Chapter 3: Worried mind

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Worried mind

(Iris’s POV)

"I swear, Iris, if you pull that phone out one more time before we get to the arena, I’m throwing it into the nearest fountain."

Zoey didn’t even look at her as she spoke. She simply adjusted the strap of her crossbody bag and continued walking, somehow managing to balance an iced coffee in one hand without spilling a single drop.

Iris looked down guiltily at the phone in her own hand. "I wasn’t calling him."

Zoey snorted. "No? Then why was your thumb hovering over Jason’s contact like you were trying to summon him through sheer determination?"

"I..." Iris let out an embarrassed laugh before slipping the phone back into her handbag. "I was just checking whether he’d replied to my text."

"And? Did he?"

"He hasn’t. He hasn’t even read it yet."

Zoey sighed. "I figured."

Iris tried to call him one more time, it rang but he still didn’t pick up. She sighed and slipped her phone back into her handbag with another quiet sigh.

Zoey caught the expression immediately. "He still isn’t answering?"

"Straight to voicemail." Iris tried to sound casual, but even she could hear the disappointment creeping into her voice.

"I’m probably worrying over nothing. It’s game day. Coach usually confiscates their phones before they head into the locker room."

Zoey gave her a skeptical look. "Maybe. Or maybe the great Captain Jason Montgomery has finally become too famous to answer calls from ordinary people."

Iris laughed despite herself and nudged her friend’s shoulder. "You’re terrible."

"I’m observant," Zoey corrected without a trace of shame. "There’s a difference."

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The sidewalks leading toward Emerald Heights University buzzed with excitement. Students wearing green-and-silver Falcons jerseys walked in groups, laughing loudly as they argued over the afternoon’s game.

Cars crawled along the streets surrounding the campus, horns occasionally sounding whenever someone spotted a familiar player making their way toward the arena.

Today wasn’t just another basketball game. If the Falcons won, they would qualify for the regional collegiate championships for the first time in four years.

Jason had spent months preparing for this match.

Zoey sighed and spoke. "Iris..." She called her softly. "You do know what it means for a boyfriend to ghost his girlfriend on her own birthday right? And worse...on their very own anniversary."

"I know what you’re thinking," Iris said quietly.

Zoey glanced sideways. "Do you?"

Iris smiled faintly. "He probably wanted to do it in person. Maybe...after the game." Iris said and Zoey just sighed.

Zoey slipped her sunglasses onto her head before looping an arm through Iris’s. "I just don’t like seeing you make excuses for people iris, especially for him him."

"I’m not making excuses." Iris tried to argue. "Am just trying to understand him, that’s all. He has one of the biggest games of the season today.

And like I said before, their coach practically confiscates their lives before matches like this. Besides..." She shrugged lightly. "It’s Jason. He always makes things right."

Zoey didn’t argue. Instead, she gave Iris a look that said she wasn’t entirely convinced.

That was one thing Iris loved about Zoey. She never lied simply because the truth was uncomfortable. She’d tell you exactly what she thought, whether you wanted to hear it or not.

"Did you at least text him about the anniversary dinner you planned out for the both of you?" Zoey asked after a moment.

"I was waiting until after the game."

"And spend the entire afternoon wondering whether he remembered your anniversary?" Zoey asked her speechless.

"...When you put it like that, it does sounds ridiculous."

"Because it is." Zoey almost shouted.

Iris smiled to herself before retrieving her phone again. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment.

Then she typed.

Good luck today, Captain ❤️

I know you’ll do amazing. Don’t forget our dinner reservation tonight. Seven o’clock. I’ll meet you there.

She stared at the message for another second before pressing send.

"There."

Zoey immediately leaned closer. "That’s what you sent?"

"Yes. You did tell me to remind him about the dinner." Iris said.

"But you left out a very important detail."

Iris blinked innocently. "What detail?"

"The one about the hotel."

Heat instantly climbed into Iris’s cheeks. "I wasn’t going to tell him that. I want it to be a surprise."

Zoey laughed so hard she had to wipe at the corner of one eye. "I still can’t believe that our sweet, innocent Iris has been planning something scandalous."

"It is not scandalous."

"It involves a hotel, it involves privacy and it involves sex."

"Zoey!"

"What?" she asked, looking entirely unapologetic. "It’s not like you’re checking into a hotel to play Monopoly."

Iris burst into laughter despite herself. "You are unbelievable."

"So I’ve been told."

"I don’t know why I put up with you."

"Because life without me would be painfully boring."

Before Iris could respond, a familiar voice drifted across the busy walkway.

"There you two are!"

Both women turned at the same time. Standing near the entrance to the arena was Vanessa.

She waved enthusiastically the moment she caught their attention, her auburn curls catching the afternoon sunlight as she hurried toward them.

