The sun warmed the concrete court as a group of boys shot hoops, laughter and sneakers filling the afternoon air. Ryan stood on the edge, arms crossed, watching in silence.
Mrs. Harper nudged him. "They're short one. Go on, show them what California kids are made of."
He gave her a dry look. "It's just a pick-up game."
"Exactly," she said with a smile. "No pressure."
Before he could argue, one of the boys waved. "Hey! You play?"
Ryan hesitated, then walked over. A tall kid with a laid-back grin tossed him the ball. "We're just messing around. I'm Jayden. You?"
"Ryan."
"You play for your old school?"
Ryan simply nodded, already dribbling the ball. His hands moved on instinct—smooth, precise, controlled. Without another word, he stepped back and nailed a clean shot. The ball swished through the hoop.
From the sidelines, Mrs. Harper clapped quietly.
Meanwhile, across the street, two girls strolled past the court. Anna, calm and composed, carried a book tucked under her arm. Beside her, Savannah—confident and lively—elbowed her friend with a grin.
"Okay, who is that hottie?" Savannah asked, her eyes on Ryan.
Anna glanced over. "No idea. Never seen him before."
"He's definitely not from around here. You think he's starting at Rosehill High too?"
"Probably," Anna said, shrugging. "New year, new faces."
Savannah grinned. "Well, I call dibs."
Anna rolled her eyes. "You don't even know his name."
"Details," Savannah said with a wink.
Back on the court, Ryan was in his zone. The boys were starting to take notice—his quick passes, clean cuts, the way he moved like he belonged. Jayden clapped him on the shoulder. "You better try out for the team, man."
Ryan didn't answer, just caught his breath and nodded slightly.
As the game wrapped up, Mrs. Harper walked beside him on the way home.
"Feels good, doesn't it?" she asked.
Ryan didn't speak, but something about the way he carried himself said enough. Something was shifting.
Across the street, Savannah watched him walk away.
"I have a feeling this year is going to be very interesting."