*Chapter 4: Accidental Save*
Friday, 10 AM. Business Strategy Class.
Dean Torres had everyone in a circle. “Quick presentations. 2 minutes. Sell me your draft idea.”
Lily hated impromptu speaking. She liked scripts. Slides. Prep time.
Zach didn’t care. He could talk his way out of anything.
One by one, students went. Then it was Lily’s turn.
She stood. USB in hand. Laptop open to their _EcoRoute_ deck. She got three words out:
Lily: “Good morning. Our—”
Her voice died.
It happened sometimes when she was stressed. Her throat would close. Blank. 40 people staring. Dean watching. And across the circle, Zach.
She gripped the laptop. Her hands were shaking.
Dean:“Miss Reyes?”
Dean prompted.
Nothing came out. Her face went red.
From across the room, Zach stood up. No warning.
Zach:“Uh, Dean, can I?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He walked over, took the clicker from her frozen hand. His fingers brushed hers. Cold.
Lily looked up at him, panicked.
Lily:_What are you doing?_
Zach didn’t look at her. He looked at the class.
Zach:“Our project is called _EcoRoute_.”
His voice was steady. Casual. Like he’d rehearsed it.
He clicked. Slide 1. Their logo.
Lily:“For the next 2 minutes, I’m Lily.”
He shot her a tiny smirk.
Lily:“And she’s me. Deal?”
A few people laughed. The tension broke.
Lily exhaled. She didn’t sit down. She stood beside him.
Zach ran through the deck. Fast, confident, but he used all her words. Her data. Her phrasing. “As Lily outlined in our research…” “The rural impact numbers here are hers…”
He gave her the credit. Every time.
At 2:01, he stopped. “And that’s _EcoRoute_. Thank you.”
The class clapped. Dean nodded.
Dean: “Good recovery, Mr. Alvarez. Miss Reyes, you okay?”
Lily found her voice. Small, but there.
Lily: “Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Class ended. People filed out.
Lily stopped Zach at the door.
Lily: “You didn’t have to do that.”
He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. Lily:“You would’ve done it for me. Maybe.”
“I would’ve,” she said honestly.
He looked surprised by that.
Zach:“Huh.”
She held out the USB.
Lily:“We’re even now. For the granola bar too.”
He took it, but didn’t leave. “You freeze a lot?”
Lily:“Only when I care too much,”
she admitted. Then realized what she said.
Lily:“I— I have to go to the council room.”
She walked off fast.
Zach watched her go. He was still holding the USB tight.
Later that day, a note was in her council folder. No name. Just Zach’s messy handwriting:
_For future freezes: Breathe. 4 seconds in. 4 out. It works. -Z_
She kept it. Tucked it in her planner.
*End of Chapter 4*
*Chapter 5: His World*
Saturday. 6 PM. Saint Augustine Gym.
Lily was not a “sports person.” She was a “bring-a-book-to-the-game” person.
But _EcoRoute_ needed a “team-building + community engagement” section for the deck. And Dean’s exact words were: “Get out of the library, Miss Reyes. Talk to people.”
So she was here. Blazer over jeans. Clipboard in hand. Looking completely out of place.
The gym was loud. Varsity jerseys everywhere. Chanting. Sneakers squeaking.
And at center court, Zach.
He was different here. No smirk. No attitude. Just focused. Sweat on his forehead, jersey #7, calling plays. When he scored, the whole gym exploded.
Game ended. 78-64. Win.
Zach spotted her the second he walked off the court. He froze mid-towel. “Reyes? What are you doing here?”
“Market research,” she said, holding up her clipboard like a shield. “For EcoRoute. I need to observe… team dynamics. And… your audience.”
He blinked. Then laughed. Actually laughed. “You came to a game for homework.”
“It’s for the competition.”
“Right.” He ran a hand through his wet hair. “Give me 10 minutes. Don’t leave.”
He came back in a hoodie and slides, hair still damp. “Come on.”
He dragged her past the stands to the bleachers. Sat her down next to his team.
“Guys, this is Lily. She’s… helping with a project.” He didn’t say “enemy.” He didn’t say “hate her.” He just said “helping.”
His teammates nodded. One tossed her a bottle of water. “You Zach’s tutor or something?”
Lily choked on air. “No—”
“Something like that,” Zach cut in, fast.
For the next hour, she watched. Zach wasn’t the campus bad boy here. He was the captain who remembered everyone’s name. Who gave a first-year a pep talk after he missed a shot. Who split his post-game Gatorade with the benchwarmer who never played.
“Why’d you do that?” she asked him after. They were walking out, gym emptying.
“Do what?”
“Share your drink. Cheer for Mateo when he sat the whole game.”
Zach kicked a rock. “Because someone did it for me when I was 15 and riding the bench. You don’t forget that.”
Lily stopped walking. “I thought… I thought you didn’t care about anyone but yourself.”
He looked at her. Really looked. Under the gym lights, he didn’t look like Alvarez Holdings’ heir. He just looked 20. Tired. Real.
“Maybe you don’t know me,” he said quietly.
She didn’t have an answer for that.
At the exit, his teammate Marco yelled, “Yo, Zach! Who’s the girl? She’s kinda—”
“Shut up, Marco,” Zach said, but he wasn’t mad. His ears were red again.
He walked Lily to the gate. “Thanks. For coming.”
“Thanks. For… not being a jerk for 5 minutes,” she replied.
He grinned. “I’m keeping score. You’re down to 4 minutes now.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling when she left.
On the bus ride home, she opened her notes. Under _Team Dynamics_ she wrote: _He leads with people, not just plays._
And under that, in smaller letters: _Maybe I was wrong about him._
*End of Chapter 5*
By:Hazel faith (zhouixie)
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