Unlike Zoey’s effortlessly cool style, Vanessa always looked put together without appearing as though she’d tried too hard. Today she wore a cream knit sweater tucked neatly into light blue jeans, white sneakers on her feet, and a denim jacket slung casually over one shoulder.

she complained the moment she reached them with an exaggerated sigh.

"I was beginning to think you’d abandoned me. Do you two have any idea how long I’ve been standing here? I was seconds away from filing a missing persons report."

Zoey raised an eyebrow. "We’re five minutes early."

"I know." Vanessa placed a hand dramatically over her heart. "But emotionally, I’ve been waiting for hours."

Zoey folded her arms. " You’re being dramatic."

"I prefer the word expressive." Vanessa countered.

Zoey rolled her eyes and didn’t bother commenting further for the sake of her sanity.

Before anyone could say another word, Vanessa stepped forward and wrapped Iris in a warm hug.

"Happy birthday, birthday girl."

There was something about Vanessa’s hugs that always felt genuine. It never felt rushed or forced. It just felt...warm. Like coming home after a long day.

"Thank you," Iris said, smiling into the embrace.

Vanessa pulled back just enough to look at her. "And happy anniversary."

"Thank you."

"I still can’t believe you and Jason have been together for three years."

"I know."

"Honestly," Vanessa admitted with a laugh, "sometimes it feels like the two of you have always been together all the time."

Zoey nodded. "I barely remember a time when Jason wasn’t following Iris around campus pretending he needed help with lecture notes."

Vanessa laughed.

"Oh, don’t remind me." Iris groaned immediately.

Vanessa pointed an accusing finger at her. "Do you remember what you said after your maths lecture?"

Iris already knew where this was going. "I’d rather not."

"You looked at both of us with the most serious expression imaginable and whispered..." Vanessa lowered her voice dramatically. "’Do you think Jason Montgomery actually likes me, or is he just being polite?’"

Zoey broke into laughter. "Yeah, I remember that!"

"You spent fifteen minutes trying to convince us that he was only asking for your number because he’d misplaced his notebook."

"He did lose his notebook."

Vanessa and Zoey exchanged a look before laughing even harder. "Oh, sweetheart," Vanessa said once she’d caught her breath. "Men like Jason Montgomery don’t accidentally ask the same woman for her phone number three different times."

"They especially don’t walk you back to your apartment every evening just because it’s ’on the way,’" Zoey added, making air quotes.

"It wasn’t?" Iris asked, genuinely confused.

Both women stared at her. Then, almost in perfect unison, they burst into another fit of laughter.

Zoey reached over and affectionately pinched Iris’s cheek. "You really are the smartest woman I know."

Iris smiled proudly. "Thank you."

"...and somehow," Zoey continued, "the most oblivious. Though it’s one of the reasons we love you."

A smile spread across Iris’s face despite herself.

Vanessa hooked her arm through Iris’s as though it was the most natural thing in the world. "Come on. If we don’t get inside soon, we’ll end up watching the game from the parking lot."

They continued walking until the familiar gates of Emerald Heights University arena came into view.

Students streamed through the entrance wearing green-and-silver Falcons jerseys, their excitement contagious enough to make even non-sports fans smile.

Music blasted from portable speakers set up outside the arena. Someone was already waving a massive Falcons flag above the crowd.

"I swear..." Zoey muttered. "You’d think the Super Bowl was happening."

"It kind of feels like it." Vanessa muttered.

The arena was packed by the time they found their seats. The energy inside was electric.

Students stomped their feet against the concrete stands while the university marching band filled the arena with booming drums and triumphant brass music.

Green banners hung from every railing and the Falcons’ mascot sprinted across the court, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Then the lights dimmed and a voice was heard from the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen..." The announcer’s booming voice echoed through the arena. "...please welcome your Emerald Heights Falcons!"

The crowd erupted.

One by one the Falcons players ran onto the court amid deafening applause. Each name was met with cheers.

Then... "And now..your captain, number Eleven...JASON MONTGOMERY!"

The arena erupted. Girls screamed and several students waved handmade signs with Jason’s name painted across them in glittering green letters.

Even a few professors sitting courtside couldn’t hide their smiles and joined in the applause.

When Jason Montgomery appeared last, captain’s armband wrapped proudly around his arm, the cheers became almost unbearable.

He jogged confidently onto the court, acknowledging the crowd with an easy smile before greeting his teammates.

Dressed in the Falcons’ green jersey trimmed with silver, he looked completely at home beneath the bright arena lights.

"There he is," Iris whispered, unable to stop herself from smiling.

Jason looked every bit the campus golden boy. He was tall and athletic. Dark blond hair damp with sweat from warmups.

A sharp jawline and a confident smile etched on his handsome face. He had the kind of effortless charm magazines loved putting on their covers.

Vanessa leaned toward Iris with a teasing smile. "I’ll admit it."

"What?"

"I almost understand why you’ve been hopelessly in love with him for three years."