The alarm buzzed at 6 AM, just like it had every Monday for months. But everything felt different now. Tristain rolled out of bed in his room at the Sayanas', checking his phone out of habit. 47,000 new notifications overnight.
Forty-seven thousand. This is my life now.
He scrolled through some of the messages - college coaches, reporters, brand representatives, and thousands of fans. His follower count had stabilized at 1.6 million, which still felt surreal.
But the biggest change was his bank account. The brand deals had started rolling in over the weekend, and his checking account showed a balance he'd never imagined: $47,000. Nike, Adidas, and three other companies had sent payments just for wearing their gear and posting pictures.
Forty-seven thousand dollars. Six months ago I was worried about buying lunch.
---
The football weight room was the only place that still felt normal. His Flight Boys teammates treated him the same, which was a relief.
"Yo, famous boy!" Deshawn called out as Tristain walked in. "You done signing autographs for the track kids?"
"Shut up," Tristain laughed, loading plates onto the squat rack. "They're just excited."
"Excited?" Marcus wiped sweat from his forehead. "Bro, you're a celebrity now. Deal with it."
"I don't want to be a celebrity. I just want to play football."
"Too late for that," Elijah said, spotting Jaylen on bench press. "You're the face of North Bridgeton now. Embrace that shit."
During their workout, they talked about the upcoming Tampa tournament, but also about how different everything felt.
"Y'all notice how teachers been treating us different?" Terrell asked between sets.
"Facts," Carlos agreed. "Mrs. Johnson been giving me way better grades since we won."
"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Jaylen pointed out. "Use that advantage while you got it."
"I just want to make sure we don't get soft," Marcus said seriously. "Success can make you lazy if you're not careful."
"We won't get soft," Tristain said confidently. "Tampa's in two weeks. We got work to do."
----
Coach Taylor had warned them that practice might be different, but none of them were prepared for the actual reality. Local news crews, sports bloggers, and even some national media had shown up to watch a routine Tuesday practice.
"Ignore the cameras," Coach Taylor instructed before they took the field. "They're here to see championship-level work. Let's give them something to talk about."
But ignoring the cameras was easier said than done. Every throw Tristain made was being recorded, every catch was analyzed, every interaction was documented.
"This is weird as fuck," Deshawn whispered during a water break. "They're filming us drinking water."
"Get used to it," Coach Taylor said, overhearing. "This is your life now if you want to play at the next level."
During 7-on-7 drills, Tristain found his rhythm despite the distractions. His throws were sharp, his reads were quick, and his connection with Marcus looked automatic.
"OHHHHH!" the media section erupted when Tristain threaded a pass between two defenders to hit Marcus in stride for a 30-yard touchdown.
At least I'm still good at football. That hasn't changed.
After practice, reporters swarmed around Tristain for interviews.
"Tristain, how has the attention affected your preparation for the upcoming season?"
"I'm just trying to stay focused on improving every day. The team comes first."
"There are rumors about multiple five-star offers. Can you comment?"
"I'm blessed to have options, but right now I'm focused on being the best player I can be for North Bridgeton."
"What's it like going from third string to the most famous high school quarterback in the country?"
"It's surreal, but I have great teammates and coaches keeping me grounded. This is all just motivation to work harder."
Professional answers, but inside he was thinking: I just want to go home and chill with my friends.
---
The fame had changed everything about daily life. Walking through the hallways at school, Tristain couldn't go ten feet without someone stopping him. Selfies, autographs, questions about college, requests for social media follows.
Lunch was the worst. He couldn't sit anywhere without crowds forming around his table. Girls who'd never spoken to him before were suddenly finding reasons to walk by, guys who used to ignore him were now trying to be his best friend.
"This is exhausting," he told Marcus as they escaped to Coach Taylor's classroom during lunch. "I can't even eat without people watching."
"Price of fame, bro," Marcus replied. "But look at the bright side - you got enough money to buy whatever you want now."
That was true. The brand deals kept coming. Just that morning, a gaming company had offered him $15,000 to post himself playing their new football game. Yesterday, a supplement company offered $20,000 for three Instagram posts.
His phone rang - Coach Cignetti calling for their daily check-in.
"Tristain! How you adjusting to all the attention, son?"
"It's a lot, Coach. But I'm managing."
"Good. Remember, this is just the beginning. Wait until you get to college - the spotlight gets even brighter. How's that visit coming along?"
