There were only sixteen seconds left on the clock, and the ball was in Faust's hands.

Desperately searching for an open spot, his eyes darted around the court, looking for a way to reach the net in time to shoot the winning point.

My heart raced, knee bouncing in anticipation and nervousness as I watched Faust fake a left, running across the gym floor, ready to shoot the ball while the opponent's defense players jumped to block it. He passed it to my brother instead, and Theo caught it with ease. East Hampton's players were taken aback as he bent his knees and flicked his wrist above his head before the ball passed through.

The cheers were deafening. Shooting up from my seat, I rushed down the staircase and jumped into Faust's open arms. Laughing, he twirled me around, hands locking around my waist. "Congratulations!"

He set me back on my feet and winked. "Every shot was for you."

I pressed my palms against his cheeks as I leaned forward to award him with a well-deserved congratulatory kiss. Squeezing my hips, Faust inhaled sharply in surprise as he shut his eyes.

"What was that for?" he breathed once I pulled away, baby blues wide and twinkling.

I scrunched my nose. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have startled you."

Faust reached for me again, tucking my head close to his chest. I listened to the fast beat of his heart amidst the sea of people still cheering for the win. "Don't apologize. I was just surprised that you actually kissed me first."

I didn't mind that his body was covered in sweat as I pulled him closer to me, my hands gripping the cloth of his jersey on his back. I didn't even care that we were still standing in the middle of the court as I frowned in realization. "I should probably kiss you first more often then."

Before Faust could muster a reply, he was suddenly being tugged away by Nico, who had an annoyed expression on his face. "Can you both save the lovey-dovey shit for later? Preferably in the after-party we're going to?"

Faust shoved him playfully. "I told you man, I'm taking Thea to dinner then I'm meeting her parents after."

Nico slung a towel on his shoulder before wiping it across his forehead, green eyes rolling. "You're the captain. You can't miss the after-party. You've never missed the after-party."

"Theo will be there," Faust said.

Nico switched his gaze to me. "It's not the same."

"It's okay." I offered a tight-lipped smile at Faust, whose eyebrows were now drawn together. "I told you you're not obligated—"

Faust ran a hand through his hair, a low growl emitting from his throat. "Thea, please shut up before I make you."

I closed my mouth and cleared my throat. Loud laughter came up from behind me. "Dude, really?"

JJ laughed once again, slapping his knee for effect. Faust let out an annoyed grumble and Nico simply rolled his eyes once more. "I feel so sorry for you, sweetheart," he said to me once his laughter died down, placing a hand on the small of my back. "I would've been a much smoother talker than Carter here."

"Hands off," Faust growled. "And stop trying to steal my girlfriend or I'll kick you in the balls. Friend or not."

Reluctantly, JJ raised his hands in the air and backed up a few steps, his grin never faltering. "The fact that she's wearing the jacket only proves how much of a caveman you can be when it comes to her."

My eyebrows rose. "What does that mean?"

Faust shook his head, forcing a smile. "It doesn't matter. Don't listen to him."

"It means that every player on the team—Northvale and East Hampton's—knows you're his, and soon every team in the state will know it too," the blonde explained, ignoring Faust's warning glare. "And they'll be wanting a piece of you. Even if it's just from afar."

"Because I managed to catch the attention of Northvale's most wanted Casanova?" I snapped, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. "Is that it?"

"Because they'll want to know what it is that Faust saw in you," Nico drawled, a slight smirk appearing on his lips as he slung his Nike bag over his shoulder. "They'll want to know what made you special enough for the basketball hero."

Faust clenched his jaw as he watched my expression.

Feeling suddenly uneasy, I held up a finger to gesture that I wanted to be excused as I began squeezing my way across the other players who in fact, glanced my way as I moved. I contemplated on taking the jacket off, but it would've done no good—everyone had seen me in it already.

What was it that Faust saw in me?

Shaking my head, I plastered a smile on my face as I reached my brother. "Hey. You did great."

Theo leaned down to hug me tightly. "Always do, sis." Pulling back, he flicked my forehead. "I'm heading to the party. You sure you don't want to come with me instead?"

"You've never invited me to your parties, Theo."

"...tonight gave me a reason to. Besides, you don't like parties."

"Then why are you inviting me?"

"It was a last attempt at getting you to ditch," my brother said, shrugging. "Guess that's not happening."

I looked back, locking eyes with Faust who stood just a few feet away. Nico and JJ were gone, and the rest of the team were starting to disperse towards the locker room. Theo nodded in understanding. "See you at home then. When he's gone."

Before he could turn away from me, I placed a hand on his shoulder and swallowed hard. "Theo. I apologize for putting you in a rough place, and though I know you can't see it yet, maybe there's a chance for you both to be friends. You even worked together today in the court—"

"Please don't get too ahead of yourself," he said in a quiet tone, all traces of good vibes lost in his face. "It was a simple pass. I can't even look at you wearing that damn jacket properly without having my blood boiling inside. I'm just...tolerating it. It won't last."

Sighing, I watched him walk away from me until he was out of sight.

Faust disappeared into the locker room as well after giving me the keys to the truck. As I waited for him, I turned the radio up and listened to the mellow tunes it played, gently tapping my fingers against my thigh.

Three, sharp taps against the window startled me. I clutched my chest in an attempt to slow my heartbeat down when I realized it was Nico, dressed in fresh clothes and his hair damp, impatiently waiting for me to draw the glass down.

"You scared me!"

"Not my fault you're jumpy," he grumbled once there was no barrier between us. "Don't think about what JJ and I said earlier. It was nothing."

