CHAPTER FOUR: A DISTRACTION WITH RED HAIR
831 Words
*Jaden's pov
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The sound of sneakers squeaking against the court echoed through the gym.
"Again!"
Coach's voice boomed across the court.
I caught the ball, drove toward the basket, and scored.
"Good. That's enough for today."
Relief washed over me.
The team immediately began heading for the locker rooms.
Beside me, Willy grabbed a towel and threw it over his shoulder.
"We're winning Friday."
I snorted.
"Confident."
"We're better than they are."
"That's not how basketball works."
Willy shrugged.
"Still. We're winning."
I laughed.
The two of us had been best friends since we were kids.
Willy was one of the few people who could keep up with me.
As we headed toward the lockers, Willy nudged me.
"You look tired."
"I am tired."
"Studying?"
I groaned.
"Trying to."
Willy winced.
"Still struggling in Literature?"
"Still failing Literature."
The words tasted bitter.
Basketball came naturally.
School didn't.
At least not lately.
Not with practices every day.
Not with games every week.
Not with my father constantly reminding me that colleges cared about grades too.
"You'll figure it out," Willy said.
"Hopefully."
Because if I didn't...
My future wasn't going to look very good.
By the time first period started, I was already exhausted.
The day dragged.
Class after class.
Lecture after lecture.
Notes I barely understood.
Halfway through the morning, I stepped into the hallway and immediately regretted it.
Madison.
Of course.
Madison Blake stood beside her usual group of friends.
The self-appointed queens of Cherry Hill High.
The moment she spotted me, her face lit up.
"Jaden."
I resisted the urge to groan.
"Morning, Madison."
She smiled.
Too brightly.
"Are you coming to Madison's party this weekend?"
"Maybe."
The answer was automatic.
Safe.
Noncommittal.
Madison stepped closer.
"You should."
"I'm gonna be busy."
Her smile tightened slightly.
Before she could continue, the bell rang.
Saved.
"I've gotta go."
And before she could stop me, I walked away.
Fast.
The worst part of the day came after lunch.
Literature.
Or more specifically...
My Literature teacher.
"Sit down, Mr. Carter."
I sat.
Mrs. Walker folded her hands together.
"I'll be honest with you."
That was never a good sign.
"You're failing."
I stared at my desk.
"I know."
"No. I don't think you do."
The disappointment in her voice somehow felt worse.
"Your grades are dropping."
She slid a paper toward me.
"You have potential."
I remained silent.
"But potential means nothing if you don't do the work."
Every word hit harder than it should have.
"If this continues, you're going to struggle getting accepted into the schools you're aiming for."
A knot formed in my stomach.
Because she was right.
And I knew it.
"You need a solution."
I nodded.
"I understand."
"Do you?"
I did.
The problem was that understanding it didn't magically fix it.
By lunch, all I wanted was food and silence.
Willy met me outside the cafeteria.
"You look miserable."
"I feel miserable."
"Teacher meeting?"
I nodded.
"Ouch."
We grabbed our trays and entered the cafeteria.
Immediately, several girls waved us over.
The popular crowd.
Madison included.
Willy looked tempted.
I didn't.
Then I spotted Allie.
"Let's sit there."
Willy followed my gaze.
His sister sat at a table near the windows.
"Fine by me."
As we got closer, I noticed she wasn't alone.
A girl sat across from Allie.
Red hair.
My steps slowed.
No way.
The new girl.
The girl from my street.
The girl I'd seen yesterday while painting in my garage after arguing with my father.
The same girl who had looked at me like she had accidentally forgotten how to blink.
I remembered her now.
And I definitely remembered seeing her again at the basketball court that morning.
The sunlight coming through the cafeteria windows caught the copper strands of her hair.
It reminded me of autumn leaves.
Warm.
Bright.
Impossible not to notice.
The red of her hair seemed to catch every ray of light in the room, drawing my gaze back no matter how hard I tried to focus elsewhere.
It framed her face perfectly, making her bright eyes stand out even more.
She was beautiful—dangerously beautiful—and I hated how aware of it I was.
My eyes lingered a second too long, taking in the soft curve of her lips, wondering what her smile would look like directed solely at me.
The thought sent an unwelcome rush down my groin.
What the hell are you doing?
I mentally slapped myself, dragging my thoughts back under control before they wandered any further
She was just a girl.
A very pretty girl.
But still.
Just a girl.
I looked away and focused on literally anything else.
The lunch trays.
The windows.
The ceiling.
Anything.
Beside me, Willy was already pulling out a chair.
I followed and sat down across from her.
And judging by the way she suddenly looked interested in her lunch tray, she seemed to have recognized me.
This was going to be interesting.
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- Writer