"Still planning for next week if that works."
"Perfect. Can't wait to show you what we're building here. You're going to love Bloomington."
Indiana feels right. Close to home, close to Ayana, and Coach Cignetti believed in me first.
---
Tristain picked up Ayana - now he could easily afford something better. He'd just been too busy to shop for it.
"You know you can buy a new car now, right?" Ayana said, sliding into the passenger seat. "Like, a really nice one."
"I know. Just haven't had time. Plus, this one has sentimental value."
"Sentimental value? Baby, this car is older than we are."
"It's been good to me. Can't abandon it now that I got money."
They drove to the mall, and immediately Tristain noticed the stares. People were recognizing him everywhere now.
"Is that the quarterback from the tournament?" he heard someone whisper.
"Oh my god, it is! Should I ask for a picture?"
"He's even cuter in person."
Ayana noticed too. "You're like a celebrity now. This is wild."
"I just want to find you a prom dress," Tristain said, trying to ignore the attention.
At the first boutique, the sales associate immediately recognized him.
"OH MY GOD! You're Tristain Dyce! My Dad watched your whole tournament! Can I get a picture?"
"Sure," Tristain said politely, but he could see Ayana rolling her eyes.
"This is why I hate shopping with famous people," she muttered.
The dress shopping itself was amazing though. Ayana tried on several options, and Tristain found himself imagining how perfect prom night could be. But more than that, he was thinking about how to make their relationship official.
She's been patient with all this fame stuff. She deserves to know where we stand.
"What about this one?" Ayana emerged from the dressing room in a stunning emerald green dress that hugged her curves perfectly.
"Damn," Tristain said, his voice dropping. "You look incredible."
"You like it?"
"I love it. But I'd love anything you wear."
"You're such a charmer," she smiled, but he could see she was pleased.
While she changed back into her regular clothes, Tristain's mind was racing. He needed to ask her to be his girlfriend officially, but how? When? The attention made private moments almost impossible.
Maybe after prom. Make it special. Make it just about us.
"Ready to go?" Ayana asked, coming out with the dress.
"Actually," Tristain said, pulling out his black card - another new reality, "let me get this for you."
"Tristain, this dress is $400."
"So? I made more than that this morning from a single Instagram post."
"That's not the point. You don't have to buy me things."
"I want to. Let me spoil you a little bit."
She looked at him for a long moment, then smiled. "Okay. But just this once."
I want to spoil you a lot more than once. I want to spoil you forever.
---
As they left the boutique, Ayana brought up prom logistics.
"So I was thinking we could take pictures with my friends first, then with your boys, then dinner with everyone?"
"Sounds perfect. Where you want to take pictures?"
"My friends want to do it at Scarlett's house - they have a nice backyard. And your boys?"
"Probably at Marcus's place. His mom's been planning this since we got back from Chicago."
"And dinner?"
"I made reservations at that new steakhouse downtown. Figured we should go somewhere nice."
"Look at you, planning ahead," Ayana smiled. "Very responsible of you, Mr. Famous."
"I'm trying to be. Got to treat my date right."
"Your date?" she raised an eyebrow. "Is that what I am?"
Perfect opening. Say something smooth.
"You're whatever you want to be," Tristain said. "But I'm hoping you want to be more than just my date."
"More than your date? Like what?"
"Like my girlfriend. Officially."
Ayana stopped walking and looked at him. "Tristain..."
"I know, I know. I should ask properly. I will. After prom. I want to do it right."
"You better," she said with a smile. "I've been waiting for you to figure out what you want."
"I know what I want. I've known for a while."
"Good. Because I know what I want too."
This is happening. After prom, everything changes.
Thursday - Team Dinner Planning
During lunch, the Flight Boys were finalizing their prom plans.
"So we all meeting at Marcus's at 5?" Jaylen confirmed.
"Yeah, my mom's got the whole backyard set up," Marcus said. "Professional photographer and everything."
"Professional photographer?" Elijah whistled. "We're really doing this big."
"We're tournament winners," Deshawn said. "We deserve to do it big."
"Facts," Terrell agreed. "Plus, T's paying for dinner, so we might as well make it memorable."
"I'm not paying for everything," Tristain laughed. "Just dinner."
"Just dinner?" Carlos's eyes went wide. "Bro, that steakhouse is expensive as fuck."
"It's fine. I can afford it now."
