Ribbons of fate

Chapter 2: Court and Curiosity

Tracy Rsman’s POV

After a long flight, we finally touched down in San Francisco, California. The ride from the airport to our new home was exhausting, but the city had a pulse—bright lights, rolling hills, and a vibe I hadn’t expected. Our new neighborhood was upscale, exclusive, and surprisingly… lively.

I pressed my face to the window of my room, curious, scanning the hillside for something interesting. And that’s when I saw them—a group of boys next door, young, athletic, laughing too loudly, and treating a basketball game like life or death.

Something about their energy pulled me in, though I refused to let them know. My pulse quickened—not fear, exactly, but curiosity, the kind that hints at trouble.

Ethan Reece’s POV (Rez)

“Hey! Whoa—why’d the ball go over the fence?” I shouted, annoyed. The game had to stop just because of a careless toss.

Nelson, ever the observer, tilted his head toward the house next door. “Relax, Rez… look over there.”

I followed his gaze and froze. My jaw probably dropped—I was not prepared for that. She was standing at the window, watching us, and wow… just… wow.

“Alright, I’m Ethan Reece, AKA Rez,” I said, mostly to myself, “number one on the court, and apparently… completely hypnotized by a girl in the window.” I glanced at my friends—Leon and Leo, the twins, and of course Nelson. “Time to be neighborly,” I muttered.

Grabbing the ball, I announced, “I’m heading over to retrieve it. Might as well introduce myself… and make an impression while I’m at it.”

Tracy Rsman’s POV

From my perch upstairs, I watched him approach the front of their house with deliberate confidence. My stomach flipped. He was tall, broad-shouldered, moving like he owned the world—but there was something about the smirk curling on his lips that made me step back instinctively.

A part of me wanted to hide. Another part—much louder—was curious. Who was this boy, and why did he make my chest pound for reasons I wasn’t ready to name?

The staring contest was over. The first encounter was inevitable. And somehow, I had a feeling this was going to be… complicated.