Chapter 5
The teasing didn’t stop. In fact, if anything, it intensified.
For the first few days after Nia and Winn had figured it out, Kara was a walking, talking ball of frustration. She’d tried to brush it off, to act like it didn’t matter, but every time Winn winked at her or Nia let out a suggestive “So, how’s Lena?”
She felt her face burn with embarrassment. But as the days wore on, Kara started to realize something: it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Sure, Winn would still give her a nudge and say, “You know, if you just told Lena how you felt, it might actually work out,” and Nia would flash her a teasing smile every time they passed Lena in the halls, but it wasn’t constant.
It wasn’t every single second of every single day. And as the teasing Karame more of a background hum to her daily life, something else happened. Kara relaxed again, regained focus.
And maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t so terrible. In fact, her practice sessions became easier. The stress that had been eating away at her every time she tried to focus on a game disappeared. She was back in the zone, her shots going effortlessly into the basket, her dribbles smoother than ever. She’d refocused on what mattered—basketball—instead of the confusing mess of her feelings for someone who wouldn’t even acknowledge her existence half the time.
Winn noticed the change. “Look at you,” she teased one afternoon, throwing a towel around Kara’s neck after practice. “Back to the star of the basketball queen. I swear, you’re shooting like you’ve got a chip on your shoulder.”
Kara smirked, rubbing the back of her neck. “Maybe I do. My friends won’t stop talking about my nonexistent crush on Lena, so I guess it’s making me angrier on the court.”
Winn laughed. “We’re just looking out for you, Kara. And, you know, enjoying the show.” Nia had been no better. During lunch, she gave Kara a wide grin as she sat down across from her. “So, do you ever accidentally glance at Lena and think, ‘Hmm, maybe Winn’s right’? You know, about telling her how you feel?” Kara rolled her eyes, reaching for her water bottle. “You are insufferable, Nia.”
Even though Nia and Winn had calmed down with the teasing, one thing hadn’t changed: Kara was still avoiding Lena like the plague.
Every time they crossed paths in the halls, Kara would look away, quickening her pace. She’d almost given herself a heart attack the other day when Lena had unexpectedly walked into the gym during practice. Lena had stayed by the bleachers, watching for a few minutes, but Kara had made sure to never, ever meet her gaze.
She refused. She had no idea how to act around Lena. Sure, she was avoiding her Because it was easier, but deep down, Kara didn’t want to know what would happen if they actually talked again. And if she pretended hard enough, she could almost convince herself she didn’t care.
But then there were moments—like when she caught a glimpse of Lena laughing with some other students, her voice light and carefree—that made Kara’s heart lurch. Just breathe, Danvers, Kara would tell herself. Focus on the game.
Focus on the team. Focus on anything but Lena. So, she did. And slowly but surely, she found herself back on track. The stress was gone, the anxiety had faded, and for the first time in a while, Kara felt like herself again.
Kara had gotten used to the routine. Get through practice, stay focused on her game, get teased by Winn and Nia, avoid Lena. She had this down to a science—at least, she thought she did.
But life had a way of throwing curveballs, and Kara was about to be hit right in the face with one.
When Kara had a free period, she always tried to fills those hours doing what she did best: basketball. Kara had just finished a grueling two-hour basketball practice, her body sore from the non-stop drills and her mind still whirring with the adrenaline of the game. As the final whistle blew, she grabbed her water bottle, taking a long swig as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief—it was her escape, the only place where everything else faded away.
She made her way toward the locker room, the cool air hitting her skin. As usual, the locker room was a quiet retreat after the chaos of practice. Kara didn’t mind the solitude; she enjoyed the time to herself. What she hadn’t anticipated was what came next. The door to the locker room clicked open, and a pair of heels echoed against the floor. Kara’s heart slammed in her chest. She didn’t need to look to know who it was.
Lena Luthor.
Kara had just pulled her hoodie over her head when Lena walked in. She exhaled sharply, bracing herself for what was coming.
"You're avoiding me."
The words were quiet but carried a weight that made Kara freeze mid-movement, her hands still gripping the fabric of her hoodie. She didn’t dare turn around to face Lena, but her stomach dropped. It wasn’t even a question; it was a statement.
"I’m not avoiding you," Kara muttered, her voice hoarse from practice, even though she wasn’t sure why she was defending herself.
But Lena, being Lena, was already a step ahead. She took a slow, deliberate step closer, her heels clicking on the floor as if she were measuring her every move. Kara could feel Lena’s presence behind her, intense and unrelenting.