"Still weird hearing you say that," Jaylen said. "Six months ago you were asking to borrow lunch money."
"Six months ago I was nobody. Crazy how fast things change."
"You were never nobody," Marcus said seriously. "You were just waiting for your moment."
"Facts," the team agreed.
These guys keep me grounded. No matter how crazy everything gets, they're still my brothers.
----
After football practice, Tristain headed to the track for his second sport. Walking into the North Bridgeton field house, he immediately noticed the difference. Conversations stopped when he entered, underclassmen stared, and even Coach Torres treated him differently.
"Well, well," Coach Torres said with a grin. "If it isn't our tournament MVP. How you feeling, superstar?"
"Just ready to work, Coach," Tristain replied, but he could feel everyone watching him.
During warm-ups, his track teammates peppered him with questions.
"Yo T, is it true you made like fifty grand from sponsorships?" one sophomore asked.
"Bro, my sister's friend said she saw you on ESPN SportsCenter," another added.
"Can you get me autographs from the team?"
"My mom wants to take a picture with you for Facebook."
Even the track workouts felt different. When he ran his 400m splits, everyone was timing him with their phones, posting his times to social media. Everything was content now.
Used to be I could just run without people filming everything. Privacy's officially dead.
----
Prom day started with the usual morning weights and football practice, but Tristain's mind was elsewhere. Tonight was the night he'd officially ask Ayana to be his girlfriend.
Got to make it perfect. She deserves perfect.
His bank account had another deposit - $25,000 from a social media campaign he'd done the day before. The money was surreal, but it also felt like responsibility. He was representing something bigger now.
Football practice was lighter since it was prom day, but the media attention was still intense. ESPN was doing a feature piece on "High School Athletes Balancing Fame and Normalcy," and Tristain was their main subject.
"How do you stay focused on football with all the distractions?" the reporter asked.
"My teammates keep me grounded. Coach Taylor keeps me focused. And I remember where I came from."
"What's it like having this much money at seventeen?"
"It's a blessing and a responsibility. I'm trying to be smart with it, help my family, and set myself up for the future."
"Any plans for tonight's prom?"
"Just trying to have a good time with my friends and my... with Ayana."
Almost slipped up there. Save it for tonight.
After practice, Tristain made a decision. His Honda had been good to him, but tonight needed to be perfect. He pulled out his phone and called a luxury car rental place.
"Yeah, I need something nice for tonight. Something special... A BMW? That'll work. Black, definitely black."
An hour later, he was driving a brand new BMW M4 convertible, the kind of car he'd only dreamed about six months ago. The leather seats, the sound system, the way people looked at him differently when he pulled up - it was surreal.
This is what success looks like. Might as well enjoy it.
He texted Ayana: "Hope you're ready for tonight. Got some surprises planned 😏"
Ayana: "Surprises? What kind of surprises?"
Tristain: "You'll see. Trust me, tonight's gonna be perfect"
Ayana: "It better be. I've been planning this for weeks"
Tristain: "It will be. I promise"
---
Tristain spent extra time getting ready. New tuxedo (custom-made, $3,000, another perk of sudden wealth), fresh haircut, cologne, the works. He looked at himself in the mirror and barely recognized the person staring back.
Same person inside. Just different circumstances.
When he pulled up to pick up Ayana in the BMW M4 convertible, her reaction was everything he'd hoped for and more.
"TRISTAIN!" she yelled from her front door. "What the hell is this?!"
"Figured tonight should be perfect," he said, getting out to open her door. "You like it?"
"Like it? Baby, this car costs more than most people make in a year!"
"It's just a rental. But I wanted tonight to be special."
Ayana looked stunning in her emerald dress, and when she saw him in his tux standing next to the BMW, her expression was pure amazement.
"You really went all out," she said, walking toward him. "Custom tux, luxury car... what's next?"
"You'll have to wait and see," he said, helping her into the passenger seat. "But I promise, tonight's gonna be unforgettable."
As they drove with the top down, Ayana couldn't stop smiling.
"This is insane," she said, running her hand along the leather interior. "Six months ago you were asking to borrow lunch money."
"Six months ago I was a different person."
"No," she said, looking at him seriously. "You're the same person. You just have better resources now."
That's why I love her. She sees me, not the fame or the money.
His phone buzzed with texts from the team group chat:
Marcus: "Bro did you really pull up in a BMW?!"
