Orson paused, stunned, before quickly turning to chase Ashton, blocking him with tight defense.
Ashton’s gaze remained calm and composed. He raised his hand and shot the ball, the speed making Orson pause again.
Swish—the ball arced perfectly through the air and dropped through the net without touching the rim!
For a moment, the air felt frozen in place.
George’s brows furrowed, his deep eyes fixed on Ashton.
That guy…
Was this really his first time playing?
Avira Nassy, however, smiled faintly.
Her grin was lazy and beautiful, but there was a devilish amusement lurking in her mist-shrouded eyes.
This really was a rare find.
That kid might just be… a genius.
“You won,” Orson said with a smile, extending a hand toward Ashton. Leaning in close to his ear, he added with a chuckle, “But… Nassy is mine.”
His words carried an undeniable authority despite the smile.
Ashton shook his hand with no change in expression, then turned to Avira Nassy, eyes shining with a childlike eagerness for approval.
“I… won…” he murmured, approaching her, his smile as pure as a white lotus.
His silver-blue eyes glistened, looking as innocent as a young fawn, sprinkled with stardust from the night sky. “Together…”
“Mm…” Avira gently tilted her head and, to his delight, patted his hair. “Let’s play basketball… together.”
Orson stared wide-eyed at Avira, feeling indignant. He had never been treated so gently!
Ashton’s gaze lingered there.
In that fleeting moment, he thought he caught the faint fragrance from her—a scent reminiscent of a blooming black mandrake.
Her touch still lingered on his hair, and a faint blush spread across his pale cheeks.
I really like Avira…
I like her more than anything in this world…
Orson, noticing this, narrowed his peach blossom eyes, a flash of displeasure crossing his gaze too swiftly to catch.
Afternoon classes ended in a flash.
Under countless watchful eyes, Avira retained her usual languid demeanor, strolling nonchalantly toward the school gates.
To others, she was a mesmerizing enigma.
Girls walking beside her couldn’t help but be captivated, trailing behind with reluctant steps.
Some were drawn by her striking beauty, while others remembered the way she had behaved so boldly with Orson yesterday at noon.
Despite being only 165 cm tall, she had taken down the head of the karate club, Voldemort, in a single move. Rumor had it that she was incredible at slam dunks, and this new transfer student had swiftly become the center of attention at Eastwest Academy.
By now, everyone knew Avira Nassy’s name.
And they also knew about her audacious behavior in the gym that day.
Because of Orson’s influence, the number of cheerleaders for the basketball club had skyrocketed, boosting its popularity beyond all other clubs. Even some of
Orson’s male admirers had signed up for the basketball club.
However, while they had plenty of members, only Orson Flynn and George Backer were capable players. With Avira Nassy joining, Ashton’s performance was too inconsistent to rely on, and the others simply couldn’t match their level.
And despite the new surge in interest, no teacher was willing to take on the unpredictable chaos of managing the basketball club.
Avira walked slowly, her gaze downcast.
The setting sun’s light reflected in her eyes, making her look even more drowsy.
If the competition was to go off without a hitch, she really…
Glancing at the documents in her hand, she sighed slightly.
Without Ash…
It simply wouldn’t work.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice when her shoulder brushed against a boy who was walking toward her, and she almost kept going.
“Hey! Shorty!”
Beyond the white pages, a pair of shoes appeared in her view.
Avira blinked slowly, raising her head to find a group of boys blocking her path.
The boy in the lead lifted his chin slightly, giving her a disdainful sidelong glance. “Well, well, I was wondering who was so blind… Turns out it’s a member of that trash club.”
Avira tilted her head, puzzled. “Hmm… What do you want?”
“Nothing much, just can’t stand you,” he said, crossing his arms, his voice dripping with scorn and mockery.
“I mean, you look so pale and delicate, like a girl. And there’s a rumor that Orson is gay. Did you… maybe use some shady method to bribe him into joining your garbage club?”
