DETENTION HEARTS

### Chapter Seven: Competition Week

If Crestview Academy had one event that united the entire school, it was Competition Week.

Classes still happened—but barely anyone cared.

The campus transformed overnight.

House banners hung from every building.

Blue. Red. Green. Gold.

Music blasted through the courtyard before first period.

Teachers pretended to be strict.

Students pretended to listen.

Scarlett had never seen a school so alive.

Tessa practically dragged her across the quad.

"Hurry!"

"I'm walking."

"No."

"You're sprinting."

Scarlett laughed.

"Why are you acting like this is the Olympics?"

Tessa stopped dramatically.

"It is."

She pointed toward the enormous scoreboard standing in the center of campus.

CRESTVIEW HOUSE CHAMPIONSHIP

"Winning House gets the Founder Cup."

Scarlett folded her arms.

"And?"

"And nobody shuts up about it until next year."

"Okay."

"And scholarship students almost never become House MVP."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

Tessa grinned.

"You should become the first."

A spark lit inside Scarlett.

Challenge accepted.

The school split into four houses.

* Blue Hawks — Scarlett's house.

* Red Wolves

* Green Titans

* Gold Phoenix

Captain announcements echoed through the loudspeakers.

Then came another announcement.

"Basketball captain—Ethan Carter."

The courtyard erupted into cheers.

Scarlett glanced toward him.

He stood surrounded by teammates.

Laughing.

Confident.

Then—

Almost instinctively—

He looked toward her.

Their eyes met.

He made an exaggerated bow.

Scarlett rolled her eyes.

Tessa noticed.

"He keeps looking at you."

"He keeps bothering me."

"Same difference."

The opening ceremony filled the football field.

Principal Harrison stood at the microphone.

"Competition builds character."

Jayden whispered loudly,

"It also builds injuries."

Coach Reynolds pointed at him.

"I heard that."

Laughter spread through the bleachers.

After the speeches—

The first event began.

Relay races.

Scarlett surprised everyone.

Especially herself.

She wasn't the fastest runner—

But she refused to quit.

Blue House finished second.

Students cheered anyway.

Tessa tackled Scarlett in a hug.

"You killed it!"

"I'm breathing."

"Barely."

Across the track—

Ethan walked over spinning a basketball.

"Not bad."

Scarlett accepted the compliment cautiously.

"Thanks."

He smirked.

"I still would've beaten you."

She smiled.

"You run?"

"I do everything."

"Modest."

"My greatest quality."

She laughed before catching herself.

He noticed.

Again.

The afternoon brought the first disaster.

The obstacle course.

Each house needed mixed teams.

Scarlett checked the list.

Then groaned.

"No."

Tessa looked.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"You're doomed."

Scarlett pointed.

"My partner."

Tessa tried not to laugh.

"Ethan."

Of course.

Coach Reynolds clapped loudly.

"Mixed pairs!"

"Communication matters!"

Scarlett muttered,

"We're failing already."

Ethan jogged over.

"Ready to lose?"

She folded her arms.

"I'm ready to carry you."

He placed a hand over his heart.

"Rude."

The obstacle course looked ridiculous.

Rope climb.

Balance beams.

Mud crawl.

Wall jump.

Scarlett stared.

"This is school?"

Jayden grinned.

"This is entertainment."

The whistle blew.

Teams exploded into motion.

Scarlett attacked every obstacle seriously.

Ethan—

Somehow—

Made everything look easy.

Until—

The rope climb.

Scarlett reached the top first.

She looked down.

Ethan was halfway.

"Need help?"

He looked offended.

"I absolutely do not."

Two seconds later—

His foot slipped.

The crowd gasped.

He caught himself quickly.

Scarlett burst into laughter.

He looked up.

"You saw nothing."

"I saw everything."

She offered her hand from the platform.

"Come on."

He hesitated.

Then grabbed it.

Together—

They pulled him onto the platform.

Neither mentioned it.

But their hands lingered a second longer than necessary.

The mud crawl became chaos.

Jayden intentionally splashed water everywhere.

Coach Reynolds yelled.

"Carter!"

"I'm motivating the team!"

"You started a mud fight!"

"Team building!"

Scarlett ducked—

Too late.

Mud hit her sleeve.

She slowly turned toward Ethan.

He froze.

"I didn't—"

Another splash.

This time—

His shirt.

Scarlett blinked innocently.

"Oops."

The crowd erupted.

"She's getting revenge!"

Ethan laughed.

"Oh."

He scooped up mud dramatically.

Scarlett backed away.

"No."

"Oh yes."

She ran.

Students cheered louder than they had all day.

By the time the whistle ended the event—

Both of them looked terrible.

Covered in mud.

Laughing.

Breathing hard.

Blue House finished first.

Mostly because—

Despite arguing the entire time—

They somehow worked perfectly together.

After changing clothes—

Scarlett headed toward the snack stands.

She reached for the last bottled water.

Another hand grabbed it simultaneously.

Ethan.

They both looked at the bottle.

"You take it."

He blinked.

"Really?"

"I'll survive."

He handed it back instead.

"No."

"You earned it."

Scarlett frowned.

"You're being nice."

"I know."

"Weird."

He nodded.

"Terrifying."

They laughed.

Then—

Bianca appeared.

Perfect timing.

As usual.

She crossed her arms.

"Ethan."

"Hey."

"We're taking pictures."

"In a minute."

Her eyes shifted toward Scarlett.

"Oh."

Recognition.

Then annoyance.

"I didn't realize you were busy."

Scarlett immediately stepped back.

"I was leaving."

Bianca smiled.

"Good."

Scarlett walked away without another word.

But—

The mood had changed.

That evening—

The scoreboard updated.

Blue Hawks — 145 Red Wolves — 138 Gold Phoenix — 127 Green Titans — 119

Blue House celebrated wildly.

Tessa danced across the courtyard.

Jayden pretended to cry dramatically.

Coach Reynolds threatened extra laps.

Everything felt lighter.

Until—

The announcement came.

"Tomorrow's featured event."

"Duo Strategy Challenge."

Scarlett frowned.

"What is that?"

Tessa smiled nervously.

"You solve puzzles."

"Okay."

"In pairs."

Scarlett slowly looked toward the pairing board.

Already knowing.

Already dreading it.

There it was.

Scarlett Hayes & Ethan Carter

Again.

She sighed.

Across the courtyard—

Ethan read the same board.

Jayden burst into laughter.

"Dude."

"What?"

"The universe ships you."

Ethan rolled his eyes.

"It's coincidence."

Jayden smirked.

"Sure."

Ethan looked toward Scarlett.

She happened to look up at the same moment.

Neither smiled immediately.

Then—

Scarlett made a tiny face.

Like she was already preparing for tomorrow's arguments.

Ethan laughed.

And for the first time—

Instead of feeling like enemies forced together—

They looked like two people who secretly expected to enjoy the fight.

Neither would ever admit that out loud.

Not yet.

End of Chapter Seven.