Scheming

ARWAN

I tap my fingers against the steering wheel, carried away by the energetic pop song blaring from my radio. The vibrant melody perfectly synchronises with the rising sun, casting its golden glow over the waking city. It's as if the universe itself reflects the joy bubbling inside me. At this very moment, I can't imagine feeling any happier.

With an overflow of bliss, I find myself humming the lyrics, a smile tugging at my lips. Parking my car in the busy campus car park, I admire the students hurrying to their first classes, conversations buzzing around me. Today is so different from last week. I'm now enveloped in a sense of tranquillity, determined to savour every second that passes.

I grab my sports bag from the passenger seat and throw it over my shoulder. Spotting a group of guys in the distance, I nod to them before heading towards Jared. He's engrossed in conversation with a girl, his persistent attempts to get a number never ceasing. I often keep quiet, refraining from telling him he's trying a little too hard for too little reward. But maybe now that Zoya and I are… something, it's time to offer him some advice.

I approach him with a playful smile.

"Hey, mate. Still playing the charming Casanova?" I tease him, noticing the disappointment on his face as the woman he was talking to slips away.

He gives me a fake scowl, nudging me jokingly with his elbow.

"I was so close to getting her number this time."

I raise an eyebrow, unable to resist a friendly nudge. "Were you? Because from what I saw, she seemed more embarrassed by your presence than seduced. Maybe it's time you stop with the namby-pamby."

Jared smiles, undeterred.

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic."

I roll my eyes playfully and head back towards the university entrance, Jared by my side. The warm rays of the sun embrace us as we continue our banter.

"You know," I start, a mischievous gleam in my eyes, "one of these days, you should consider taking my advice. It might do wonders for you."

"Advice?" He laughs, shaking his head. "From you? Dude, when was the last time you had sex with a girl? Centuries ago? Do you seriously want me to stay a virgin forever?"

"Try yesterday."

His eyes widen as he stops abruptly. "Yesterday? What do you mean yesterday? With whom?"

Part of me wants to keep him guessing, but I decide to put him out of his misery. I stop, turn to him and share the details of my evening with Zoya—obviously sparing him the details of the night, which I prefer to keep to ourselves. His jaw practically hits the floor as I explain that something has been brewing between her and me for weeks. Clearly, he never saw it coming, but then again, Jared isn't known for his powers of observation.

"Zoya? You mean our Zoya? The one we eat with every day, and who comes to watch us play? That Zoya?" Jared's voice is full of disbelief.

I nod, enjoying his stunned reaction. "Yeah, that Zoya."

He shakes his head, trying to process the information.

"I can't believe it…"

"Anyway," I continue with a sly smile, "if you ever get fed up with your solo adventures, you know who to contact. I'll be there to offer my 'expert' advice."

Jared's surprise gives way to laughter, his teasing nature resurfacing. "Oh, believe me, Arwan. The day I need your relationship advice is the day the pigs fly."

I shrug, accepting his mischievous jab.

"Fair enough. Can't blame a guy for trying."

As we make our way towards the changing rooms for our morning training session, a goofy grin refuses to leave my face, and I find myself greeting everyone we meet with Zoya's beaming smile in mind. The joy she brings me is undeniable, but amid this contentment, a nagging worry persists. After Friday, we spent the last three days together, sleeping together, talking… sleeping together once more. But despite these… intimate moments, we haven't really had a conversation about what all this means to us.

Uncertainty gnaws at me, leaving me to wonder if we're just having fun as friends or if there's a possibility for something more—something deeper—between us. I hesitate to ask anything for fear of not getting the answer I'm secretly hoping for. For now, I choose to put these doubts aside, not wanting to risk tarnishing the incredible connection I have with Zoya.

Instead, I'm concentrating on basketball, an area where I can channel my energy and find comfort. Today's training session involves perfecting our individual skills, and that's exactly what I need. The season is fast approaching, and my heart is racing at the thought of getting back out on the pitch. I need to be at my best when that happens. For this final year, I absolutely cannot afford any mistakes, and I intend to prove to everyone that I can be the best there is.

As I enter the locker room, my steps stop abruptly when I spot Emery standing there. The initial delight that filled me a few moments ago evaporates, replaced by a wave of pure anger. I can't believe she carried out her threats and came back here to mess with my stuff to get under my skin. But just as I'm about to confront her, I freeze in my tracks, realising that she's absorbed in a conversation with Ty, who's getting dressed, his bare torso exposed.

My brow furrows in frustration.

