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 day after the quarterfinal win, the Rosehill Wolves were back in the gym—no celebration hangover, no distractions. Just focused faces, squeaking sneakers, and the sound of Coach Daniels' whistle slicing through the air.

The team gathered at center court, still catching their breath from warmups. Ryan wiped sweat off his forehead with his jersey. Ben stood next to him, hands on hips, already in game-mode.

Coach Daniels held up a clipboard. "Semifinal's in three days. Our next opponent—Willow Creek. Tall, fast, and well-coached. They like to play a motion offense and trap on defense. If we lose focus, they'll eat us alive."

He turned and pointed to the big projector they'd rolled into the gym.

The lights dimmed. The team sat cross-legged on the floor, all eyes on the screen. The footage started rolling.

Willow Creek moved the ball with speed and precision. Their point guard was crafty, their center a tower who blocked everything, and their wings could shoot from deep.

"See this?" Coach paused the screen. "They love the high pick-and-roll. If our big doesn't hedge fast, we give up a wide-open three or a drive to the rim."

"This right here? That's their trap. After every made basket, they press. Full court. If we panic, we'll turn it over. We need composure. Ball movement. Trust."

Ben nodded. "They over-rotate on help defense. We can exploit that with extra passes."

Ryan leaned in. "We draw their bigs out to the perimeter, and we can attack the paint."

Coach smirked. "Exactly. That's the mindset I want."

They drilled breaking the press over and over. Coach Daniels shouted, "Again!" every time a pass was slow or a trap wasn't handled cleanly.

Ben worked with the guards on spacing. Ryan pulled teammates aside and went over rotations during water breaks.

Savannah and the cheerleaders dropped by halfway through with energy drinks and loud encouragement.

Anna gave Ryan a little wave from the bleachers. He gave a subtle nod back. Focused—but grateful.

After practice, the team huddled around Coach one more time.

"This is where it gets real," Coach Daniels said. "You've already proven that you belong here. But if you want more—you've got to give more. Mental toughness. Teamwork. Discipline. We don't get second chances now."

Then Ryan spoke up. "Let's win this one together. For us. For Rosehill."

A chorus of "Yeah!" rose from the team.

Ben bumped his fist against Ryan's. "Let's make some history."

Chapter 68 – Semifinal Build-Up