Chapter 1
Kara Danvers was the kind of name that echoed through the halls of Midvale High. Not because she was loud or craved attention—quite the opposite, actually. It was because she was everywhere. On the court, sinking impossible three-pointers.
In the gym, leading the team to yet another championship. In the cafeteria, laughing with her friends, effortlessly cool in a way she didn’t even try to be. Kara was the school’s golden girl—the one who got high-fives from teachers, nods of respect from students, and adoring glances from freshmen who barely had the courage to speak to her.
Her talent on the basketball court made her a household name, her presence demanding attention whether she wanted it or not.
But if there was one person immune to her presence, it was Lena Luthor. Lena, with her flawless smirks, designer jackets, and the effortless way she could make someone feel invisible with just a glance. The queen bee of Midvale, the girl who walked the halls like she owned them. If Kara was the school’s star, Lena was its ruler.
And for some reason, Lena seemed to have a personal vendetta against her.
wasn’t bullying—not exactly. Lena never shoved her into lockers or spread nasty rumors. But she never acknowledged Kara, either.
No eye contact, no greetings, no reaction to the hype that surrounded her.
Even when they passed in the hall, Lena would barely flick her gaze toward Kara, as if she were just another face in the crowd.
As if the school’s biggest star didn’t exist at all. It was infuriating. Maybe that’s why Kara cared so much.
Maybe that’s why, despite knowing it was ridiculous, she kept glancing Lena’s way, kept waiting for some kind of reaction. Because it wasn’t just cold indifference—sometimes, when Kara caught her staring, there was something else in Lena’s eyes.
Something unreadable.
But before Kara could even begin to decipher it, Lena would roll her eyes, toss her perfect hair over her shoulder, and walk away as if Kara were nothing. And that drove Kara absolutely crazy.
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Kara had never been the loudest in her family. That title belonged to her older sister, Alex, whose personality was as big as her aspirations. Where Alex was the life of every room she entered, Kara was the quiet observer, the one who took everything in before deciding how to react.
Their parents were the kind of people who believed in hard work above all else. Her dad worked long hours as a mechanic, always coming home with grease-stained hands and a tired smile. Her mom was a docter who somehow managed to juggle long shifts and still make it to every one of Kara’s games.
They weren’t rich, but they never made her feel like she was missing anything. From the moment she could walk, Kara had been chasing after her sister, trying to prove she could keep up.
Whether it was riding bikes down steep hills, climbing trees that were definitely too tall, or joining pickup basketball games at the neighborhood court, she was always right behind her, determined not to be left out.
And Alex? She never went easy on her.
"You want to play with the big kids?" She’d say, spinning the basketball on his finger. "Then you better learn to keep up, squirt." At first, she couldn’t keep up.
She was smaller, slower, and every time she tried to steal the ball, Alex would effortlessly dodge her, laughing as she stumbled. But Kara didn’t believe in quitting.
She practiced every day, dribbling until her hands ached, running drills she made up in the driveway, watching every basketball game she could just to study how the pros moved. Then one day, she stole the ball from Alex for the first time.
She could still remember the stunned look on her face when she sprinted past her and made the shot. "Not bad" she had said. But from that day on, she started really playing against her.
No more holding back. Middle school was when basketball became more than just a way to prove herself to Alex. It became everything. Her first real team tryout was nerve-wracking. She had never played with a coach, never had to run structured plays or memorize signals.
But as soon as she stepped onto the court, it all faded away. The world outside didn’t matter—only the game did. She made the team.
And from then on, Kara Danvers wasn’t just playing in the driveway—she was leading. Basketball was her safe place.
When things at home were tense—when money was tight, when her parents were stressed, when Alex left for college, leaving behind a house that suddenly felt quieter—it was the court that made everything feel okay.
She loved the rush of the game, the strategy behind every pass, the feeling of the ball leaving her fingertips in a perfect arc toward the hoop. She loved the certainty of it. No matter what else was happening in her life, basketball was always there, always hers.
By the time she hit high school, she wasn’t just good. She was the best
In high school, she became unstoppable. Quick on her feet, sharp instincts, a natural leader—coaches loved her, teammates respected her, and the school worshipped her.
p>Every game felt like home, every shot a heartbeat, every victory another reminder that she was made for this. Basketball was her escape, her safe place, the one thing that never let her down.
Midvale High was quick to claim her as their golden girl. By junior year, Kara was captain of the team, MVP of every season, and the name people whispered when they talked about who would take them to state championships.
She was competitive, determined, and always on. People saw her as cool, confident—the girl who never cracked under pressure.
But the truth?
She had spent so long being the best that she didn’t know who she was outside of it.
Sure, she had Winn and Nia now. She had her team. She had the school’s admiration. But sometimes, she wondered if anyone actually knew her, or if they just knew the idea of Kara Danvers—the star athlete, the girl who always won.
She never let herself think about it for too long. Thinking too much led to doubt, and doubt had no place on the court. So she kept moving forward, kept playing, kept winning. Because if there was one thing Kara Danvers knew, it was how to keep pushing forward.