Stella's P.O.V.

I walk into the classroom, still trying to process everything that happened with Alex. The way he acted this morning—it was so out of character. No sarcastic remarks, no grumpy attitude... just calm and polite. And the way he poured me juice? What the hell was that about?

I spot Zoe and Selena sitting near the back, chatting and laughing. I head over to them, dropping my bag on the table as I plop down in the seat next to Zoe.

"Hey, you look deep in thought." Selena raises an eyebrow.

"I've had a weird morning," I admit, rubbing my temples. "And it's all because of Alex."

"What did he do this time?" Zoe asks, leaning closer, and Selena waits for my answer with curiosity.

They must be thinking that Alex did something to annoy me again because every morning, I walk into the classroom complaining about him. However, they have no idea what actually happened this morning.

I shake my head, still baffled. "He didn't show me his usual grumpiness for the first time since I moved in. He wished me good morning."

Both Zoe and Selena blink at me in surprise. "He wished you good morning?" Zoe asks, like she can't believe it.

"Yup. And then he poured me a glass of juice," I say, my voice filled with disbelief. "Like, actually got up, grabbed the pitcher, and poured it for me."

Selena's eyes widen. "Okay, that's definitely weird. Are we talking about the same Alex who likes to argue with you every chance he gets?"

I nod, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Exactly. But today? He was acting like... I don't know... a decent human being. He didn't even blast his obnoxious music on the way here."

Zoe smiles, leaning back in her chair. "Maybe he's finally trying to be nice to you."

I scoff. "Yeah, right? Like I'm supposed to believe that. I didn't even drink the juice he poured for me. I swapped our glasses because I thought he might've spiked it with something."

Selena laughs, shaking her head. "You swapped the glasses? You're crazy, Stella."

"I know! But how can I trust him? He's my enemy. He's spent the entire two weeks making my life miserable, and now all of a sudden, he's Mr. Nice Guy? I don't buy it." I state, crossing my arms.

Zoe explains, "Stella, I told you, Alex isn't that bad. Maybe he finally realised that you're not the enemy he thought you were."

I nod, but deep down, I'm still unsure. Alex, being nice, doesn't feel right. And as much as I want to believe he's changing, part of me wonders if it's just another trick. One that could hurt me if I'm not careful.

***

After the last class, as I'm packing up my things, my phone buzzes with a new message. I pull it out and blink in surprise when I see Alex's name pop up.

Alex: If you still want to play basketball, you can come and play now.

I stare at the message for a second. This is the same Alex who insulted me in front of the entire team when I asked the coach to let me play, and now he's inviting me to join. What the hell is going on?

I glance up at Zoe and Selena, my mind still trying to understand this sudden change in Alex.

"Uh, guys?" I hold up my phone. "You won't believe this, but Alex just texted me, asking if I want to play basketball with him."

Zoe and Selena both freeze, their eyes locked on me.

"Wait, what?" Zoe asks, her eyes wide. "He invited you? To play with him? The guy who practically humiliated you on the court two weeks ago?"

I nod, as confused as them. "I have no idea what's going on with him, but... yeah, he's actually being nice. And I was thinking... maybe we should go."

Selena raises an eyebrow. "You want to play basketball with Alex? After everything?"

"I mean, not alone," I clarify quickly. "You guys should come with me. It'll be fun."

Selena shrugs, leaning back in her chair. "I'm in. I'm pretty decent at basketball, so why not?"

I turn to Zoe, expecting her to be just as excited, but she gives me a sheepish look and shakes her head.

"No. I am horrible at basketball." She grimaces. "I played with Sky once, and it was a disaster. I couldn't even make one score myself. There's no way I'm going up against Alex and Sky."

I give her a pleading look. "Come on, Zoe, it'll be fun. You don't have to be amazing at it. We'll be playing together, so it's not like anyone's expecting you to be a pro."

She hesitates, biting her lip. "But Stella, you know Alex and Sky are a champion. I'm going to look ridiculous."

I flash her my best puppy-dog eyes. "Please, Zoe? It'll be fun, I promise. And you'll have us there to support you."

She groans, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, fine! But if I embarrass myself, I'm blaming you."

