» On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you guys ship them? «

••

Everybody wanted to shake hands and pat the team on the back. It was the school's first win in a year, after all.

As the people crowded around the team, Lamees lost sight of Gunner. She waited by the court's gates for a few hesitant minutes but when she saw no signs of the crowd dispersing anytime soon, she turned around to leave. It was best if she left him alone to enjoy his victory, anyway. He deserved it.

She congratulated Gunner in her head, for the time being. The next time she saw him, she would voice out her congratulations.

Lamees had only crossed the school's parking lot to get to the gates when a car came to a stop in front of her, making her jump back in surprise.

The window rolled down and she saw a smiling Gunner inside, with a white towel around his shoulders. "Thought you could sneak away without me noticing?"

He noticed. He had noticed her absence among the crowd.

Her heart rate picked up, not for the first time that night and she avoided his eyes. "I...I wasn't sneaking away. I just... I mean, you seemed to have your hands full so I thought..."

"Did you enjoy the game?" He interrupted her stuttering.

She smiled. "It was great. You were amazing. I-I mean, your team was amazing."

He beamed. "Thanks."

They went silent after that and even when Lamees looked away, she could feel Gunner's eyes on her.

"Do you want a ride home?" He asked after a few seconds.

Everything in her went into panic mode at his question.

In the same car as Gunner. Alone. With him.

"Um, no, I'm fine," she said, shaking her head. "I don't live that far away either."

"Great, then, you'll get home faster by car."

"Um... no, I... I'd rather walk..."

She couldn't risk being alone with him, not when she couldn't trust herself around him. And even if she did get home faster this way, her parents would question it. And she couldn't risk them knowing about Gunner.

"I'll be fine," she repeated herself when she saw that he had opened his mouth to say something. "It's okay. You don't have to."

She started to turn away. "Um... I'll see you later."

She had only taken a step when he called out, "Can I at least get your number?"