Loving Knight: Book One of the Cresswell Series

3. ALIYAH

After what had felt like centuries, the first day of classes was finally over.

I tread down the hallway of the science building, destined to get through those glass double doors and to the cafe or any other food place, when a flyer thumb tacked to the wall stops me in my tracks, catching my attention.

An audition flyer for the dance team, CRESSWELL ALL STARS printed in bold letters at the top. I pull out my phone from the back pocket of my jeans, taking a picture of the flyer.

“So, you’re interested in joining the dance team?”

The voice behind me makes me jump. I turn around, seeing a girl standing in front of me, holding more of the flyers. She chuckles, moving some of her red locks to sit in front of her shoulder. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “Yeah, I’m interested in joining the dance team.”

“Well, you’re in luck.” The girl holds out her hand to me. “Brooke. I’m the captain.”

I shake her hand. “Aliyah. Nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” Brooke says. “Well, as it says on the flyer, tryouts are next week. Hopefully I’ll see you there.” She starts to walk off when she turns back around, coming back towards me. “Actually, I think I’ve seen you before.”

“Really?” I ask. “This is my first time meeting you.”

Brooke studies my face a little before gasping. “Now I remember. You were with Deion during orientation.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m best friends with his sister.”

Brooke’s demeanor changes a little bit. “Oh. That’s nice. Gives you a clear advantage, doesn’t it? Being best friends with the sister of the quarterback of Cresswell.”

My face changes into an expression of confusion. I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant by her words when she cut me off. “Again, hope to see you at tryouts next week.” Brooke gives me a not so genuine looking smile along with a small wave goodbye before leaving, leaving me a bit taken aback by her words to me.

Brooke’s words still stuck with me as I left the science building, making my way to the cafeteria. ‘A clear advantage? What did she mean by that?’ I was still distracted on my venture when Kira’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Aliyah!” I turn around, Kira smiling as she catches up to me. “Hey. How did your first day of classes go?”

“They went okay,” I told her, “The professors just went over the syllabus for their classes for the rest of the semester. Although being in the same English class as Deion is gonna be the death of me.”

“Hey. I had to deal with him for the last nineteen years of my life. He’s in your hands now,” she jokes. “But all jokes aside, I don’t think sharing a class with Deion will be all bad.”

“Says the girl who doesn’t have any classes with him.” I run a hand through my curls. “By the way, I met the captain of the dance team.”

“Did you?”

I nod. “Yeah. Her name’s Brooke.” I contemplated a bit on telling Kira what Brooke had said to me, but I held back. “She seems nice.”

Kira hummed. “Gotta watch out for the ones who seem nice.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” We continue on our way to the cafeteria when Jennie runs up to us, a huge smile plastered to her face.

“Guys! Guess what just happened?”