~NEW HEIGHTS~

~Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision~

- Muhammad Ali

Song - One of wun by Gunna

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Sophie sat in class, her eyes fixed on the professor as he droned on about the intricacies of macroeconomics. She was seated next to Trevor, who was busy scribbling notes on his laptop.

As the professor continued to lecture, Sophie's mind began to wander. She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been building up inside her ever since she saw what Lily was doing last week, at the casino.

Trevor noticed Sophie's distraction and nudged her gently. "Hey, you okay?" he whispered.

Sophie turned to him, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little preoccupied."

"Everything okay?"

Sophie hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Maybe nothing. "Yeah."

"Then you should answer the professor's question," Trevor said, nodding towards the professor who stood at the front of the class, staring at Sophie impatiently.

"Miss Jackson, I asked you a question," the professor said.

Sophie blinked in surprise, looking around her. "Um, me?"

The professor's anger increased and he was going to lash out at Sophie, but luckily there was an interruption.

The principal's voice cut through the tension, and the professor laughed awkwardly, directing his focus to his boss.

The principal, a tall, imposing figure with a kind face, smiled warmly at the class. "Good morning, everyone. I apologize for the interruption, but I have a special introduction to make."

Sophie's eyes were still fixed on the professor, her mind racing with relief that the tension had been broken. The principal began to speak again, so her attention was drawn to the figure standing beside him.

Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the familiar features - the chiseled jawline, the piercing brown eyes, the messy blonde hair. It couldn't be. But as the principal spoke, Sophie's shock turned to certainty.

"Everyone, please welcome our new student, Alex Thomas," the principal said, beaming with pride. "Alex has transferred to our school from out of state, and we're thrilled to have him join our community."

Sophie felt like she had been punched in the gut. Alex Thomas? Here? It couldn't be happening. She must be dreaming. But as Alex's eyes met hers, Sophie knew that this was all too real.

For a moment, Sophie just stared, in shock and confusion. The class began to applaud and welcome Alex, and he took his seat.

Trevor, sensing her distress, leaned over and whispered, "Hey, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Sophie took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "I'm fine," she whispered back, trying to sound convincing. But as she glanced back at Alex, she knew that she was far from fine.

As the class drew to a close, Trevor turned to Sophie and whispered, "Want to grab some coffee with me?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Meet you outside?"

Sophie nodded, and Trevor packed up his laptop and slipped out of the classroom. Sophie packed up her books and shouldered her bag. Suddenly, she was confronted with the last person she wanted to see - Alex. He stood in front of her, a hesitant smile on his face.

"Sophie," he said, his voice low and cautious.

Sophie's eyes narrowed, her anger and hurt simmering just below the surface. She remembered everything he put her through, and she also remembered seeing him with that brunette, Emma, last week at the casino. He lied to her and cheated her.

"Alex," she replied curtly, her voice dripping with disdain.

Alex took a step forward, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"Sophie, I -"

But Sophie cut him off, her voice rising in anger. "You're here," she spat. "You're actually here, after everything you did to me?"

Alex's face fell, his eyes filling with regret. "Sophie, I know I hurt you. I'm so sorry for what I did."

"You lied to me, Alex," she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "You told me you weren't in town, that you couldn't see me."

Alex took another step forward, his hands reaching out to her. "Sophie, please listen to me. I can explain -"

But Sophie was having none of it. She pushed past him, her eyes flashing with anger. "I don't want to hear it, Alex. I don't want to see you. Just leave me alone."

"Please, listen to me," Alex said, pulling her hand. "I'm sorry, okay? I know I shouldn't have abandoned you, and when I saw you at the casino I couldn't get you off my mind. I never forgot about you Sophie, I was just. . ." he trailed off.

Sophie stayed quiet for a while, looking into Alex's eyes. Tears gathered her eyeballs and she tried to blink them back. When she regained her composure, she exhaled, pulling her hand from Alex's hold.

"You disgust me," she spat. "Stay away from me, as far as possible."

With that, she stormed out of the classroom, leaving Alex standing alone, his eyes filled with regret.

She quickened her pace, her heart racing with anger and hurt. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to show up here, after everything he had done to her.

She burst through the classroom door and out into the hallway, gasping for air. She felt like she was going to explode, like the anger and hurt inside her were going to consume her.

