*******
The gates of Dragon Peak Academy were made of iron and gold. Literally. The sun reflected off the pillars as students poured in. Some arrived in limousines, others in high-end sedans. Then there was the bus, where the scholarship students rode.
Alexa stepped off the bus. She wore the school uniform, but she had modified it.The tie was loose, the shirt untucked, and she wore sneakers instead of the polished leather shoes required.
"Hey, look at that," a girl whispered, pointing. "Is that a boy or a girl?"
"Definitely a boy. Look at the hair."
Alexa ignored them. She clutched her bag. She was here on a sports scholarship. Basketball. It was the only way she could get an education without paying tuition.
She walked toward the gymnasium. The sounds of dribbling echoed inside. It sounded like music to her.
Inside, the court was pristine. Polished wood, high ceilings. A team was practicing. They were tall, fast, and coordinated. At the center stood a boy who looked like he was carved from marble.
Jayden.
He was tall, with bulbous dark hair that fell perfectly over his forehead. His lips were a natural pink, contrasting with his sharp jawline. He dribbled the ball with one hand, not even looking at it, while talking to his teammates.
"Pass left. You're too slow, Max," Jayden said.
Max, a boy with a perfectly styled face and a smirk that never left his lips, caught the ball. "I'm stylish, Jayden. Speed is for people who aren't pretty."
Alexa stepped onto the court. "I'm here for the tryout."
The dribbling stopped. Every head turned.
Jayden looked her up and down. His eyes were dark, unreadable. "Tryout? This is the varsity team practice. Civilians stay in the bleachers."
"I'm a scholarship student," Alexa said. "Coach said to come here."
Jayden walked toward her. He towered over her. "Scholarship? You? You look like you sell newspapers on the corner."
Max laughed, walking over. He flipped his hair. "Actually, she has a certain... rugged charm. Hey, beautiful, I'm Max. The most handsome guy in this school, obviously. You should be chasing me."
Alexa looked at Max, then looked past him as if he were invisible. She looked at Jayden. "Can I play or not?"
Jayden's eyes narrowed. He didn't like being ignored. "You want to play? Fine. One minute. Score on me."
The team gathered around. This was going to be fun for them.
Alexa took the ball. It felt right in her hands. She bounced it once. Twice.
"Go on," Jayden said, spreading his arms. "Show me what a street rat can do."
Alexa drove. She was fast. Lower to the ground than him. She spun left. Jayden shifted, expecting her to go right. She crossed over, the ball slapping the wood loudly.
She jumped. Jayden jumped to block.
Alexa didn't shoot. She passed the ball to the hoop's rim, bounced it off the backboard, caught it mid-air, and laid it in.
Silence.
Jayden landed. He looked at the basket, then at her. "Lucky shot."
"Do it again," Alexa said.
"Time's up," Jayden said coldly. "You're not on the team. You don't have the discipline. You play like a thug."
"I play to win," Alexa snapped. "You play to show off."
Jayden stepped into her personal space. The air between them crackled. "Get out of my gym. Before I have security remove you."
Alexa grabbed her bag. "Your gym? You don't own this school."
"My father donates the building," Jayden said smoothly. "So technically, yes. It's my gym."
Max whistled. "Ouch. Burned by the prince."
Alexa turned to leave, but she stopped. She looked back at Jayden. "One day, I'll be the captain of this team. And you'll be sitting on the bench."
Jayden laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'd like to see you try."
As Alexa walked out, she bumped into a boy sitting on the bleachers reading a thick book. He had glasses and a neat uniform.
"Careful," he said, marking his page. "Jayden doesn't like losing. Even in practice."
"I didn't lose," Alexa said. "I scored."
"Statistically, you didn't make the roster," the boy said. He stood up. He was handsome in a quiet, intellectual way. "I'm Kevin. Seatmate. Class 3-B."
"Alexa."
"I know," Kevin said. "You're the talk of the hallway already. 'The Tomboy who challenged the Prince.' Just a warning... Jayden's family runs half the city. Be careful."
"I'm not afraid of rich kids," Alexa said.
"You should be," Kevin said, adjusting his glasses. "They have nothing to lose. You have everything."
Alexa walked away. She didn't know it yet, but Kevin was right. And Jayden was already thinking about her.
Later that afternoon, Jayden sat in the locker room alone. He stared at his hands.
"She crossed me," he muttered to himself. "Nobody crosses me."
His phone buzzed. A message from his father. *Dinner at 7. Don't be late. We need to discuss your future.*
Jayden threw the phone into his locker. He closed his eyes. He saw Alexa's eyes. They weren't afraid. They were hungry.
"Why do I care?" he whispered.
But he knew. For the first time in his perfect, controlled life, something was unpredictable. And Jayden loved control.
****