It had become a routine for Shawn. After school, once his homework was done, he would head out to the neighborhood basketball court. He had always played here as a kid, but lately, something had drawn him back to it. The rhythm of the game was soothing in its own way—dribbling, passing, shooting. It gave him space to think, to clear his mind.
Today was no different. He met up with a few friends from his neighborhood, all eager for a quick game. Shawn hadn't played much recently, but somehow, he found himself in the zone almost immediately. With each shot, the ball swooshed through the net. His aim was spot on, and his confidence grew with every three-point shot he made.
"Man, you're on fire today!" one of his friends called out, laughing as he missed a shot while Shawn sunk another basket.
"Guess I'm just feeling it today," Shawn said with a grin, shaking hands with his teammates after the game. He was enjoying himself more than he expected, the adrenaline from the game giving him a sense of freedom he hadn't felt in a while. As the final whistle blew, they all exchanged high-fives, joking around, and heading off in different directions.
Shawn walked back home, his sneakers thudding against the pavement, still buzzing from the game. It was nice to get some exercise and clear his head.
When he entered his house, he was greeted by the familiar scent of dinner wafting from the kitchen. He smiled, knowing exactly who was in there.
"Grandma, you cooking up another feast?" he called out, his voice light with teasing.
His grandmother poked her head out of the kitchen with a playful look on her face. "You bet I am! Someone's gotta keep you kids fed," she said, flipping a pancake in the skillet.
Shawn walked into the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a grin. "You really should open a restaurant, Grandma. You cook better than anyone I know."
His grandmother chuckled, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe I will, but only if you promise to be my taste tester."
Shawn laughed, but then his grandmother turned more serious, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as she set the spatula down. "So, tell me, Shawn... Have you seen Amber lately?" she asked casually.
Shawn froze for a second, the mention of Amber catching him off guard. His mind flashed to the last time they'd spent time together, walking home from his place, and that sense of warmth that had lingered between them. He shook it off quickly, though, not wanting his grandmother to notice anything too obvious.
"Uh, no... not really. Just, you know, school stuff," he replied, trying to sound casual. He didn't want to dive into it. His grandmother gave him a knowing look but didn't press further.
After dinner, Shawn did his usual chores—washing the dishes, tidying up the living room—and then sat down to wait for his mother to return home from her shift at the hospital. It was quiet, the house humming softly with the peacefulness of a routine evening.
Bored and with some time to kill, Shawn grabbed his phone. He absentmindedly opened Instagram and, without thinking too much, typed Amber's name in the search bar. Her profile popped up, and before he could stop himself, he clicked on it, scrolling through her photos. Her posts were filled with photos of her travels, some of her with friends, others capturing moments from her debates.
He couldn't help but smile as he looked through them. There was something about Amber's confidence and the way she carried herself that made him smile without realizing it.
He lost track of time, scrolling through her feed, enjoying the quiet glimpse into her life. It wasn't until he heard the front door open that he snapped out of it. His mother had arrived home, her tired but warm smile greeting him as she stepped inside.
"What's got you smiling, Shawn?" she asked, walking past him to hang up her coat. She raised an eyebrow in amusement.
Shawn froze, his heart skipping a beat. "What?" he stammered, his face flushing.
Shawn's eyes widened in panic as he glanced down at his phone, realizing that in his absent-minded scrolling, he had accidentally followed Amber's profile.
"Uh, I—I didn't mean to," he mumbled, looking anywhere but at his mother.
Shawn groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is so embarrassing."
Shawn sat there, his heart still racing, his phone in his hands. He didn't know what this meant, but for some reason, the thought of Amber—of everything between them—made him feel a little lighter.