Deshawn: "I just saw you drive past. That car is CLEAN"
Elijah: "Man really said 'let me rent a whole ass luxury car for prom'"
Jaylen: "T really living his best life now"
Tristain: "Y'all just mad you didn't think of it first"
Carlos: "We riding in style tonight!"
Terrell: "Flight Boys really made it"
---
Scarlett's backyard was decorated like something out of a magazine. Professional lighting, flower arrangements, and a photographer who clearly knew what she was doing.
Ayana looked absolutely stunning in her emerald dress, and when she saw Tristain in his tux, her reaction was everything he'd hoped for.
"Damn, baby," she said, looking him up and down. "You clean up nice."
"You look incredible," he replied. "Like, breathtaking."
"Aww, look at the cute couple!" Scarlett called out, making both of them blush.
The pictures with Ayana's friends were fun but formal. Lots of posed shots, group photos, and individual couple pictures. But Tristain's favorite moments were the candid ones - Ayana laughing at something Scarlett said, the way she naturally leaned into him during photos, the proud look in her eyes when people complimented his success.
This feels right. She feels right.
---
Marcus's backyard was a completely different energy. Mrs. Walker had gone all out with decorations, but the vibe was pure brotherhood.
"YOOOOO!" Deshawn yelled when he saw Tristain and Ayana arrive. "Look at this clean-ass couple!"
"Y'all look like you're going to the Met Gala," Elijah said, taking pictures with his phone.
"Flight Boys clean up nice," Jaylen observed, adjusting his bow tie.
The pictures with his teammates were hilarious. Serious poses mixed with goofy ones, group shots where everyone was trying to look tough, and individual shots that would definitely become legendary.
"Alright, championship photo!" Marcus called out. "Tournament winners only!"
They posed with their arms crossed, looking like the champions they were. But Tristain's favorite was the candid shot of all of them laughing after someone cracked a joke.
These are my brothers. Win or lose, these guys are family.
---
The steakhouse was exactly as fancy as Tristain had hoped. Private dining room, incredible food, and the perfect atmosphere for a celebration.
"Bro, this place is nice as fuck," Deshawn said, looking around at the elegant decor.
"Only the best for tournament winners," Tristain replied, but he was mostly focused on Ayana, who looked beautiful in the dim lighting.
"You know what's crazy?" Marcus said, raising his water glass. "Six months ago, T couldn't afford to take himself to McDonald's. Now he's paying for all of us at the nicest restaurant in town."
"To the come-up," Elijah said, raising his glass.
"To the Flight Boys," Jaylen added.
"To friendship," Carlos contributed.
"To Tristain finally asking Ayana to be his girlfriend," Terrell said with a grin.
"TERRELL!" everyone yelled while Tristain's face turned red.
"What? We're all thinking it!"
"Y'all are so nosy," Ayana laughed, but she squeezed Tristain's hand under the table.
Tonight. Definitely tonight.
---
The after party was at some senior's house whose parents were out of town. The usual prom after-party setup - loud music, too many people, and everyone still in their formal wear.
Tristain found himself getting stopped every few minutes for pictures and conversations. The fame followed him everywhere now, even to high school parties.
"Yo, that's the quarterback from TV!" someone yelled.
"Can I get a selfie?" another person asked.
"My cousin goes to Warren Central - he said you're insane!"
But through it all, Ayana stayed by his side, handling the attention with grace and making sure he didn't get overwhelmed.
"You okay?" she asked during a quiet moment on the back patio.
"Yeah, just... this is a lot sometimes."
"The attention?"
"All of it. The fame, the money, the pressure. Sometimes I miss when things were simple."
"Simple's overrated," Ayana said with a smile. "Besides, you're handling it perfectly."
"You think so?"
"I know so. You're still the same person I fell for. Just with better clothes and a bigger bank account."
"Fell for?" Tristain raised an eyebrow. "Past tense?"
"Fine, am falling for. Happy?"
"Getting there," he said, pulling her closer. "But I want to ask you something."
"What?"
"Not here. Too many people. Later, when it's just us."
"Tristain..."
"Trust me. It'll be worth the wait."
Tonight changes everything. I can feel it.
The party continued around them, but Tristain's mind was focused on one thing - making Ayana officially his girlfriend and starting the next chapter of this crazy new life together.
Just a few more hours. Then everything becomes official.