the new assistant coach, actually.”

Assistant coach. Of course. Because why wouldn’t the universe send a blue-eyed, hero-complex, hair-commercial model into my gym class?

“Oh,” I said, trying not to sound surprised. “So you’re a coach.”

“That’s right,” he said smoothly, before leaning slightly closer. “ I'm Ethan, what’s yours?”

I opened my mouth to answer—then of course, Bert had to appear.

“There you are!” he called dramatically, as if I’d been lost in the woods for days. “Don’t you have class? You’ll be late—again.”

I almost laughed, because only Bert would embarrass me in front of someone I was actually talking to. He stopped short when he saw I wasn’t alone, his tone dropping a notch. “Oh. You’re… busy.”

“I was done talking,” I said quickly, brushing it off.

That was all he needed. He slung an arm around my shoulders like he owned the place and ruffled my hair so badly I squealed. “Bert!” I nudged his ribs, giggling despite myself.

We walked out together, leaving Mr. Sparkling Eyes behind, and I didn’t even dare to look back.