miranbajrami59

"The Light Between Us"
In a town full of memories, the past is never really gone.

When 15-year-old Ryan Whitmore moves to Rosehill with his mom, he’s not just starting over—he’s running from everything he used to be. But small towns have long shadows, and Ryan quickly finds himself caught in something bigger than he expected. A girl who feels too familiar. A team he wasn’t supposed to lead. A truth that could ruin everything.

Between cheerleading tryouts, basketball tournaments, and late-night talks under the stars, Ryan, Anna, Ben, and Savannah are just trying to figure it all out. But secrets have a way of showing up—especially when you're finally starting to feel at home.

Basketball isn’t just a game here.
It’s where friendships are tested, futures are shaped, and second chances are earned.

THe Light Between us

The final buzzer echoed across the gym, followed by cheers erupting from the stands. Ryan stood in place for a second, heart still racing, sweat clinging to his skin, the last moments of the game playing in his head on repeat. They'd won.

Ben jogged over and smacked him on the shoulder, grinning wide. "We did it, man. You were on fire out there."

"You weren't so bad yourself," Ryan said, breathless but smiling. "That steal at the end? Crazy."

The rest of the team crowded around, high-fives flying, back slaps and messy shouts filling the air. Coach Daniels came in last, clapping his hands loud enough to hush the noise.

"Alright, alright—great job today, all of you," Coach said, proud but serious. "This was a big win. But don't let it get to your head. The final is next week, and that team—Bridgeview High—they're no joke. Tall, fast, tight defense. We're going to have to work twice as hard to keep up."

The room fell quiet for a beat, reality settling in. But then Ben nodded. "We got this."

Coach smiled. "That's the spirit. I believe in this group. We'll talk more Monday—go enjoy the win for now."

As they headed off the court, Anna and Savannah came running from the cheer squad section, nearly crashing into them.

"You guys were insane!" Savannah beamed, tugging Ryan into a quick hug before pulling away, a little flushed. "You totally changed the game."

Anna nodded, her eyes lighting up. "Seriously, the whole gym was watching you two. It was like watching the start of something big."

Ryan looked down, suddenly aware of the warmth rising in his chest. He wasn't used to this—attention, praise, feeling like he belonged.

Ben leaned toward Savannah. "I saw you nail that pyramid. That was awesome."

Savannah smirked. "Guess we all had our moments."

As the gym emptied out, the group gathered outside, where parents and friends stood around chatting. Sarah approached, her arms crossed but her eyes soft.

"You okay?" she asked Ryan, looking him over.

"I saw." She paused. "You were really good out there."

Ryan shrugged, suddenly shy. "Thanks."

Behind her, Jack walked over, giving Ryan a thumbs-up. "Proud of you, kid. That was solid basketball."

Sarah glanced sideways, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Guess someone's been practicing."

Later that evening, the team decided to meet at Ben's house—just pizza, sodas, and a few celebratory games in the backyard. It wasn't flashy, but it was perfect. Laughter filled the air, stories from the game already becoming exaggerated memories.

As the night wore on, Ryan sat on the back steps with Ben, looking up at the sky.

"You ever think about how fast things changed?" Ryan asked.

Ben chuckled. "Dude, you wouldn't even talk to me a month ago."

Ben bumped his shoulder. "Told you Rosehill wasn't so bad."

Ryan didn't answer right away. He looked up at the stars, thinking about the game, about Sarah watching from the stands, about Coach Daniels believing in him.

"No," he said finally. "It's not bad at all."

Chapter 51 – After the Game