I grin, pulling her into a quick hug. "You won't embarrass yourself. We'll have a blast, trust me."

We grab our stuff and head to the basketball court.

As we approach, I spot Alex and Sky waiting for us. Zoe grins when she sees Sky, and they immediately hug each other. They look so happy together, and for a moment, I feel a pang of longing.

I miss my boyfriend. It's been two weeks, and he's been talking to me less and less. I shake the thought away and focus on the game ahead.

Then I catch sight of Alex. He's standing by the court. Damn, he looks hot in his basketball gear and the sunlight highlighting his sharp features.

I glance away, not wanting my thoughts to wander in that direction. As he catches my eye for a second, a smirk appears on his face, and I roll my eyes.

"So, are you ready to lose?" Alex teases, tossing me the ball as we step onto the court. "I'm certain you won't score a single point."

I catch the ball and smirk. "We'll see about that."

We divide into teams—Alex and Sky versus me, Zoe, and Selena. I'm so excited to play. I love basketball from my school times.

As the game begins, I take off my shirt and tie it around my waist.

As predicted, the guys score two points almost immediately, and Zoe throws her hands up in frustration.

"I told you, Stella. We're going to lose," she groans, glaring at me. "There's no way we can beat them!"

"Not yet," I say with a grin. "I have a plan."

Both Zoe and Selena give me curious looks, waiting for me to explain. "Okay, Zoe, your job is to distract Sky. Make him lose focus when he's about to score. Selena, you cover Alex while I go for the ball. Got it?"

"I have done this before. But are you sure you'll score it?" Zoe raises her brows.

"Just trust me." I assure her, blinking my eyes.

We get back into position, and as Sky is about to score again, Zoe steps in front of him and kisses his cheek. Sky's eyes widen in surprise. At that moment, I swoop in, steal the ball, and make the basket.

Yes! It goes in. We score!

Zoe, Selena, and I scream in excitement, high-fiving each other like we've just won a championship.

"That's cheating." Sky exclaims, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I didn't ask you to stop playing." Zoe sticks out her tongue at him.

I turn to Alex, smirking. "What were you saying earlier? That I wouldn't be able to score a single point? Looks like I just did."

Alex chuckles, shaking his head, but there's a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Alright, game on, Stella. Let's see if you can keep up."

Zoe turns to me, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Okay, Stella, what's the plan for the next one? How do we score again?"

I grin. "Leave it all to me this time. Just stay close and be ready."

We set up for the next round. This time, Alex gets the ball and starts dribbling toward our side. I can see he's planning to score.

But I have another plan.

Just as Alex is about to make his move, I step closer to him, catching his gaze. With a sly grin, I lean in and wink. For a split second, his eyes widen, and he stumbles. That's my moment. I reach in, steal the ball right out of his hands, and dash toward the basket.

I shoot—and it's in again.

The girls and I erupt into cheers, jumping.

"You did it again," Selena shouts, high-fiving me.

Alex looks stunned for a moment, then shakes his head with a smile. "You're playing dirty, Stella."

"Hey, you said game on. I'm just playing smart."

We reset, and I can tell Sky and Alex are determined not to let us win another point. But they don't know what's coming next.

This time, I give Zoe a look. She nods, understanding immediately. We move in together, sneaking up behind the boys while Selena stays in position, ready to score. Just as Sky is about to pass the ball to Alex, Zoe and I begin tickling them both relentlessly.

Sky lets out a surprised yelp, dropping the ball as he squirms away, and Alex is laughing too hard to do anything about it. Selena sees her chance, grabs the ball, and easily makes the winning shot.

We scream and dance around the court, celebrating like we've won the entire game. Zoe jumps into Sky's arms, still giggling, and I laugh at the pure joy on everyone's faces.

That's what I love the most. Smiling Faces. It gives me immense peace.

Alex walks over to me, still grinning from ear to ear. "Alright, alright, I admit it—you're better than I thought."

I smirk up at him, feeling victorious. "Told you I'd score."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "You're something else, Stella."

As we all walk off the court, laughing and teasing each other, I feel a strange warmth settle in my chest. Perhaps Alex isn't the enemy I thought he was. Perhaps we could actually get along.