Forced Closeness

Selene's

"If I have to smile like a brainwashed pageant queen for one more second, my face is going to permanently crack," Selene muttered out of the side of her mouth, her body stiffening as the camera flash went off again.

"Oh, come on, Brooks. Where's that famous team spirit?" Ryder chuckled softly, his deep voice vibrating right against her shoulder. He didn't look at her; his perfect, untouchable golden-boy smile was locked onto the camera lens. "You're supposed to be our number one fan today. Try looking less like you're plotting my murder."

"I am plotting your murder, Kingston," Selene snapped back, keeping her lips stretched into a fake, dazzling grin that absolutely did not reach her eyes.

"In about five different ways. And they all involve shoving that rugby ball down your throat."

"Perfect. Keep that exact energy—it really makes your eyes pop," he whispered, his broad shoulder brushing against hers.

"Alright, you two! Closer! Look like you actually tolerate each other!" the photographer shouted from behind his high-end tripod, waving his hand impatiently. "Captain, arm around her waist."

Selene felt Ryder's posture freeze for a split second. The careless, arrogant smirk dropped from his face as he looked at the photographer, his gray eyes narrowing. "Seriously?"

"Do you want your season back or not?" the photographer shot back, crossing his arms.

Ryder let out a heavy sigh, his jaw tightening. "Fine."

He hesitated for a brief moment, his large hand hovering in the air before he finally placed his palm firmly against Selene's waist, pulling her closer into his side to fit the narrow camera frame.

Selene went completely rigid under his touch, her breath hitching at the sudden heat radiating through her cheer uniform fabric. Up close, he smelled like expensive citrus and the fresh-cut grass of the rugby pitch. It was entirely too suffocating.

"Don't get comfortable, Kingston," she hissed, her eyes darting down to where his long fingers dug into her waist.

"Trust me, Brooks, I'm not," Ryder muttered back, his face locked in a fake, photogenic smile for the lens.

Selene cut her eyes across the field. Completely isolated from the shouting crowd, Bianca stood silently near the benches. She didn't yell, and she didn't make a scene. She simply stood there with her arms crossed over her designer gear, her eyes narrowing into a dangerous, icy glare as she watched Ryder's hand grip Selene's waist.

"Alright, that's a wrap on the photos! Move over to the press table for the live campus stream!" the photographer called out.

Ryder released her immediately, stepping back and shoving his hands into his pockets. Selene quickly smoothed down her pleated skirt, her heart hammering against her ribs. She hated how much that forced closeness had rattled her.

They marched over to the long plastic table where a student reporter from the Kingsford Chronicle was waiting with a microphone.

Vice Principal Sterling stood directly behind the cameras, tapping his watch with a warning glare that made Selene's stomach twist. If they messed this up, her scholarship was dead.

Ryder and Selene sat side by side, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.

"And we are live in three... two..." the student director signaled.

"Welcome back, Kingsford Academy!" the lead reporter spoke, flashing a bright smile. "We are here with Rugby Captain Ryder Kingston and Cheer Captain Selene Brooks. After yesterday's explosive field video, everyone is wondering: Why are the two teams always at each other's throats?"

Selene opened her mouth to deliver a scathing truth, but Ryder beat her to it, leaning smoothly toward the microphone.

"It's all a misunderstanding," Ryder said, letting out a charming, easy-going chuckle that completely blindsided her. "The media team took a grainy video out of context."

"The truth is, Selene and I are actually good friends. We just argue most times because we are incredibly passionate about our respective teams. We want what's best for the school."

Selene's jaw almost dropped.

Good friends?

She whipped her head toward him, her eyes burning. She wanted to yell into the microphone that he was a dirty liar. But out of the corner of her eye, Sterling stepped forward into her line of sight, pointing aggressively at his watch.

She swallowed her rage, forcing a tight, incredibly reluctant smile onto her face. "Oh, yes. Completely. We just love to express our mutual respect through loud, public debates. It's our dynamic."

