Lola POV
If steam could pour from someone’s ears, Cassian would’ve been a walking volcano.
He stood frozen in the doorway of my room, jaw clenched, fists tight, eyes darting between me and Jace like he’d just walked into the betrayal of a lifetime. My heart dropped. I scrambled off Jace’s lap so fast I nearly tripped.
This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to be out. Out with Darla. He always comes home late when he’s with her.
But not tonight.
Tonight, he came back early.
And he saw everything.
“I swear,” I breathed, trying to straighten myself. “Cassian, this… this is not what it looks like.”
His eyes flared. “Oh yeah? Then tell me, what does it look like? Because from where I’m standing, it looks a hell of a lot like you were dry-humping our rival!”
I winced. “It’s not like that.”
He scoffed. “Then what is it, Lola? Enlighten me. Because to me, this looks like betrayal. You’re hooking up with the one person we’re supposed to beat. The one person standing in our way.”
My fists balled up. “Oh, like you’re one to talk? You gave up on volleyball months ago, Cassian. You threw everything away for Darla. Don’t you dare come at me like you’re the moral compass of this family.”
He took a step into the room, voice rising. “This isn’t about Darla! This is about you! About you crawling onto Reyes’ lap like we’re not weeks away from Regionals. You’re captain, Lola! Or at least, you were.”
I felt the words like a slap. “So what, you’re kicking me off now? You haven’t even been to practice! You don’t show up, you don’t play, you don’t lead—I do!”
He pointed at me, voice shaking. “And yet here you are, with him. With the one person who wants everything we’ve worked for. You think this doesn’t affect the team?”
I snapped. “The only thing affecting the team is you! You’ve been absent, moody, and pathetic, letting Darla spoon-feed you nonsense while you forget everything we promised Mom and Dad we’d fight for!”
“Don’t bring them into this,” he growled. “You don’t get to weaponize our parents every time you screw up.”
I blinked at him, stunned. “You’re unbelievable.”
He shook his head. “You know what’s unbelievable? You. I don’t even recognize you anymore.”
I swallowed hard. “Yeah? I don’t recognize you either.”
Cassian took a breath, like he wanted to say something worse, then paused. “You need help.”
My voice cracked. “Maybe this is my cry for help.”
His jaw twitched. “Then keep screaming. I’m out.”
And just like that, he turned and walked out.
The door slammed.
I stood in silence, my chest rising and falling in shallow, angry breaths. My hands trembled.
Behind me, I felt Jace still sitting there on the edge of my bed, calm as hell.
I turned to him, eyes narrowed. “Wipe that smug look off your face.”
He didn’t even flinch. Just leaned back on his hands, raising one eyebrow lazily. “I didn’t expect to walk into a live episode of Family Meltdown. But hey—better than TV.”
“Shut up, Reyes.”
I turned away, trying to catch my breath, to not scream at everyone. I grabbed a pillow off the floor and threw it at the wall. That didn’t help.
“I think you should leave,” I said finally, voice low.
He stood slowly, like he wasn’t even fazed. “Really? Just when it was getting spicy?”
“Please stop,” I muttered.
He took a step closer. “No. I’m not gonna just stop, Lola. I’m not gonna let you play with me and my feelings like I’m just some joke.”
I froze. My heart skipped. I turned toward him. “Feelings? You have feelings now?”
He held my gaze. “Unfortunately, I do.”
I shook my head. “You shouldn’t. We’re rivals. We’re in the same pool, fighting for one thing. One shot. One scholarship. There’s no space for this. For us.”
He stared at me, unreadable. Then… he smiled. Not his usual cocky one. It was smaller. Sharper. Sadder.
“You’re right,” he said. “We’re rivals.”
He walked forward—slowly, steadily—until he was right in front of me. The air between us shifted, charged.
“But only on the court.”
His hand brushed my cheek, tilting my chin up gently.
“Off the court?” His voice dropped. “You’re mine.”