Ollie gives me a look. “You two are gross.”
I shove him playfully. “Don’t be a hater.”
The game begins, and Darius and the center from Los Angeles stand in the middle, preparing for tip-off.
Darius leaps in the air, knocking the ball in the Dragons’ possession. Elijah catches it and passes it to Maddox.
The players from Los Angeles surround him but he quickly maneuvers through them, making his way toward the goal.
One of the players is onto him but he fakes left, shooting the ball from the three-point line. The ball swishes through the net, earning the Dragons their first goal.
“Hell yeah! Let’s go, Maddox!” I jump up and down excitedly, clapping my hands and cheering him on with the others.
He blows me a kiss as he jogs past me.
“Oh my God! I think I’m going to faint! Maddox Kamado just blew me a kiss,” the fangirl behind me screams.
Asami and I shake with laughter.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins as the game continues. The Dragons are demolishing Los Angeles, and they have a twenty-point lead by halftime.
I watched Maddox play countless times when we weretogether, and I was always in awe of how unbelievably talented he is. Seeing him today, playing with the pros, fills me with pride and leaves me speechless. He dominates the court, and you can see the fire and passion in his eyes. Every shot, block, and pass he makes is executed effortlessly.
He is the king, and the court is his kingdom. Maddox Kamado is a force to be reckoned with and will become a legend one day.
San Francisco blew LA out of the water, beating them by thirty-five points. I wait for the crowd to clear before making my way to the court to where Maddox is standing.
“You were amazing out there, Dimples.” I throw my arms around him and nearly kiss him before realizing we aren’t alone.
“You were my good-luck charm,” Maddox says, causing blush to spread across my cheeks.
“Hey, Maddox! You killed it out there,” Ollie says.
“Hey, Ollie! Thank you so much for coming.” Maddox gives him a side hug. “You need to try out for your school’s team next year. Maybe one day we can play together on this court.”
“Won’t you be retired by then?” Ollie teases, earning a chuckle amongst the team.
“Hey! I’m not that old!” Maddox glares at him.
Elijah throws his arms around Maddox’s shoulders. “You’re gonna be a veteran by then.”
“We’re the same age.” Maddox rolls his eyes.
“Thanks for showing up tonight, Annalise. He would’ve played like shit if you hadn’t been here,” Andrés teases.
I chuckle. “Oh, I’m sure he would’ve played fine. But it was a great game. I think y’all will be able to sweep LA.”
Elijah leaves Maddox’s side and walks over to Asami. “Asami, baby. Thanks for coming out to support me.” He flashes her a cheeky grin.
Asami rolls her eyes. “I did not come here for you.”
Elijah taps his chin. “That’s funny, because I could feel your eyes on me during the entire game. Bet you were impressed by the shots I made.”
Asami scrunches her face and holds up her left hand. “I’m engaged, you moron.”
“To the wrong man. I can give you everything he can’t,” Elijah drawls.
Andrés scrubs his hand down his face. “Oh, God, I’m getting secondhand embarrassment.”
