The gym felt different after the tournament quieter like it was catching its breath The posters were still up but the colors already fading The crowd was gone the bleachers empty only the echo of what had happened still floating somewhere near the ceiling I walked in after class camera in my bag even though I didn’t plan to use it

Ryan was there of course sitting on the floor stretching one leg out tapping a basketball against the wall He looked up when I came in smiled the same way he always did small and easy I said you don’t take breaks do you He said breaks are overrated I said so is winning He laughed said maybe but it feels nice anyway

I sat beside him the wood warm from the lights He said I watched the footage last night you made me look better than I am I said you make it easy He said that’s because you only film the good parts I said maybe that’s all I see He turned his head at that like he was trying to read something in my face but I looked down at the floor instead

We played around for a bit he tossed me the ball said come on you owe me one last shot I said fine but you can’t laugh this time He said promise I threw it missed badly he laughed anyway said sorry couldn’t help it I pretended to glare but ended up laughing too

After a while we stopped talking The gym hummed with that late afternoon quiet the kind that holds everything still The air smelled faintly of rain again I could hear it tapping on the roof soft and steady Ryan looked up said perfect timing for your kind of day I said maybe the weather’s saying goodbye He said I didn’t think you liked endings I said I don’t He said me neither

He picked up the camera from my bag turned it toward us said let’s take one picture together I said I hate pictures He said then make it honest not perfect He held it out we leaned in the shutter clicked once small flash soft light nothing staged just us caught between laughter and quiet I didn’t even check the screen I didn’t need to

When the rain got heavier he walked me to the gate again the world gray and blurred He held the ball under his arm said the team’s taking a break after this week maybe I’ll try something new I said like what He said maybe teaching maybe just resting I said that’s allowed He smiled said maybe you’ll still visit the court I said maybe every day

We stood there longer than we should have water dripping from the roof puddles forming around our shoes He said you know every time I miss a shot I hear you laughing in my head I said that’s cruel He said no that’s how I know I can try again

He started walking backward down the path waving once said see you around I said see you around too He turned the corner and was gone The rain softened then stopped like the world decided to keep the silence for a while

That night I finally looked at the picture on the camera The image was a little blurry our faces half lit but his smile clear real the kind that doesn’t fade even when the lights go out I printed it out and pinned it next to his game photo The two of them together looked like motion and memory standing side by side

I turned off the lamp and sat there listening to the rain outside The court might be empty now but I could still hear the sound of sneakers the echo of a ball hitting the floor and his voice saying progress over and over until it didn’t sound like practice anymore but something closer to love