Lola POV
He wasn’t healed a hundred percent yet.
His leg still gave him trouble sometimes, and every now and then, I caught him wincing when he stepped down too hard. But here he was—on the track, helmet on, eyes sharp, ready to race again like nothing had ever happened.
Another competition. Another chance.
But this one?
This one was huge.
If Jace won today, he’d qualify for a regional motocross training program. Like, the real deal. Pro level. Sponsorships, contracts, even a shot at joining an international racing circuit next year. His dream. Finally within reach.
So, here I was—front row at the fence line, screaming my lungs out like the proudest girlfriend ever.
“Let’s go, Reyes!!” I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth. “Show them what you’re made of!”
The engine of his bike roared like thunder as he flew past me in a blur of black and red. His number, 34, printed across the back of his jersey. The wind kicked dust up everywhere, and people were yelling, clapping, cheering. But I only saw him.
The past few months had been… good.
No, more than good. They’d been peaceful. Warm. Like I was finally allowed to breathe again.
Jace had cut ties with his father completely. He told me the night he left that house, something inside him finally unlocked. That being disowned was the best thing that ever happened to him.
“Now I get to build my life, not live the one he scripted,” he said. I never saw him look so… free.
He moved in with Danny, and yeah, the place was a little messy, and yeah, they sometimes burned frozen pizza, but it was home.
I visited almost every day after practice. Danny always greeted me like I was family. Sometimes he even gave us space—though usually with a wink and some dumb joke like, “No babies on the couch, alright?”
And the best part?
Cassian stopped treating Jace like the enemy.
I think it took time—and probably a few dramatic sibling fights between me and him—but eventually, he accepted it. Accepted us. Jace and I. Not enemies. Not rivals. Just… two kids who fought hard, fell harder, and somehow made it out the other side.
And now we were seen. We could hold hands in public. We could walk into the diner together without eyes narrowing. We could be real.
And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
The final lap blared through the speakers. Jace was in front—barely—but he was in control. I bit my lip, leaning forward against the metal rail.
“Come on,” I whispered under my breath. “You’ve got this.”
He flew through the last turn like lightning, dirt flying behind his tires, and then—
He crossed the finish line.
First.
The crowd exploded. People stood. Clapped. Whistled. His name echoed around the track.
“JACE! JACE! JACE!”
I laughed, clapping like crazy, tears in my eyes before I could even stop them.
An announcer’s voice came over the loudspeakers, slightly crackling from the speakers but still clear enough to catch.
“First place goes to Jace Reyes, rider thirty-four! Which means he’s officially qualified for the National Pro-Am Motocross Development Camp this summer. And he’s earned himself a full sponsorship from Nova Racing, one of the top youth circuits in the country!”
I gasped. A full sponsorship?
He could go pro. This wasn’t just a win. It was the start.
As soon as he took off his helmet, I ducked under the fence line and ran.
I didn’t even care that people were watching—I threw myself into his arms. He caught me with one arm, wincing slightly but laughing into my hair.
“I told you,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m not losing anymore.”
“I’m so proud of you,” I said, voice thick.
His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. “Let’s celebrate. Diner?”
I nodded. “Always diner.”
But then my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out and glanced down. The message was from Coach Kim.
My heart stopped. Then jumped. Jace noticed. “What is it?” he asked.
I looked up at him, wide-eyed, lips parting.
“I got it,” I whispered.
“What?”
“I got the volleyball scholarship.”