Today was the day before the first game of the season. The basketball team was bubbling with excitement and they couldn't wait to continue their winning streak, as Noah said, so humbly.

It was also the first match that the cheer squad would cheer for. Being on the cheer squad was not my goal. I didn't even think of cheering when I thought of college, but here I am, on the cheer squad, practicing the last time before tomorrow's match. Fortunately, I have already talked to the coach about leaving the team and she was understanding about the situation. I have offered to stay on the team while they find a replacement but I haven't handed out the official letter yet because of my coach. She wants me to do this event before I give the written notice just so I don't bail, which I wasn't planning on.

Looking over to the other side of the field, I noticed the basketball team making their way towards their cars, chatting amongst each other. Like I knew where he was, my eyes found him in an instant. He was talking to Jace. I couldn't very well see his face, but from his posture, I could tell he wasn't stressed. Not yet, at least.

Just watching Ethan brought back the memories of last night. He was right. Teasing isn't as much fun when you are on the receiving end. Once Ethan walked out, it took me a few minutes moments before I could collect the strength to walk out there and pretend like none of this ever happened. Luckily, I didn't have to because as soon as I stepped out into the living room; I got an apparently emergent call from Riley, making me rush back to the apartment.

The emergency was a hungry stomach attached to Riley Knight. Dani was out with her friend for the night so she couldn't cook dinner for us and we were completely useless in the kitchen, leaving Riley to starve since I already ate with Gray. She didn't think of simply ordering takeout instead of calling me, but I wasn't complaining because she gave me a very valid excuse to get the hell away from the perfect storm that is Ethan Knight.

It was Jessica's voice that brought me back from my thoughts. "Okay girls, looks like we are ready for tomorrow! I'll see you all tomorrow, and don't be late." With that, she got immersed in a conversation with some girls who were waiting for her to finish, just so they could swarm her in questions.

"I am so excited! It's gonna be so much fun." Dani squealed, connecting her arm with mine and dragging me towards the lockers.

"I am excited too but not as much as you." I chuckled, looking at Dani, who was practically glowing. She was really excited about her first cheer event.

"That's true. Come on, change quickly! Riley must be waiting for us." She said, pushing me towards my locker.

Since tomorrow is such a big day for Dani, she wants to be fully prepared. So, in complete Dani fashion, she booked the three of us for a complete salon appointment. There is going to be a hair makeover, nail appointment, and spa involved. It's going to be one hell of a prep day.

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After spending almost five hours in the salon, three of us looked absolutely stunning. Dani went for a change and got chocolate brown lowlights in her black hair which looked so pretty on her, whereas Riley, tired of her cream blonde color, went for a beige blonde which suited her just as much if not more.

"I am starving! Can we go eat something now?" Riley groaned, leaning her head on my shoulder as we walked around the mall.

"Yeah, let's go grab something to eat." Dani agreed, and we made our way to the food court.

"What do you guys want?" Riley asked as we sat down, finding a table in a secluded corner.

"I want a cheeseburger." I said, without thinking twice.

"I'll have a taco." Dani said, after thinking for a while.

"Okay, I'll go order." Riley said, getting up and walking away, leaving Dani and me alone.

"So, what's going on?" Dani asked, looking at me with a slight smirk on her face.

"What's going on?" I asked, already getting ready for Detective Dani to pop out any moment.

"You know, with you and Ethan?" She said, now full-on, smirking.

"Ethan?" I asked, deciding to play dumb. That's better than answering her questions.

"Yeah, you know tall, dark brown hair, brown eyes, the basketball player who flirts with you, and oh, Riley's brother." She described Ethan, tilting her head to the side.

"Haha, oh Dani you're so funny." I said, looking at her huge smile with a straight face.

"Oh, come on, Iris! He's not my brother. You can tell me. You know I already know it but just say it." She persisted. Dani knows everything, even when you don't tell her she knows, but I hate the fact that she was going to make me say it.

"What do you want me to say?" I sighed, placing my head in my hands.