“Yes, you are.” Lena’s voice was low but firm, the kind of voice that left no room for argument. “You haven’t looked at me once for weeks, almost like you're pretending I’m invisible.”
Kara’s heart rate picked up at the mention of her avoidance. Of course Lena had noticed. Why wouldn’t she? Everyone in the school either looked at her or adored her, and for Kara, who had always prided herself on being invisible to people like Lena, the fact that she could no longer avoid her was starting to get under her skin. The knot in her stomach tightened.
She had never been great at dealing with confrontations, especially not with people like Lena, who seemed to have all the power in the world to make anyone feel like a mere speck.
She had to be careful with her words. Too careful. Kara knew she wasn’t ready to admit what was really going on in her head.
“I’m just focused on my game,” Kara tried, her voice a little too defensive. "Nothing personal, okay?"
Lena didn't respond immediately, and for a moment, Kara thought maybe she had backed off. But when Lena finally spoke again, her tone was softer, but still just as piercing.
"You really think I’m going to believe that?" Lena asked, a slight edge to her voice. "You’ve been avoiding me for weeks. And I’m the one person in this whole school that’s supposed to be... beneath you, right?"
Kara’s throat tightened. She could feel Lena’s eyes burning into the back of her head, but she refused to meet them. She knew if she did, Lena would see right through her—see the way her heart had been pounding every time Lena walked into the room, the way Kara couldn’t stop looking at her when she thought no one was watching.
"I don’t know what you want me to say, Lena," Kara muttered, her fingers tugging anxiously at the hem of her hoodie. “We’ve never really talked. And you don’t care about me. So why would it matter if I’m looking at you or not?” There was a brief pause—an unsettling silence that stretched between them—and Kara dared to glance sideways, just enough to catch a glimpse of Lena's reflection in the mirror.
Lena’s expression wasn’t one of anger. It wasn’t even annoyance. It was something else—something unreadable, but there was no mistaking the intensity of her gaze. She was studying Kara, almost like she was trying to figure her out.
"Don’t tell me you’re really ignoring me for no reason,” Lena said, stepping closer still, so close now that Kara could feel the weight of her presence like a magnet. “You’re not the type of person who just ignores someone for nothing. Not when everyone else is falling over themselves to be around me. So what is it? What’s your deal?”
Kara wanted to say something snarky, something dismissive. She wanted to push Lena away the way she had done to everyone else her entire life. But when she opened her mouth, the words died on her lips.
The truth? No. No way in hell. She wasn’t ready to confront the real reason she was avoiding Lena. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and for a moment, all Kara could do was shake her head, a half-hearted attempt at shrugging off the weight of Lena’s gaze. "I don’t have a deal with you. And I don’t owe you anything."
Lena’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. There was no anger in it. Just the barest trace of something else—a flicker of amusement, maybe, or maybe something else entirely.
“You know, it’s cute how you think you can ignore me forever,” Lena said casually, as if the world was her playground, and Kara was just another pawn she could toy with. “But I don’t think you’re fooling anyone. Least of all me.” Kara’s pulse thudded in her ears. She wanted to scream at Lena. She wanted to tell her off, to tell her that she was fooling her, and everyone else, too. But all the words stuck in her throat.
“Look,” Lena continued, her voice still soft but unyielding, “I’m not asking for your attention. Not really. But pretending I don’t exist? That’s not how this works. Not with me. . I'm Lena Luthor, and no one usually avoids me—especially not someone like you.”
With that, Lena turned and walked out of the locker room, leaving Kara standing there, breathless and reeling, as the weight of the conversation pressed down on her chest.
The locker room door clicked shut behind Lena, leaving Kara alone in the stillness, her breath shallow and uneven. Her mind was racing. Every word Lena had said echoed in her head, replaying over and over again like a broken record. Kara’s heart was pounding so loudly, it was hard to focus on anything else.
She hadn’t meant for it to go like this. She had been so careful, trying so hard to keep her feelings buried, trying to ignore the fact that every time Lena walked into a room, her chest would tighten, her stomach would flutter, and her thoughts would scatter.
Lena had seen through her—she could tell. And now Kara had to figure out what to do with the mess of feelings that she couldn’t keep hidden any longer.
By the time she got home, Kara was exhausted, but her mind was still reeling. She’d barely talked to Lena in months but somehow, everything had changed. Her thoughts kept circling back to Lena's words: You’re avoiding me, and I’m not sure why.
