Ava, the school belle, stood a few feet away. Elegant, composed and unmistakably radiant. Even with the faint sheen of exertion on her forehead, it only added to her effortless allure, like a touch of glow rather than sweat. Her blazer hugged her frame perfectly, the school crest pinned with crisp precision. Her ponytail was sleek, high and untouched by the midday heat, bouncing gently as she moved. There was a grace in the way she stood, poised without trying, like she belonged on the cover of a school magazine or walking into a gala, not a crowded cafeteria.
But behind the shine, Ava was watching.
She wasn't scanning the room idly like most of her admirers assumed. Her eyes tracked people. Conversations. Movement. She noticed who sat with who, who left early, who pretended to laugh and who kept glancing toward the court. Her gaze lingered a second longer on Bella and Emily, her expression unreadable.
"New girl's popular," someone murmured beside her.
Ava smiled, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes. "New doesn't always mean interesting or special."
Still, her posture shifted ever so slightly, her body angling toward the window. Jake and Keith were still out there. And now Bella had their attention. That didn't go unnoticed.
Ava was used to being centre of the room without needing to say a word. But lately, the centre had started to shift and she felt it like a tug under the surface. Subtle. Persistent.
Her phone buzzed and she glanced down. A message from one of her friends asking if she was still up for rehearsal. She typed a quick reply but kept one eye on Bella, who had just slung her tote over her shoulder and started toward the doors.
Ava tilted her head slightly, as if appraising a painting.
This wasn't about jealousy. Not exactly.
It was about presence. And Ava had never liked being outshined.
Jake blinked in surprise, then smiled. Not the polite smile he gave everyone else, but something familiar, something softer.
"Ava," he said, standing halfway up from his seat. "Wow. You uh.. rushed over just to see me?"
Ava laughed, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt. "Only when I hear you're here. You seriously weren't going to say hi?"
Jake shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't know if you are still here."
"I would come back just to see you," she joked, before her eyes flicked to Bella. "Hey. Bella, right?"
Bella nodded, keeping her expression neutral. "Yeah. Hi."
Ava turned her attention back to Jake, her presence warm but commanding. "Anyway, I just wanted to say it's good to see you again. You look... shiny."
Jake chuckled, flicking his sweat off his bangs. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Ava smiled. "Maybe we can catch up later?"
"Sure," Jake said, his tone even but open.
Ava walked off without waiting for a response. Bella noticed how effortlessly people made space for her as she passed. A ripple, like she was gravity and the room shifted around her.
"She's still Ava," Jake said finally, offering a half-smile.
Bella gave a little shrug. "You two seemed... close."
Jake tilted his head, studying her. "We were friends. Back then."
Bella didn't press, but the silence said enough.
Jake leaned forward again, more serious now. "But she's not why I'm here."
Bella didn't look at him right away. Her eyes were still on Ava's retreating figure.
"I know," she said eventually. But even as she spoke, the echo of Ava's sudden appearance lingered, warm, polished and undeniably noticed.
"But you also know why she's here?" Jake spoke as he search for Bella's reaction. Bella gave him a quizzing look and Jake sighed.
"Look, Ava doesn't like to be upstaged. Just keep a low profile and hide in the shadows. However, with the swim cap's attention, I wonder if you can do it." Jake smirked while giving Bella a disapproving look. Bella smacked Jake but kept quiet, deep in her thoughts about the encounter.
They walked on for a while, the quiet between them comfortable. Bella didn't say much and Jake didn't seem to expect her to. He just kept pace beside her, offering steady, unspoken company.
When they reached her block, Bella slowed at the gate.
"Thanks for walking with me."
Jake nodded. "Anytime."
Bella hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of the gate latch. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel. Grateful. Confused. Maybe a little exposed. Ava showing up had thrown something off balance, like a gust of wind shifting a steady tide.
Bella turned then, meeting his eyes. "Did she mean it? About coming back just to see you?"
He ran a hand through his hair, still damp from the game. "Ava means a lot of things when she says them. Doesn't always mean she plans to follow through."
Bella nodded slowly. The air between them felt heavier now, filled with unasked questions and half-formed thoughts.
Jake shifted his stance, leaning slightly against the fence. "Look, I won't pretend we didn't have history. Ava and I… it was complicated. Mostly because it always felt like it had to mean something big."
"And now?" Bella asked.
He paused, then smiled gently. "Now I'm more interested in things that don't come with a spotlight."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "You do realize you're literally the most watched guy on the court, right?"
Jake laughed, genuine this time. "Fair. But I'm learning there's a difference between being watched and being seen."
For a second, neither of them said anything.
Then Bella gave a quiet chuckle and pushed the gate open. "You're getting deep on me, Jake."
He grinned. "Only because you're not just another fan."
She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth lifted. "Goodnight, Jake."
"Goodnight, Bella."
She stepped inside, the gate clicking shut behind her. Jake stood there for a moment longer, hands in his pockets, watching the porch light flicker on as she disappeared inside.
Only when the door closed did he finally turn and walk away.
As soon as Bella closed the door behind her her phone buzzed with a new message. It was Jake typical of him to keep the conversation going long after he'd left.
"So, I have to admit... Yunho's pretty good-looking. Even by a guy's standards."
Bella smiled, shaking her head. She typed back quickly:
"Is that so? Since when do you guys have a 'standard' for that?"
Jake was fast with his reply:
"Since we realised you might actually have good taste. But don't get any ideas, I'm just making sure he's not completely useless."
Bella rolled her eyes.
"You act like I'm interested or something. I'm not even looking for that."
The screen lit up again:
"That's what they all say. Maybe we should put him through a little test, make sure he's worthy of your 'not interested' status."
Bella chuckled to herself. Some things never changed.