"How you feel? I am not trying to attack you here but I just need to know if you're serious because you know it's risky." Her tone softening. I never thought she was trying to attack me. I know she is just trying to help me figure it out, but there is nothing to figure out.

"We're just playing around, having fun. It's nothing serious." I said with a shrug.

"You walked out of a party when you saw him with someone else." Dani said, pointing towards my very obvious denial.

"No, I walked out because I wasn't feeling it. I got a call from Chase. You know how it is." I said, looking at her, lying through my teeth. Getting a call from Chase put me in a sour mood, but Dani's right. I walked out because I saw Ethan with someone else.

"It had nothing to do with Chase." She sighed but dropped the topic just as Riley came back with our food. From there on, it was a bunch of pointless but funny conversations.

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The first game of the season is going better than anyone expected. There are thirty-five seconds left in the last quarter and we are in a huge lead. It is 54-32.

The players on the court, Ethan, Mason, Gray, Jace, and Noah are still in high alert mode and so is Coach Reynolds, who looks ready to jump on the court if necessary. I knew the guy was scary, and I just got reminded of it today. He didn't let a single smile slip on his face, not even when it is clear that we are going to win.

The whole stadium was buzzing with energy and excitement. The stands were filled with hues of blue and white while a pop of yellow here and there, which was the color of the opposing team. I must say, they are very persistent supporters.

Jace is dribbling the ball, trying to kill time, but two players from the opposite team are trying to block him and it'll be wiser of him to pass the ball rather than keep it with himself. He does exactly that but instead of passing it as I predicted; he throws it towards the basket. Dani's hand on my wrist tightens because everyone in this court knows that Jace didn't have a shot. It was a miss even before it was a shot.

The ball hit the rim of the basket and bounced back and you can hear the groans coming from the crowd because we all know what comes next. The balls will go to the other team and they'll take a shot because all of our players are either blocked or too far away.

I watch the ball bounce back towards the court and it's like time stills when Ethan jumps from his position and takes possession of the ball. It all happens in slow motion as he throws the ball towards the basket just as expertly as he grabbed it and it swirls into the basket so smoothly, I am left there standing with a gaping mouth.

The slow-motion ends and I realize it barely took five seconds for all of this to happen. One moment, Jace had the ball and the next moment, Ethan is making the basket. Seeming to come out of a trance, the stadium erupts in cheers and claps as the players from the benches run into the court, and all of them hug and fist-bump each other with enormous smiles on their faces. I catch the brown-eyed guy grin towards Noah before he gets lost in the crowd.

"Oh, my god! That was so fast and smooth. Oh, my god!" Dani squeal from beside me, jumping up and down.

"I know right." I squeal equally loud, unable to contain my excitement.

"Oh, my god! He did it!" I hear Riley say and turn around to see her approaching us with a huge smile on her face.

Dani and I were on the cheer squad, so were sitting on the sidelines while Riley sat a few seats away with her friends from the course.

Unable to contain our excitement, both of us hug each other, Riley squeezing the life out of me as I hugged her equally tight.

The celebration was still going on as the reporters swarmed the court to ask the players their own set of questions, many of them making headlines for sure.

"It doesn't look like we'll be able to meet them here, let's go change, and then we can wait for them in the parking lot." Dani says, looking around the crowd with a slight frown on her face. Danielle Ainsley hates the crowd.

"Yeah, I agree. I'll text Ethan that we'll meet them there." Riley says, already pulling out her phone from her pocket.

"Okay." I nod my head in agreement and the three of us make our way towards the locker room, ready to change and go for a night full of celebration.

We won. They won. He won.

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Hey guys! Here is the Chapter-17! I know this is not the most exciting chapter but please bear with me. Sometimes, we have to write some not-so-exciting chapters to get to the exciting chapters. 

On a happier note, HAPPY 3K FAM! I am so grateful to every single one of you for all the love you have showered on this book. I love you, guys <3

Every time I hit a milestone I feel like typing out a long-ass thank you note but then I realize that I might just end ranting and no one wants to read that, trust me you don't.

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