Lola POV
“Darla, move left—left! Serve it to the backline!” I screamed, my voice echoing across the gym as the volleyball soared through the air.
Darla’s timing was, as always, off. She fumbled with the ball, but it barely made it over the net. I winced.
“Jesus,” I muttered under my breath, my hands resting on my knees as I took a sharp breath. “Can someone please remind me why she’s on this team?”
But I didn’t have time to think about Darla’s incompetence right now. We were in the middle of a match. The crowd was loud. The pressure was thick. And I had to lead.
I clapped my hands and shouted, “Let’s get it back! Come on! Stay sharp, stay low!”
We rotated. I adjusted my stance, trying to steady my breathing. My eyes flicked briefly across the bleachers, almost out of instinct, searching… for him.
And I saw him.
Just for a second.
Jace.
Walking off the court in his volleyball uniform, wiping the sweat off his neck, his bag slung over his shoulder. He had already finished his game. And I knew exactly where he was heading next—the track.
My stomach twisted. In a good way.
After this game, I’d be going there too. He had sent me the location last night. I could still hear his voice saying, “You better be there, Sinclair. I want you to see me win something that actually matters to me.”
But right now, I needed to focus.
Except my thoughts were anything but focused.
The ball came over fast—and smacked me straight on the head.
“Ow!” I yelped, stumbling back a step as the ball bounced off me and rolled across the floor.
The referee’s whistle pierced through the air.
“Focus, Lola!” Coach yelled from the sidelines. “You’re not here to daydream—wake up and lead your team!”
I clenched my jaw, nodded, and shook it off.
Right. Right. Game now. Jace later.
I straightened up, fixed my ponytail, and slapped my hands together.
“Let’s go!” I yelled at the team, fire rising in my chest. “Reset. We’re not losing this!”
From that moment, I was locked in. I spiked harder, dove lower, screamed louder. Every play, every pass, I was there—the way I had to be. My team needed me. I needed this win. And even if my thoughts wandered back to Jace every other second, I buried it under the game.
And in the end?
We won.
The buzzer went off. The crowd erupted. I fell to my knees with relief and let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
But I didn’t linger. I didn’t take group selfies or celebrate with the team. I jogged straight into the locker room, peeled off my uniform, changed into jeans and a cropped hoodie, pulled my hair into a low bun, and checked my phone.
Jace: Track’s already getting packed. Hope you’re on your way.
I smiled.
God, what was wrong with me?
I shouldn’t be this excited to see him. My rival. The guy I was supposed to beat, not root for. But when it came to Jace Reyes, nothing made sense. He wasn’t just some enemy. He was… mine, somehow. The only person who made me feel steady in a world that constantly spun too fast.
I slipped out of the locker room, making sure no one saw me. I especially didn’t want Cassian to notice, but thank God he was too busy with Darla in the hallway, shoving a cupcake in her mouth like the world depended on it.
Perfect.
I ducked behind the snack table, slipped out the side door, and made my way to the address Jace sent me.
By the time I got there, the track was buzzing with energy. Music blared from speakers. Groups of guys in leather jackets were clustered near the bikes, and girls with big sunglasses and even bigger hair were crowding the edge of the stands.
There were people everywhere.
My heart jumped.
I pushed through the crowd, walking toward the entrance, where a tall security guard stood with a clipboard and a grumpy face.
I smiled. “Hi, I’m with Jace Reyes. He invited me.”
The guard didn’t even blink. “So did twenty other girls,” he said. “Name’s not on the list. No ticket, no entry.”
“I don’t have a ticket,” I said, trying not to sound as desperate as I felt. “But he told me to come. Please, just—”
“No ticket, no in.” He crossed his arms. “Rules are rules.”
I sighed, shoulders dropping. I turned slightly, biting my lip. Maybe I should just—
“Let her in.”
A familiar voice spoke from behind me. Strong. Confident. I turned around slowly. There he was. Helmet under one arm, riding jacket halfway zipped, eyes locked on me.
“She’s with me,” he said, stepping closer. “I invited her.”