Why?
It was simple, wasn’t it? Kara had been avoiding Lena Because she liked her. And, somewhere deep down, Kara was terrified that if she let Lena too close, things would get out of hand. But the truth was sitting heavy on her chest. Lena had caught on. She knew something was going on.
And that meant Kara couldn’t run from it anymore.
--
The next day at school, Kara tried her best to act normal. She walked through the hallways, made her way through class, and kept her head down like she usually did—but everything felt off. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation in the locker room.
The way Lena had stood so close to her, the way her voice had sounded when she asked about Kara avoiding her. Kara had been certain she could keep her distance, but now... now she wasn’t so sure.
When lunchtime came, Nia and Winn were already sitting at their usual table, looking way too pleased with themselves. Kara knew exactly what was coming. She was still trying to pretend it didn’t bother her, but the teasing was inevitable. Nia’s grin was practically stretching across her face as she spotted Kara walking toward them. "Spill," Nia said, practically bouncing in her seat. "What did she say? I heard she followed you into the locker room? Tell me everything. Did she finally talk to you?".
Kara shot her a glare, but Nia was beyond unbothered by it. Winn raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smirk, clearly entertained by her discomfort.
Kara groaned internally, but she just slumped into the chair, doing her best to look nonchalant. "She just asked me why I was avoiding her," Kara muttered, stabbing her salad a little too aggressively. "It wasn’t a big deal."
Nia’s grin stretched even wider. "Oh, it's definitely a big deal. You’ve been avoiding her for weeks Because you’re deeply in love with her.".
Kara glanced around the cafeteria, praying that no one was overhearing this. “I don’t have a crush on lena, you guys seriously need to stop.I just- I’ve been trying to lay low, you know? I didn’t want any drama. And then, of course, she noticed, and now... I don’t know what to do with that."”. Winn snickered. "Yeah, that’s what happens when you act all weird and skittish around someone. They start asking questions."
Kara rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the helpful advice, Winn," she deadpanned, reaching for her sandwich, trying to avoid the intense gazes of her friends.
Nia leaned forward, her voice dropping into a mock-serious tone. "Oh, it’s cute," she said, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "But we all know what’s going on here. You’ve got it bad, Kara."
Jeez, can’t they just let it go already?
"I do not have it bad," Kara shot back quickly, her face warming slightly. "I’m just trying to survive high school, okay? And Lena Luthor is just... one of those obstacles." Winn chuckled. "Right, Because avoiding the queen of the school is totally part of the plan." He raised an eyebrow. "Nice try though."
Nia leaned in, her expression almost too smug. "I think Kara’s trying to be subtle, but it's really not working. You’re all over the place. It’s cute, really. You’re like a little love-sick puppy."
"I am not a puppy," Kara snapped, her voice louder than she meant. She hated how they could always read her so easily. "And I’m not avoiding her Because I’m in love with her or whatever you think." Kara sighed, leaning back and crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "I don’t have a crush on her," she repeated, like a mantra. "I’m just—" She threw her hands up in frustration. "I don’t know! I’m just trying not to make it weird."
Winn gave her a pointed look. "If you’re trying not to make it weird, then why are you acting so weird? You're practically allergic to Lena’s presence."
Nia and Winn exchanged a look that said it all. They were having way too much fun at Kara’s expense.
"So," Nia continued, her tone almost sing-song now, "what really happened when you two were alone in the locker room? Did she make a move? Or was it just some intense eye contact that made you short-circuit?"
Kara groaned, feeling her face flush even more. "Nothing happened. Literally nothing. It was just a dumb conversation." She avoided their stares, focusing on picking at her food, but her mind was racing. This was a nightmare. The more they teased, the harder it Karame to stick to her story.
Nia leaned back with a wicked grin. "Sure, Kara. Nothing happened. Except Lena, the queen of the school, cornering you and making you sweat. If you say so."
Winn chuckled, clearly enjoying Kara’s discomfort. "You’re making it way worse by denying it, you know that? Just admit it—Lena’s got you all tangled up. We get it."
"I do not have a crush on her!" Kara exclaimed, now fully red in the face. She quickly lowered her voice, feeling embarrassed by the outburst. "Can we just... not talk about this anymore?"
Nia winked. "Oh, we’ll drop it for now," she said, "but don’t think this is over. We’re definitely coming back to this."
