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Chapter 14 -THE PRACTICE

Author: Reachel writes
last update Last Updated: 2025-12-20 20:05:57

Adrian POV

The ball spirals through the air, perfect trajectory, and I'm exactly where I need to be.

My hands close around nothing. The ball bounces off my chest and hits the turf.

"Cross!" Coach Rowan's voice booms across the field. "That's three in a row. What the hell is wrong with you?"

I jog back to the line without answering. My hands are fine. My positioning is fine. Everything is technically correct.

Except I can't focus for more than five seconds without seeing Jules' face.

"Run it again," Coach orders.

Ethan drops back, scans the field, releases. The ball comes at me in slow motion. I track it, reach for it, and somehow it slips through my fingers like water.

"Goddammit, Cross!" Coach throws his clipboard. "You're better than this!"

The rest of the team has stopped to watch. I can feel their eyes, their judgment.

Tyler jogs over. "You okay, man?"

"I'm fine."

"You're playing like shit."

"Thanks for the observation."

Coach calls for a water break. I grab my bottle and walk to
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    Jules POVAdrian's dorm building looks the same as it did two weeks ago. Red brick, white trim, students coming and going with their backpacks and coffee cups.But I'm different now. Hollow. Frustrated. Running on fumes and the last shreds of my dignity.I check my phone. 4:47 PM. Adrian's class gets out at five, and he usually heads straight home before evening practice.The cold seeps through my jacket as I settle onto the bench outside his building. October in North Carolina means unpredictable weather—yesterday was warm, today feels like winter came early.I should have worn something warmer. Should have eaten lunch. Should have done a lot of things differently.But I'm here now, and I'm not leaving until he talks to me.5:15 PM. Students stream past, but no Adrian.5:30 PM. My fingers are going numb.5:45 PM. Maybe he went somewhere else. Maybe he saw me waiting and took a different entrance.6:00 PM. I'm shaking now, partly from cold, partly from the reality that I'm sitting out

  • BREAKING THE BRO CODE   Chapter 14 -THE PRACTICE

    Adrian POVThe ball spirals through the air, perfect trajectory, and I'm exactly where I need to be.My hands close around nothing. The ball bounces off my chest and hits the turf."Cross!" Coach Rowan's voice booms across the field. "That's three in a row. What the hell is wrong with you?"I jog back to the line without answering. My hands are fine. My positioning is fine. Everything is technically correct.Except I can't focus for more than five seconds without seeing Jules' face."Run it again," Coach orders.Ethan drops back, scans the field, releases. The ball comes at me in slow motion. I track it, reach for it, and somehow it slips through my fingers like water."Goddammit, Cross!" Coach throws his clipboard. "You're better than this!"The rest of the team has stopped to watch. I can feel their eyes, their judgment.Tyler jogs over. "You okay, man?""I'm fine.""You're playing like shit.""Thanks for the observation."Coach calls for a water break. I grab my bottle and walk to

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