MY RIVAL BECOME MY LOVER

Chapter 8:The basketball game

Brian didn't come back after practice.

Jay waited.

7 PM. No Brian.

8 PM. No Brian.

9 PM. No Brian.

Jay had ordered chicken for two. It was cold now. He had done his homework. He had showered. He had stared at the door.

Where was he?

At 9:30 PM, Maya texted him.

*Maya:* Is Brian with you?

*Jay:* No. Why?

*Maya:* Everyone is at the court. Inter-department finals. Brian is playing. You didn't know?

*Jay:* He had practice. He didn't tell me it was a game.

Jay felt stupid. Of course Brian wouldn't tell him. They were just roommates. Why would Brian tell him about a game?

But his chest felt tight anyway.

*Maya:* Come down! The whole campus is here! He's so hot when he plays, Jay, you have to see.

Jay looked at the cold chicken, looked at his empty room. Then he grabbed his hoodie and ran.

The basketball court was packed. Loud. Cheering. The scoreboard said Business vs Engineering - Finals. 58-60.

And there was Brian. Number 14. Just like their room number.

He was sweating, his jersey clinging to him, his hair messy. He was so fast. He stole the ball, ran, and dunked. The whole crowd screamed.

Girls in the front row were holding a banner: "WE LOVE YOU BRIAN KIM #14 MARRY ME!!!"

Jay felt his stomach drop.

"Jay! You came!" Maya pulled him to the front. "Isn't he amazing?"

Brian was amazing. He was a different person on the court - not cold, not quiet. He was shouting, leading his team, smiling when he scored.

He scored again. 62-60. Business was winning.

Then it happened.

A girl from the cheering squad ran onto the court during timeout. She was pretty, tall, with long hair. She handed Brian a water bottle and a towel. She touched his arm. She said something and giggled.

Brian smiled at her. He smiled and took the water.

Jay's hands turned into fists inside his hoodie pocket.

"Who is that?" Jay asked, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, that's Sera. She likes Brian since freshman year. Everyone knows. She confessed last Valentine's but he said no. But she never gives up," Maya said, eating popcorn. "Why? Jealous?"

"No! Why would I be jealous? I just... I don't like her type. Too clingy."

Maya grinned. "Right. Clingy."

The game restarted. Brian was playing even harder now. He kept looking at the stands. Like he was looking for someone.

Then his eyes found Jay.

In a crowd of 200 people, Brian found Jay.

Their eyes met. Brian paused for half a second.

Then he scored. A three-pointer. 65-60.

He pointed straight at Jay.

The crowd screamed, thinking he was pointing at them. But Jay knew. That point was for him.

"Did he just point at you?" Maya whispered, shocked.

Jay's face was burning. "No! He was pointing at the scoreboard!"

"Liar."

The final whistle blew. Business won. 70-66. Everyone ran onto the court.

Brian was surrounded by his teammates, by Sera, by fans. He was being hugged by everyone.

Jay turned to leave. He didn't belong there. He was just the roommate.

"Jay!"

He heard Brian shout. He turned.

Brian pushed through the crowd. He was still sweating, still breathing hard. He ran straight to Jay.

"You came," Brian said.

"You didn't tell me you had finals," Jay said, trying to be mad but failing because Brian was so close and so sweaty and so happy.

"I wanted to surprise you. Did you see? We won."

"I saw. You were... you were really cool."

Brian's smile was huge. "Coach said I was MVP."

"I know. You deserve it."

Sera appeared next to them. "Brian! Congratulations! We should celebrate! I booked a table at—"

Brian cut her off without looking at her. "Sorry, I can't. My roommate and I have plans. Right, Jay?"

Jay blinked. "We... we do?"

"Yeah. The chicken. You ordered chicken, right? I could smell it in your text."

Jay had not mentioned chicken in his text. How did Brian know?

Sera's face fell. "Oh."

Maya pulled Sera away. "Come on, Sera, let the winners eat their chicken."

The crowd cleared. It was just Jay and Brian standing in the middle of the emptying court, under the bright lights.

"You pointed at me," Jay said quietly.

"I did," Brian admitted.

"Why?"

Brian took a step closer. He was still holding the basketball. "Because I was nervous. And when I get nervous, I look for... for my lucky charm."

"Lucky charm?"

"Room 14," Brian said. "You're my lucky charm, Jay."

Jay's heart stopped. Then started again, twice as fast.

"That's... that's so cheesy," Jay whispered, looking down, his ears red.

"Is it working?"

"What?"

"Is the cheesy line working?"

Jay laughed, unable to help it. "No!"

Brian laughed too. "Damn. Maya said it would work."

"You asked Maya for pickup lines?"

"I panicked!"

They were both laughing now, in the middle of the court.

Then Brian's expression softened. He reached up and fixed Jay's hoodie which had fallen off one shoulder. His fingers brushed Jay's neck.

"You waited for me with chicken," Brian said softly.

"How did you know?"

"Because you always wait for me. Even when I don't deserve it."

It was so quiet now. The lights, the rain having stopped, the empty court.

Brian was looking at Jay's lips again. For the third time. And this time, he didn't look away. He leaned in. Just a little.

Jay's eyes fluttered shut.

"BRIAN KIM! PHOTO FOR THE YEARBOOK!"

The photographer shouted, and a bright flash went off.

They jumped apart. The moment broken.

Brian cursed under his breath. "We should go back. The chicken is getting cold."

"Yeah. Cold chicken."

They walked back to the dorm together. No umbrella needed now. But they walked close anyway. Brian's arm around Jay's shoulder, the basketball under his other arm.

And this time, Jay leaned into him.

From the balcony, Maya took a photo of them walking like that and captioned it: "Room 14 is officially not just roommates anymore."

She sent it to Jay.

Jay looked at it, saved it, and didn't reply.

He didn't need to...