CHAPTER 32: THE PLAN

Zade leaned against the locker room wall, twirling a football in his hands as he watched James tie his cleats. The rest of the team had already filtered out onto the field for practice, leaving the two of them alone. Zade's smirk widened as he nudged James with his foot. 

"You know," he started, his tone dripping with mischief, "you should just be cliché about it."

James glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "Cliché about what?"

"The weird girl," Zade said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Emmie. She's practically begging for your attention. Why don't you bump into her? Pretend it's an accident. You know, spill some coffee or knock her books over or something. Then you apologize, introduce yourself, and get her to trust you. Once she's comfortable, bring her around the group. After that, she'll be eating out of your hand."

James frowned, tying the last knot on his cleat. "That sounds stupid, man. Why would I go out of my way to do all that? Look at me, I am the prize, she should come to me."

Zade chuckled, tossing the football up and catching it with ease. "Because it'll be fun. You get her to trust you, right? Get her to think you actually care. Then, once she's hooked, you play with her a little. Mess around, have some fun. Isn't that what you always do?"

James thought about it, his jaw tightening as he thought about it. It felt a little too calculated, even for him. But Zade's words wormed their way into his mind. Emmie was different from the girls he usually went after, quieter, more reserved. There was a challenge there, something intriguing about peeling back the layers of someone so guarded, but that was what made it exciting. 

"I don't know," James said finally, standing and grabbing his helmet. "She's not exactly like the others."

"That's what makes it interesting," Zade countered, stepping in front of him and lowering his voice. "Think about it. You could have her wrapped around your finger in no time. And if it gets boring, well, I can always step in and pick up where you leave off." He grinned, holding out his hand. "Come on, man. Are you in or what?"

James looked at Zade's outstretched hand, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. It wasn't like he hadn't done this kind of thing before, but something about it felt different this time. Still, he couldn't deny the thrill of the chase or the way Zade's plan seemed so perfectly designed to draw Emmie out of her shell.

With a resigned sigh, James slapped Zade's hand in agreement. "Fine. I'll do it. But if this backfires, it's on you."

Zade laughed, clapping James on the shoulder. "Trust me, bro. It won't. Just stick to the plan, and she'll be like putty in your hands."

As they walked out onto the field, James couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. Another game, another project, Emmie. He smirked at the thought. The idea of deliberately misleading someone, for fun, was dangerous. But danger was what he was known for, he couldn't resist. Moreover, Zade's confidence was infectious, and before long, the feeling was replaced with determination. He'd go through with it, just to see where it led.

After all, how much harm could one little game do?

---

The hallway buzzed with the hum of students shuffling between classes, conversations blending into a chaotic murmur. Emmie kept her head down, clutching her books tightly against her chest as she navigated through the crowd. She preferred it this way—invisible, unnoticed. 

But fate, or something far less poetic, had other plans. 

As she turned a corner, someone collided with her, sending her books and papers scattering to the floor. She stumbled back, barely catching herself before falling.

"Oh, crap, I'm so sorry," a voice said. 

Emmie looked up, and her breath caught. James Kamau stood before her, his hands outstretched in a gesture of apology. His expression was earnest, but there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. 

"It's fine," she mumbled, crouching down to gather her things. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Of all people to bump into, why him?

"No, let me," James said, kneeling beside her. He quickly scooped up her books and handed them back to her with a lopsided grin. "I wasn't paying attention. My bad."

Emmie took the books from him, her fingers brushing against his for a fleeting moment. "Thanks," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.

"Hey, you're in my literature class, right?" James asked, standing up and offering her a hand to help her up.

She hesitated but took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "Yeah. I sit in the back."

"Figured I'd seen you somewhere," he said, his smile widening. "Listen, to make up for almost knocking you over, why don't you come meet my friends? They're just hanging out by the courtyard. I swear they're mostly decent people."

Emmie blinked, taken aback by the invitation. "Oh, I don't know. I…"

"Come on," James said, his tone light and persuasive. "It'll be fun. Promise."

She hesitated, the logical part of her mind screaming at her to say no. But there was something disarming about his charm, something that made her want to believe him. 

"Okay," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Great." James gestured for her to follow him, and they made their way through the crowded hallway together. Emmie's heart raced with every step, a mix of nerves and excitement churning in her chest.

When they reached the courtyard, James's group was sprawled across the benches, laughing and talking. Zade noticed them first, a knowing smirk spreading across his face as he nudged Micha. Alison glanced up, her expression darkening the moment she saw Emmie.

"Guys, this is Emmie," James announced, his voice casual but loud enough to draw everyone's attention. "She's in my lit class. Thought I'd introduce her."

Zade's smirk deepened, and Micha gave Emmie a polite nod. Alison, however, didn't bother to hide her disdain, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Hey," Emmie said awkwardly, clutching her books a little tighter.

"Welcome to the madhouse," Zade said, his tone dripping with amusement. "You sure you're ready for this crew?"

"She'll be fine," James said, throwing an arm over Zade's shoulder and steering the conversation away. "Come on, let's not scare her off on the first day."

Emmie stood there, feeling like a fish out of water but unable to suppress the small flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change. She didn't notice the fleeting glance James exchanged with Zade, a silent confirmation of the plan they had set in motion.