I tilted my head to the side. "You came over here just to tell me that? You couldn't have texted me?"

Nico stood to his full height and looked over his shoulder. Then he shot me a glare. "I don't have your number, Thea, alright?"

"What were you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"Okay. Five five two—"

"What are you doing?"

Shrugging, I leaned back against the seat. "You said you don't have my number."

Nico scoffed. "I didn't say I wanted it, princess."

I smiled and faced him directly, turning my torso in his direction to prop my elbows against the windowsill. Nico's gaze bored into mine as I said in a rush, "Five five two, seven seven six, four four three two."

When he just stared at me flatly, my smile grew wider. "See how easy it is to listen when you don't interrupt me?"

"Trying to annoy me isn't going to work. Your face does that enough."

The smile fell from my lips. I turned away from him and crossed my arms over my chest. "I was just joking around. Sorry."

Nico exhaled heavily and cleared his throat. "I didn't come here to bicker, alright? Like I said, don't think about what we were blabbering about earlier."

"Not thinking about it doesn't make it any less true. You sounded so sure of yourself."

"Because I am," he retorted, running one hand frustratedly through his hair. "It's your fault. You shouldn't have worn the jacket."

"Great. You're blaming me now?"

"I don't want to pick a fight, Thea."

"Oh, that's rich. Coming from you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're the one who made yourself eye candy for every male in the gym!"

"It's just a jacket, jeez!"

"It's a fucking reminder," Nico hissed, gripping the windowsill hard until his knuckles turned white, "that Faust...Faust—"

Fed up, I pushed open the passenger door and stepped out, ignoring Nico's grunt when it hit his body. "What, owns me? Saying that girls are property—is that your thing now?"

"No girl is ever a property of any man," he said lowly, narrowing his eyes at me. "Stop putting words in my mouth."

"Then what were you going to say?"

"Nothing, get in the truck and lock the doors."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Fucking hell, how are you so difficult?"

"How are you so mean to me all the time?" I snapped back. "I don't understand why you hate me."

Like lightning passing a quiet night, Nico's green eyes flashed with anger as his jaw visibly clenched. Locking his gaze with mine, he slammed the car door shut, and I flinched from the shock the noise made. Nico turned his back on me and left.

I stood there, frozen, leaning against the truck. Faust found me in the same spot a few minutes later, staring into nothing. "Hey. What're you doing outside? It's cold."

"Uh, nothing," I murmured, turning to him with a smile. "Let's go."

It was five minutes of silence into the ride that Faust first spoke again. "What JJ and Nico said—it's not what you think."

I sighed. This again? I glanced at him to see his knuckles tightly gripping the steering wheel. "What exactly am I thinking?"

Faust bit his lip. "I didn't give you the letterman jacket so that you could flaunt it around and declare yourself a piece of meat to the state basketball players. I gave it to you because it meant a lot to me, and you mean a a lot to me, and I wanted you to have it."

"You lent it to me, not gave. You couldn't tell me that I might as well have your name written across my forehead?"

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal," Faust answered, quickly glancing my way with worried ocean-blues. "Is it so bad being mine?" he asked in a heartbreakingly pained voice.

I fiddled with my fingers on my lap, exhaling heavily. "No, it's not. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."

Faust reached an open hand out, and I slipped mine in his as he intertwined our fingers together. "It's okay. And for the record, if I haven't already told you before, I'm telling you now. The letterman jacket is yours. So is my heart."

*

Lea Simmons had always been a good judge of character.

It was partly why she was so good at her job.

"Mr. and Mrs. Simmons," Faust started once we reached the top of the porch steps, clearing his throat and offering his palm with a charming smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thomas," Dad said, reaching a hand out to shake his. My mother does the same. "This is my wife, Lea. Pleasure's all ours, kid. Congratulations on the win."

Faust's smile widened. "Thank you, sir. Your son is a talented player—he scored us the winning point."

I turned to Faust, my lips turning up at the tone of honesty behind his words. He truly believed that Theo was a talented player. "Ah, thank you, we do believe so as well," Mom said with a slight laugh, but it sounded forced. "Would you like to come inside and have some drinks?"

Faust shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Simmons, but I wouldn't want to impose."

"We'll have a proper dinner next time," Dad assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Where did you take my daughter?"

"Nowhere extravagant, Dad," I answered, keeping the smile on my face and pocketing my hands inside the jacket. "Faust took me to Pizza Lab. We just ate DIY pizzas and had milkshakes, really."

"That sounds fun," Mom said with little enthusiasm. "I'm glad you both had a great time. Thank you for dropping Thea off safely, Faust."

"Of course, Mrs. Simmons."

Dad took a look at his watch. "Well, the kid best be going, it's late. You drive safe, kid."

Faust shook their hands once more. "Will do, sir. Nice meeting you again. Thea." He turned to me, softness in his face and eyes. "I'll see you on Monday."

"Goodnight." I waved, and he looked back once to wave back before disappearing inside the Chevy.

My mother had always been a good judge of character, and it was also why, once Faust drove away with the roaring truck, that she told me, "I don't like him."

"Mom, it was just a meet and greet. You don't know him that well yet," I argued immediately, expecting it. Dad raised both his shoulders when I looked at him and went inside the house.

"I have a strong feeling about him that I'm uneasy about," my mother said, crossing her arms. She sighed. "But he seems polite enough. Maybe I can change my mind about him the next time he comes over."

"You will," I tried to say confidently, but it came out as a hopeful mumble. "You'll see."