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    In the morning,


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    Ava''s sleep was disturbed by her phone''s loud ringtone. She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She tried opening one of her eyes to see who had called her.


    It was Debra''s call.


    She closed her eyes and pressed her phone to her ear.


    "Debra," she let out in a sleepy voice.


    "Where are you, babe?"


    Ava''s brows furrowed. "Where am I? In my house, in my bedroom, in my bed," she mumbled in a sleepy tone.


    "What! Babe, today is the final match. It''s close to 10 am. The match will start soon. How can you be on your bed at this time?"


    Ava''s eyes flung open, and she sat up on her bed.


    "Oh! Shit!"


    "Exactly!"


    "Do I have some time to take a shower and get ready?" Ava asked, turning her head left and right.


    "You have thirty minutes. Come on, hurry up!"


    "Okay, I''ming; bye."


    Ava hung up the phone and rushed to the bathroom. She took a quick shower and came out in a bathrobe.


    "Why didn''t Steph wake me up? He might have gotten up early and left," she murmured.


    She hurriedly opened the closet door and chose to wear a white t-shirt and ck tight jeans.


    She quickly dressed up, applied light makeup, wore white sneakers, and left the


    room.


    She went downstairs. The maids rushed behind her.


    "Don''t you want to have breakfast?" a maid asked.


    "I don''t have much time. Today is Brother''s final match," Ava replied and walked out of the


    house.


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    Ava told the driver to hurry up and get to the university.


    When Ava arrived at her campus, she was already ten minuteste.


    She got out of the car and started to walk faster. At that time, her phone rang, and she noticed it was Abigail.


    "I am on the way," Ava said the moment she received the call.


    "Okay, okay. We are in the front row. We are waiting for you," Abigail said.


    "Got it."


    Ava nced at the students passing her. She wondered why they didn''t go to watch the match.


    Then she realized that not everyone could get the tickets. All of the tickets sold out in less than twenty minutes, so not everyone had the opportunity to purchase


    one.


    Ava remembered Luke had reserved front-row seats for her and her friends in advance.


    Today was an important match for not only Luke but also his brother''s. She did not know whom she should root for. Luke was her close friend, and Stephen was her brother.


    She had known Luke for a long time. He came into her life and supported her that time when no other boy was there for her. Because of him, most people avoid bullying her. He was her friend when she used to be a nerd.


    She reached the basketball court and paused. She could see so many people sitting there. She looked around and found Abigail and Debra.


    They were waving at her.


    She walked up to them. They patted the seat in the middle of them for her. She


    sat on the seat and huffed.


    "You arete," Debra said.


    "I know, I know," Ava murmured.


    She looked at the scoreboard, which disyed the game''s current state.


    She noted that Team ck Diamond had already scored. Her gaze slowly shifted to the yers.


    She saw Stephen giving his best in the field. She smiled at him. She had never had a conversation with Stephen about basketball. It looked like he was very passionate about the match, or she could say it was the final match, so he was doing his best.


    She moved her gaze, and she saw Luke looking at her.


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    She waved at him with a smile. He smiled at her back and then focused on the match.


    "Who are you rooting for today?" Debra asked Ava.


    Ava furrowed her brows and turned to her. "Of course, Luke."


    "Really?" Abigail asked.


    Ava turned to Abigail and asked, "Why? Any doubt?"


    Abigail grinned at her and motioned her to the field. "Maybe there is another


    desires your rooting as well. That''s why he is looking at you."


    Ava turned her head and foundn looking at her.


    Their eyes met, and Ava''s heart started to beat faster.


    She looked away from him and cleared her throat, then replied to Abigail,


    "I don''t care. He is a stranger to me anyway."


    Both Abigail and Debra asked together,


    "STRANGER?"


    Ava ignored their gazes and murmured,


    "I talked to him, and we decided not to see each other again."


    "We? Or only you?" Abigail asked.


    person who


    Ava nced at her, then lowered her head. Debra wrapped her arm around her shoulder.


    "Babe, you know you love him."


    Ava shook her head. "No, I don''t."


    "How long do you keep telling lies to yourself, Ava?" Abigail asked.


    She moved closer to Ava and mumbled, "You know you still love. Why don''t you just give him a chance?"


    The game was going on, but the three friends were busy talking to each other while looking at the match. Their focus paused whenn tossed the ball into the basket.


    "And again, the ck Diamond!"


    The announcement and cheering were loud. The cheerleaders were dancing. While looking atn, they were chanting his name.


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    Ava scoffed atn when he nced at the cheerleaders.


    "I don''t trust him. If I give him a chance, he will break my heart again. So I decided


    to push him away from myself."


    "That''s impossible! He isn Dawson. He can''t stay away from what he wants," Debra said, staring atn.


    Ava rolled her eyes and nced at Luke, who looked worried for his team.


    She felt bad for Luke. She just hoped that Luke would win the match. It was more important to him than any


    other.


    "Ava, what did you say ton?" Abigail inquired from next to her.


    Ava let out a deep breath and replied,


    "That''s not important. I asked him to lose this match so he could prove to me that


    he truly loves me. But as we all can see, he can''t do that. So..."


    Abigail and Debra exchanged a quick look, and both yelled.


    "YOU DID WHAT?"