Surprised at first, I quickly realise. I should have noticed the signs between them at Ty's party. But I dismissed it, assuming it was just a fleeting encounter, a one-night stand. That after that, neither of them would see each other again. Yet here they are, apparently close, and Emery's laughter at every word he says betrays her obvious crush. A huge fucking crush on our centre. Uh-uh. No, no, no. I don't like that. I don't like it at all. It's a recipe for fucking disaster.

I know Emery. I know her reputation. I know her story from the snippets my sister shares from time to time. So I know that Tyler and Emery together is a catastrophic idea. She will distract him, she will break his heart, and it all will affect his game. The season starts next week, and I can't afford to let her sabotage everything I've worked for for years. I'm not going to let my team suffer just because… what? Why is she suddenly interested in Tyler, anyway? Is she doing this to provoke me? Does she think that by targeting one of my teammates, she's attacking me?

What a fucking bitch.

I make a conscious decision not to confront her straight away. It's not the right time. Instead, I ignore them both and head for my locker to gather my things for training. However, I can't take my eyes off her. She's completely oblivious to how much she seems to actually like Tyler. It makes me smile. A smile that restores my previous mood because I've just realised precisely what needs to be done. It's pretty apparent when you think about it. And it will allow me to make her pay for everything she's put me through since the beginning of the year.

"Uh… why are you grinning like a maniac, dude?" Jared's confused voice cuts through my thoughts.

I turn my head towards him; his puzzled expression is evident.

"Oh, nothing. Forget it."

Taking a seat on the bench, I start to lace up my trainers, but Jared's gaze remains fixed on me.

"It doesn't look like nothing," he insists. "What's going on? What are you up to?"

I've got a feeling that Jared's not going to give up and to be honest, I don't really want to play this guessing game with him. Without hesitation, I lay out my plan—a plan that will break Emery's little heart (if she even has one) while sparing Ty's and getting my revenge. It's the perfect opportunity handed to me on a silver platter.

"It's diabolical," he remarks with a smirk. "I'm in."

I knew he'd be.

"So what do we do?" he asks eagerly.

"You don't do anything. Let me handle it."

Noticing that Emery has finally left, I walk over to Ty, who is engrossed in a conversation with one of our attackers. He doesn't notice me right away, so I clear my throat to get his attention. He turns around, somewhat surprised to see me, and waves to Nathan, who realises it's his cue to go away, before letting me speak.

"I heard you had a thing going on with Emery," I begin, putting out feelers. "Is that true?"

He looks hesitant. "Er… yeah, yeah, it is. Why? Is there something going on between you two? Because she didn't mention anything, but if—"

"No, there isn't. She's just my sister's best friend."

"Oh, right. That's cool."

"Which is also why I feel the need to warn you about things. See, I like you, Ty. You're a good guy. It's important to me that you know the kind of people you're getting involved with."

He frowns, obviously not fully understanding where I'm coming from. I want to smile, but I restrain myself. I really like Tyler; he's a talented centre and a really nice person to everyone. It's not him I'm mad at; it's Emery. I want to make her pay.

"My sister gave me some… intimate details," I explain cautiously.

"Intimate details?" Tyler looks puzzled.

I nod.

"Yeah, you know, things about her behaviour in bed. She shared some… habits that she has. And honestly, dude, if you're totally cool with what she's doing, that's up to you. You just don't seem to know anything about it."

I've managed to get his full attention, and I can tell he believes me because I have no reason to fabricate such information—none that he's aware of, anyway.

"Know about what?" His voice contains a mixture of curiosity and concern.

I look around to ensure no one is within earshot before leaning in slightly. "Let's just say she has certain… tendencies, certain preferences that might surprise you. And it's not just about what happens in bed; it's about how she handles relationships."

His eyes widen, and he leans back, clearly surprised.

"I had no idea… Why didn't she tell me?"

I give him a sympathetic look. "Because she knows it's not something most people would be comfortable with. She's not upfront about it, especially when things are just getting started. But I think you deserve to know the truth."

Tyler's gaze changes, his mind apparently processing the information. "Thanks for telling me. I appreciate it."

I rest a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we're teammates, and I consider you a friend. I want you to be happy, and I don't want to see you get hurt. Just be careful and make sure you're okay with everything before you get too involved, all right?"

He nods, a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty in his eyes. "I will. Thanks again, Arwan."

I break away from him, offering him a sympathetic smile before turning it into a satisfied one once I reach Jared, who seems to have been watching the scene from where he's standing. I check him out once I've reached his height, and he gives me a wry smile.

"What now?"

I chuckle.

"Now, all we have to do is wait."