The gym buzzed with post-laughter chatter, and I was still riding the high from my little soda prank on Jenny.
Ryan’s words echoed in my head, making me grin to myself like an i***t. I couldn’t help it—talking to him always felt like a small victory.
Just as Ryan turned to rejoin his friends, Elvis stepped up beside me, nudging my arm.
“Hey, Romeo, break time’s over,” he teased, but his tone was warm. “Coach Madison wants us to grab some of the gear from the storage room.”
“Oh,” I said, still a little giddy. “Sure, let’s go.”
We started walking toward the exit, and I couldn’t resist telling Elvis about my conversation with Ryan.
“Did you see that? We actually talked. And he said my prank was brilliant!”
"He did, didn't he?" Elvis said with a small laugh at how happy I was. "Don't