The reporter looked completely surprised, glancing between them as if trying to process this sudden shift from yesterday's near-fistfight. "So... the rivalry officially isn't what it was made out to be?"

"Absolutely," Ryder answered for her again, flashing a blinding smile. "We're completely aligned. Isn't that right, Selene?"

"Completely," Selene hissed through her teeth, kicking him hard under the table.

Ryder didn't flinch, maintaining his public mask until the reporter wrapped up.

"Splendid! Thank you both! And that's a wrap on the stream!"

The second the cameras stopped, Selene slammed her hands on the table and stood up. "Good friends? Are you insane, Kingston? I wouldn't be friends with you if we were the last two people on campus!"

"It controlled the damage, Brooks," Ryder said, standing up and easily towering over her. "Unless you wanted to go back to Sterling's office?"

"I can't stand you," Selene whispered, turning on her heel and marching blindly off the turf toward the locker rooms.

"Hey, watch out!" Miller yelled from the side, tossing a heavy rugby ball back to Jax.

Jax spun around to catch the pass, his massive shoulder accidentally slamming directly into Selene's side as she walked past. The collision broke her footing entirely. She gasped, her sneakers skidding on the wet grass as she tilted backward, gravity pulling her down.

"Whoa!" Jax barked, reaching out too late.

But Selene didn't hit the ground.

Ryder's arms shot out with athletic speed, instinctively catching her by the shoulders to stabilize her. The momentum pulled her straight into his chest, her hands wrapping around his forearms to keep from falling.

For a split second, the field went dead silent.

They were inches apart, breathing heavily. It wasn't a romantic moment at all; Selene was glaring up at him with pure, aggressive defiance, and Ryder looked genuinely ticked off by the accident. They were practically growling at each other across the line.

Click.

The sharp shutter of a camera echoed from the sidelines. The photographer lowered his lens with a satisfied grin. From his angle, the camera hadn't captured their angry glares. It froze the exact instant their faces were aligned and their bodies were close, making it look as though they were sharing an intense, private gaze.

Selene ripped herself out of his grip, stepping back as her face flushed with anger. "Get your hands off me!"

"You're welcome," Ryder growled, turning his back on her and walking away.

Selene looked across the grass and caught Bianca Ashford watching the entire rescue unfold. Her mouth tightened into a thin, venomous line, her eyes fixed on the spot where Ryder's hands had just been holding Selene. She didn't say a word, but her grip on her phone was tight enough to turn her knuckles white.

"Oh my god," Maya whispered, running over from the cheer bench and staring at her phone. "Selene... look at the campus app."

Selene pulled her phone out of her pocket. A notification popped up with the official, realistic headline from the school online news blog:

[CHRONICLE FLASH]: ARE KINGSFORD'S BIGGEST RIVALS FINALLY GETTING ALONG? Joint Media Day reveals a new side to Captains Ryder Kingston and Selene Brooks!

And the comments were multiplying faster than she could read them.

"They're definitely dating."

"No one looks at someone like that unless they're in love."

"This is going viral."

Selene's stomach dropped immediately as she read the comments. She was still staring at the screen, standing just a foot away from Ryder, when his phone suddenly rang in his hand. She caught a glimpse of the screen over his forearm.

Dad.

The easy, careless smile vanished from Ryder's face for the first time all day. His jaw locked instantly. He stared down at the glowing screen for a long, heavy beat before finally sliding the button to answer it.

"Hello?" Ryder said, his voice dropping into a tight, guarded tone.

Selene couldn't hear his father's words on the other end, but the absolute change in Ryder's expression was chilling. The confident, golden-boy posture he wore like armor completely melted away, leaving him looking rigid and pale under the stadium lights. His eyes drifted to the grass, his lips flattening into a thin line.

"...I understand," he muttered quietly.

The call abruptly ended as Ryder slowly slipped his phone back into his practice mesh pocket, his knuckles turning slightly white. He didn't have a smile etched on his face as he always had, nor did he tease Selene.

Instead, he just turned around and walked away.