The gym buzzed with energy after school—sneakers squeaking, basketballs thudding, and laughter echoing off the walls. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, slanting across the polished floor in patches of gold. Lucifer was in the middle of practice, weaving effortlessly between players, eyes sharp and focused. His sleeves were pushed up, revealing faint bruises from earlier matches, and his dark hair clung to his forehead, damp with sweat. He looked unfairly good—so annoyingly good that Eliza could barely focus on anything else.
Eliza sat with Ava on the bleachers, tucked into a quieter corner, but her eyes were fixed on Lucifer. It was impossible not to stare. Her eyes followed Lucifer's every move, catching the way his muscles tensed beneath his shirt, the way his eyes glinted with determination, the way his jaw set, and the slight smirk tugging at his lips whenever he scored.
But, annoyingly, a group of girls from their class giggled nearby, whispering to each other and not-so-subtly glancing at the court. One even waved when Lucifer scored, cheeks flushing pink when he grinned back. Eliza's stomach twisted, fingers curling into her sleeves. She tried to ignore the flare of jealousy prickling at her, but it was useless. Her eyes never strayed from Lucifer, tracking every move, every smirk, every time he ran a hand through his hair.
Ava noticed, of course. She always did.
"Oh my God," Ava snorted, smirking. "You're literally drooling. It's tragic, really."
Eliza snapped out of her trance, cheeks burning. "W-What? Shut up! I'm not!" she hissed, smacking Ava's arm with a scowl.
Ava raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Uh-huh. Right. And I'm not addicted to iced coffee. Girl, you've been staring for the past ten minutes."
Eliza groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you so much."
"Love you too, babe," Ava cooed mockingly, patting her head. "Seriously, just confess already. You're making me cringe."
Eliza's stomach twisted at the thought, heart stuttering painfully. "No way. He doesn't—he wouldn't… It's not like that," she mumbled, voice small.
Ava rolled her eyes. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, I'm gonna find some popcorn for this slow-burn nightmare."
As practice wrapped up, Lucifer finally wandered over, towel slung around his neck, water bottle in hand. His eyes lit up when he spotted them, grin lazy and stupidly charming.
"Well, well," he drawled, plopping down beside Eliza with zero warning. "You guys waited for me? I'm touched."
"Awww, is someone flustered?" Ava snickered. "We should've taken a video."
Eliza glared daggers at her, cheeks flaming. "Can't we come? We were just bored," she mumbled, eyes darting anywhere but at him. "And don't flatter yourself."
Lucifer chuckled, nudging her with his knee. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Princess ."
He cracked open his water bottle, tilting his head back to drink, and Eliza's eyes betrayed her again, tracing the line of his throat. She quickly looked away, mentally cursing herself. But Ava noticed—of course she did—and smirked even wider, eyes glinting with mischief.
"So," Ava drawled, chin in her hand, "how many girls asked for your number this time?"
Lucifer snorted, rolling his eyes. "Shut up. They were just being nice."
Eliza bit the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore the ugly twist in her stomach. "Maybe you're just way too popular," she said sarcastically, trying to hide the jealousy lacing her words.
Lucifer sighed dramatically. "What can I say? I was born with a handsome face."
Eliza rolled her eyes, huffing. "Wow, so humble."
Ava left earlier, leaving Lucifer and Eliza to walk home together. The evening air was cool, the sky tinged with soft shades of pink and orange. They walked side by side, Lucifer's arm brushing hers occasionally, sending sparks up her skin with every accidental touch.
He was rambling about some new video game, eyes bright and animated, and Eliza just listened, nodding at the right moments, though she barely caught a word. Her heart was too busy tripping over itself, her mind replaying that stupid grin and the way his eyes crinkled at the edges when he laughed.
As they crossed the street, Lucifer's hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist instinctively, guiding her along with a simple, "Careful."
Eliza's heart skipped a beat, her face heating up. "I-I'm not a kid, you know."
"Uh-huh. Sure," he snorted, but didn't let go. His fingers stayed warm and solid around her wrist, thumb brushing absentmindedly against her pulse. Eliza was sure he could feel how fast it was racing.
Her gaze dropped to where their hands were linked, throat tight. It was such a small thing—such a simple, meaningless gesture—and yet her heart was pounding like she'd run a marathon.
Get it together, Eliza, she scolded herself, but her fingers curled slightly, just enough to hold on for a second longer before she forced herself to pull away.
Lucifer barely seemed to notice, continuing to talk, completely oblivious to the storm raging in her chest. But Eliza's cheeks stayed warm, her pulse fluttering wildly, and the soft, stupid smile on her lips was impossible to fight.
They reached Eliza's house too soon, the porch light casting a soft glow. Lucifer stuffed his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
"So," he started casually, eyes flickering to hers, "movie night this Friday? I'll even let you pick something that's not total garbage."
Eliza's heart stuttered. "W-Well, aren't you generous," she scoffed, crossing her arms to hide her trembling hands.
He smirked. "Always. Seven okay?"
"Yeah," she mumbled, trying to play it cool, but her voice came out way too soft. "Seven's good."
"Cool," he said, grin widening. "Don't flake on me, Drama Queen."
Eliza rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "No promises."
He chuckled, ruffling her hair before turning to leave. She watched him go, fingers brushing the spot where his hand had been, heart pounding a little too fast, a little too loud.
Eliza stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click, back pressed against the wood. The house was quiet, the faint hum of the fridge the only sound. But all she could hear was her heartbeat, wild and unsteady, and Lucifer's laugh echoing in her ears.
And as she sank down against the door, burying her burning face in her hands, she couldn't help the giddy smile that broke free.
To be continued....