Trevor was waiting for her outside the classroom, a concerned look on his face. "Sophie, what's wrong?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

Sophie shook her head, trying to process her emotions. "It's my ex, the new guy that just transferred," she said, her voice trembling. "He's here. He's actually here."

"Oh wow. Did he say something to you?"

Sophie laughed, a bitter sound. "He tried to apologize. He tried to explain. But I don't want to hear it. I don't want to see him. I just want him to leave me alone."

Trevor nodded, patting Sophie's shoulder. "You don't have to deal with him, Sophie. I've got your back."

Sophie smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude towards Trevor. "Thanks man," she said.

"Anytime," he said, and they embraced each other.

As Sophie and Trevor hugged, the tension in Sophie's body began to dissipate. But their moment of comfort was short-lived.

Aubrey, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, his eyes blazing with anger. He marched towards Trevor, his fists clenched. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Before Sophie or Trevor could react, Aubrey planted a punch on Trevor's cheek. Sophie gasped in shock, her eyes wide with horror. "Aubrey, no!" she shrieked, grabbing his arm to hold him back.

Trevor stumbled backward, his hand flying to his cheek. Sophie rushed to his side, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of injury. "Trevor, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice shaking with anger and concern.

A small crowd began to gather, drawn in by the commotion.

Aubrey attempted to pounce on Trevor again, but Sophie obstructed him.

"Aubrey, stop," she said firmly, her grip on his arm tightening. "Are you crazy?"

"Crazy? You're letting this guy hold you, and you think I'm crazy?"

"What's your problem with that?" she yelled.

But before Aubrey could respond, a new figure burst onto the scene. Lucas, Trevor's boyfriend, rushed towards them, his eyes wide with concern. "Baby, what happened?" he asked, his voice tight with worry.

Aubrey's expression changed from anger to confusion. He looked at Sophie, then at Trevor and Lucas, and finally back at Sophie again. "Baby?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

Sophie sighed, feeling so embarrassed. "Aubrey, Trevor and I were just hugging because I was upset about something," she explained patiently. "Lucas is Trevor's boyfriend. There's nothing going on between Trevor and me."

Aubrey's face turned bright red as he realized his mistake. "Oh, crap," he muttered, looking at Trevor and Lucas with newfound understanding. "I'm so sorry, guys. I...I mean no disrespect there, no cap."

Trevor smiled wryly, rubbing his sore cheek. "It's okay. Misunderstandings happen."

"I'm so sorry again for what happened," Sophie apologized.

Lucas wrapped his arm around Trevor's waist, pulling him close. "Let's just get out of here, okay?" he said, his voice soft and soothing as he shot Aubrey a dirty look.

"Keep your boyfriend under control," Lucas said to Sophie, in a disgusted tone.

As they walked away, Sophie turned to Aubrey, who looked sheepish and embarrassed. "What the hell?"

Aubrey cleared his throat. "I...I'm sorry, I thought he was....I...I...had no idea he's...Gaah! I'm sorry."

"Let's talk about this later, okay?" she said.

Aubrey nodded, still looking mortified. "I feel like such an idiot."

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The sun beat down on the basketball court as Aubrey sprinted down the length, his feet pounding the pavement in perfect rhythm. Sophie sat on the sidelines, her eyes shining with pride as she cheered him on.

"Yes, Aubrey! You got this!" she shouted, her voice carrying across the court.

Aubrey's face lit up with a grin as he sank a three-pointer, the ball swooshing through the net with ease. The coach blew his whistle, calling a timeout.

The team huddled together and Coach Harrison smiled. "Aubrey, you're on fire today. Keep it up."

The game resumed, and Aubrey's confidence soared. He dodged and weaved around his opponents, his movements fluid and effortless. When the final whistle blew, Aubrey's team was declared the winner.

As team cheered and high-fived each other, Sophie rushed onto the court, throwing her arms around Aubrey's neck. "I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed.

As they hugged, Tyler, shoved his shoulder bumping into Aubrey's chest. But Aubrey chuckled humourlessly, ignoring him.

Sophie saw what happened, and her gaze flashed with anger. "Hey, watch it, Tyler!" she warned, her voice low and menacing. "This time, I won't let you off easily."