Winn gave her a playful poke. "Yeah, and next time, Kara, maybe try not to act like you’re avoiding her Because you’re in love with her. You’re not fooling anyone."
Kara let out a loud sigh, realizing there was no escaping it.
Kara had managed to survive the rest of lunch without any more relentless teasing, but the damage was done. Nia and Winn were convinced they had her all figured out, and worst of all, maybe they did.
The rest of the school day passed in a blur, but Kara was painfully aware of Lena’s presence, no matter how much she tried not to be. She saw her in the hallway between classes, laughing with her friends, looking effortlessly confident as always.
She spotted her across the gym during free period, casually tossing a basketball back and forth with another student. It was infuriating how easily Lena fit into every space she occupied. Kara, on the other hand, was struggling to even exist normally at this point.
She wasn’t sure if it was just in her head, but Lena seemed to be glancing her way more than usual. Every time Kara caught her eye, she would quickly look away, her stomach twisting into knots. This was bad. She needed to get a grip before she completely spiraled.
Kara thought she had made it through the day unscathed, but her luck ran out when she walked into the gym after school, intending to squeeze in some extra practice. She had just started dribbling when a voice interrupted her focus.
"Still avoiding me?"
Kara nearly fumbled the ball. She turned and, of course, there was Lena, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing at her lips.
"Jesus, do you have a tracker on me or something?" Kara muttered, gripping the ball tighter than necessary.
Lena laughed softly, pushing off the wall and walking toward her. "I don’t need a tracker to know when someone’s been acting weird around me."
Kara sighed, bouncing the ball a few times to avoid looking at her directly. "I’m not acting weird."
"Oh, come on," Lena said, tilting her head. "You can’t seriously expect me to believe that."
Kara clenched her jaw. "Maybe I just don’t have anything to say to you."
Lena raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "That’s funny, considering we’ve never actually talked before. And now, all of a sudden, you’re avoiding me like I’m some kind of plague."
Kara swallowed hard, hating how perceptive Lena was. She forced a scoff. "Not everything is about you, you know."
Lena’s smirk faltered for just a second before she shrugged. "I know that. But it is kind of weird, isn’t it? You don’t like me, fine. But why do you care so much about pretending I don’t exist?"
Kara stiffened. "I don’t care."
"Right," Lena drawled, unconvinced. "Because you definitely don’t care at all. That’s why you tense up every time I’m around. Why you can’t even look me in the eye."
Kara’s heart pounded, frustration bubbling under her skin. Why did Lena care? Everyone looked up to her, adored her, practically bowed at her feet. So what if Kara didn’t? Why was that such a big deal?
Lena took another step forward, her voice softer now. "Look, I don’t know what your deal is, but you don’t have to pretend I don’t exist. If you hate me, just say it."
Kara’s head snapped up, startled. "What? I don’t—"
Lena shrugged, but there was something guarded in her eyes. "It’d be easier, wouldn’t it? Then at least I’d know why you can’t even look at me."
Kara opened her mouth, then closed it. There was no good answer here. She couldn’t tell Lena the truth—that looking at her made Kara’s heart do things it had no business doing. That Lena wasn’t some untouchable queen in Kara’s mind, but instead, the one person who had somehow taken up way too much space in her thoughts. She couldn’t say any of that.
So instead, she muttered, "I don’t hate you."
Lena studied her for a long moment, like she was trying to read between the lines. Then, to Kara’s absolute horror, a slow smirk spread across her lips. "Okay. Good to know."
Kara groaned internally. Whatever game Lena was playing, Kara was losing. Badly.
Lena took a step back, still smirking. "See you around, Danvers."
And with that, she turned and walked out of the gym, leaving Kara standing there, completely and utterly screwed.
When Kara met up with Nia and Winn later that evening, they immediately knew something was up. Nia took one look at her and gasped dramatically. "Oh my God, something happened."
"Nothing happened," Kara lied, shoving a fry in her mouth as if that would end the conversation.
Winn narrowed her eyes. "You have that look."
"What look?" Kara asked, exasperated.
"The ‘Lena just messed with my brain’ look," Winn replied smugly. "I’d recognize it anywhere."
Nia clapped her hands together, her eyes practically sparkling. "Tell us everything. Right now."
Kara groaned, sinking further into her seat. She was never going to live this down.
But, as much as she wanted to deny it, there was no escaping the truth anymore.
Lena Luthor was officially in her head. And Kara had no idea how to deal with it.