Chapter 11 – His World

POV: Elena

By Wednesday afternoon, I had successfully avoided Jace for almost two days.

It wasn't simple. Living under the same roof made avoidance nearly impossible, but I had managed it by leaving for class early, staying on campus late, and taking advantage of the fact that basketball seemed to consume most of his spare time. The arrangement wasn't perfect, but it gave me enough distance to avoid thinking about the ring on my finger and the mess my life had become.

Unfortunately, the moment I stepped through the front door that evening, I knew my luck had run out.

Richard was sitting in the living room with a tablet balanced on his knee and the same expression he always wore when he was about to interfere in somebody else's business. My mother sat beside him with a cup of tea in her hands, looking far too innocent for someone clearly involved in whatever conversation was waiting for me.

"Perfect timing," Richard said.

I immediately became suspicious. Dropping my backpack onto a nearby chair, I looked between him and my mother. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened." "I just wanted to talk to you." That answer only made me more nervous.

Richard stood and adjusted the cuffs of his expensive shirt before continuing. "Jace has practice tonight, and I think it would be beneficial if you attended. " I stared at him. For a second, I genuinely thought he was joking. "Why?" "The engagement is still new," he explained. "People are paying attention. Public appearances matter."

I let out a disbelieving laugh.

"And now I have to go to basketball practice too?" "It's only for a few hours." "I have assignments." "You can do them afterward." "I have to read."

"Elena."

The warning in his voice made it clear he considered the discussion finished. I looked toward my mother for support, but she offered me an apologetic smile instead. "It might help people get used to seeing you together." 

I wanted to point out that nobody had asked whether I wanted people getting used to anything, but judging by their expressions, it would have been a waste of breath. Two hours later, I found myself sitting beside Jace in his SUV, silently questioning every decision that had led me to this point.

The drive to campus passed without much conversation. Jace seemed perfectly content to focus on the road while I stared out the window, trying not to think about how quickly my life had changed. When the arena finally came into view, I understood immediately why the basketball program generated so much attention. 

The glass exterior of the building, brightly lit and shining, rose above the other buildings on the campus. Even more surprising was the number of students already heading inside. Groups gathered near the entrances wearing school colors and carrying drinks despite the fact that the event wasn't even an official game.

I frowned.

"People actually come to watch practice?"

Jace glanced at me briefly before returning his attention to the road. "More than you'd think." The answer sounded annoyingly casual, but it wasn't until we entered the arena that I realized he had been understating the situation. The place was alive with energy. Students filled portions of the stands while coaches, trainers, and team staff moved around the court preparing equipment. A few reporters lingered near the sidelines speaking with university representatives, which seemed absurd considering this was only a practice session.

My surprise must have been obvious because Jace laughed. "Welcome to my world." The words should have sounded arrogant. Instead, they sounded tired.

Before I could respond, a loud voice echoed across the court.

"Captain!"

A tall player jogged toward us.

Mason.

The same teammate who had nearly tackled Jace with congratulations after the engagement announcement. His grin widened the moment he spotted me. "There she is." 

I immediately regretted coming.

Mason pointed dramatically at my ring finger. "The famous fiancée." I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. Jace looked unimpressed. "Don't you have drills?" Mason ignored him. "You know half the team had money on whether she'd actually exist." I blinked.

"What?" he laughed.

"Nothing personal. We just thought he was lying." "Thanks." "You're welcome." Jace shoved him away before the conversation could get any more embarrassing.

Mason stumbled backward, laughing the entire time. The interaction should have been annoying. Instead, it left me oddly unsettled. For years, I had viewed Jace as this untouchable force of nature. Seeing him joke around with teammates made him seem strangely normal. The realization was uncomfortable. I preferred hating him. Hating him was simple. The problem with seeing another side of him was that it complicated things.

A whistle blew from the court. Practice was starting. Jace turned toward me. “Can I have a kiss?” he asked. My heart stumbled. Everyone suddenly became aware of how close he was.

A kiss?

Heat crept up my neck as I stared at him. Suddenly, I couldn't remember what to do with my hands. "Why are you asking me things like that?" I muttered.

A grin tugged at his lips. "Is that a no?"

“Remember it's just for the view, Elena," he whispered. "I didn't say that.” I leaned in cautiously, nerves dancing in my stomach, only for him to tap his cheek. "A peck," he clarified. I blinked. Then groaned. "I hate you." His laughter followed me all the way as I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

He pointed out a direction. “The family section is over there.” A small reserved area overlooked the court. "You're leaving already?" His eyebrow lifted. "Were you expecting a goodbye speech?"

"No." The answer came too quickly.

Something flashed in his gray eyes. Amusement. I hated that expression. "Good," he said. "Because I don't have one." Then he jogged onto the court.

Just like that, his entire demeanor changed. The shift was immediate. The lazy confidence disappeared. The sarcasm disappeared. Even the arrogance seemed to transform into something sharper.

I sank into one of the seats and watched.

For the first ten minutes, I tried convincing myself I wasn't impressed. The attempt failed. Spectacularly. Jace moved differently from everyone else. Everything looked effortless. His passes were precise. His reactions were faster. Even the way he commanded the court felt natural. People listened when he spoke. People followed when he moved. I finally understood why everyone called him the captain. It had nothing to do with talent alone. The team trusted him.

The realization bothered me more than it should have. Because it didn't match the version of Jace I knew. The boy I knew had spent years making my life miserable.

The man on the court looked like someone people would willingly follow.

A group of girls sitting several rows below me squealed when he scored. One of them shouted that she loved him. I rolled my eyes. A second later, Jace glanced toward the stands. His gaze landed directly on me. Not the screaming girls. Not the students. Me. For a brief second, everything else seemed to disappear. Then he looked away and returned to practice. 

About an hour later, practice finally ended.

The players headed toward the sidelines while coaches discussed schedules and upcoming games. I was gathering my things when a familiar voice stopped me.

"Interesting." My heart sank.

Camille.

Of course. I turned around slowly. She stood near the railing overlooking the court. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect smile. The smile didn't reach her eyes.

"I didn't realize fiancées was attending practices now." I resisted the urge to groan. "What do you want?" Her smile widened. "Just observing." I didn't believe that for a second.

Camille rested her elbows against the railing and looked toward the court where Jace was talking to his coach. "You're trying very hard to play the role." I folded my arms. "You seem very interested for someone who's supposedly over him." The comment hit its target. Her expression tightened. Only slightly. But enough.

For the first time, I felt a small surge of satisfaction. Camille straightened. "Be careful, Elena." There was no humor in her voice now. "People don't survive very long in his world unless they understand the rules."

Before I could respond, she turned and walked away. The warning lingered long after she disappeared. Unfortunately, so did the unease. Because as I looked around the arena, at the students taking photos, the reporters gathering quotes, and the athletes being treated like celebrities, I finally understood what she meant.

This wasn't my world. It never had been. And the deeper I got pulled into Jace Calloway's life, the harder it was becoming to remember where I belonged.