Tyler sneered, but Aubrey just smiled, eyeing Tyler. "Don't mind him, Sophie. He's just jealous."

Tyler's sneer faltered for a moment, his eyes flashing with anger at Aubrey's words. But he quickly regained his composure, his expression twisting into a mocking grin.

"Oh, I'm jealous?" he repeated. "Of what? Your pathetic basketball skills?"

"You know, Tyler, I've always wondered what your problem is," Aubrey said. "Is it that you're just naturally a jerk, or is it that you're intimidated by anyone who's better than you?"

Tyler's face turned red with anger, as his fists clenched at his sides. But before he could respond, Sophie stepped forward.

"Bounce," she spat, her voice venomous. "You've been running your mouth for far too long. Maybe it's time someone shut you up, for good."

The air was electric with tension as Tyler and Sophie faced off, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. Aubrey watched, his eyes never leaving Tyler's face, his body tense and ready to intervene if necessary.

But just as it seemed like things were about to escalate, the coach's voice boomed across the court, shattering the tension.

"Alright, alright, let's break it up! We're all on the same team here, remember?"

Tyler's face twisted with anger, but he backed down, his eyes never leaving neither of their faces. Aubrey watched him go, feeling relived.

"You okay?" he asked Sophie, his voice low and concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she waved her hand. "You did great, so we should go out to celebrate!"

Aubrey chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a vibe, Soph," he said stretching his fist to her and she knew what that meant. They both did their special handshake and embraced each other.

The coach approached them, a broad smile on his face. "Aubrey, you were outstanding today. I'm proud of you, kid."

Aubrey beamed, his chest puffing out with pride. "Thanks, Coach."

The coach handed Aubrey an envelope. "There's a tournament coming up in New Jersey, and I've selected you to be part of the team."

Aubrey's eyes widened, his face lighting up with excitement, as he placed the cup of his hand close to his mouth in astonishment. "What?" he said in shock, letting out a bit of laughter. "Coach, Me?"

Coach Harrison nodded. "You've got the skills, kid. You're an asset to our team, the best player so far."

"Woah, thank you so much coach, this really means alot," Aubrey said, extending his hand for a handshake.

Coach Harrison took Aubrey's hand, chuckling slightly. "I want to see you practice every day, Aubrey. We'll work on your weaknesses and perfect your strengths. I want you to be in top form for the tournament."

"I won't let you down, Coach. I'll practice every day, twice a day if I have to."

Coach Harrison chuckled, rubbing his palms together. "I like your spirit, son. I want to see you in my office later today, and we'll go over the details."

Aubrey nodded eagerly, his mind already racing with excitement and anticipation. He knew that this was his chance to shine, and he was determined to make the most of it.

As Coach Harrison turned to leave, Aubrey called out after him. "Coach, thank you again for believing in me. This means everything to me."

Coach Harrison turned back, a warm smile on his face. "Sure thing, kid. Just remember, I'm believing in you because I know you've got what it takes. Don't let me down."

"I won't coach."

With that, Coach Harrison walked off, leaving Aubrey feeling pumped up. He turned to Sophie, who was watching him with a proud smile on her face.

"Aubrey this is it! Your dream has finally come true, sweet Lord!" she squealed.

"I know right, this jawn is crazy," he said, running his hand through his hair.

Sophie's smile widened, and she threw her arms around Aubrey's neck. "I'm so proud of you."

After they hugged, Aubrey's teammates cheered and clapped, congratulating him on his selection.

Later that evening, Aubrey and Sophie walked into a bar, the sounds of laughter and music filling the air. Aubrey slid onto a stool, grinning at Sophie. "I'm buying tonight! What do you want to drink?"

"Just a soda for me, thanks. And remember, no alcohol for you. You promised... no, you swore to never taste it again."

Aubrey muttered under his breath, "Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

Aubrey sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "C'mon, Soph, old habits die hard."

Sophie's expression turned stern. "But you have to fight it. Otherwise, I'll never speak to you again, I swear."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it. No booze. But you're killing me, Soph."

"I'm saving you, Aubrey. From yourself."

Aubrey stared at her, a mix of frustration and gratitude swirling in their depths. He sighed and turned to the bartender, "Two bottles of soda."

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