Lahat ng Kabanata ng Falling for the Enemy : Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

The second Principal O’Malley stepped up to the podium, the entire assembly hall buzzed with anticipation. The teachers tried—and failed—to keep the students from whispering, bouncing in their seats, and jostling each other.Even I could feel it—the infectious energy that only came once a year.Cassie nudged me. “Five bucks says the announcement is exactly what we’re all expecting.”I raised a brow. “You mean the thing literally everyone’s been talking about for weeks?”“Hey, I like free money.”I rolled my eyes just as Principal O’Malley cleared his throat.“Students, staff, and Claremont’s finest athletes,” he began, his voice carrying over the noise, “it’s that time of year again. The moment you’ve all been waiting for.”The room exploded.Cheering, stomping, a few off-key chants.O’Malley chuckled. “Alright, alright. Before you lot tear the place down, let me make it official.” He paused for dramatic effect. “The Claremont vs. Belmont Annual Rugby Showdown is set for next Saturday

Something was wrong with Luca.I felt it before I even saw him.The entire school had been buzzing about the upcoming match against Belmont, but while everyone else was treating it like a huge event to look forward to, Luca was different.More withdrawn. More focused.And by focused, I meant obsessed.I saw it in the way he walked into school, jaw tight, shoulders tense, hands stuffed into his hoodie pockets like he was holding himself together by sheer force of will.I saw it in the way he barely acknowledged his friends, answering questions with short grunts, tuning out their usual banter.And I definitely saw it in the way he was training like a madman.It wasn’t just the usual team practice.No, Luca was always training.I passed the sports field after school, and there he was—running drills alone, sweat dripping down his forehead, face locked in concentration.I passed the gym, and there he was again—lifting weights, pushing himself harder than necessary, refusing to stop even wh

The second I walked into school on Monday morning, I felt it.The tension.The lingering stares.The whispers.I had barely made it to my locker before Cassie stormed up beside me, eyes wide.“Are you out of your mind?” she hissed.I blinked. “Uh… good morning?”She wasn’t having it. “Sienna, Luca punched someone at that party, and you just left with him! Do you know how bad it looks?”My stomach twisted.Of course, I knew.I had been up half the night thinking about it.Thinking about him.About the way his fists had clenched, the way his entire body had been vibrating with frustration.He wasn’t just angry at that guy.He was angry at everything.At himself.At the pressure he was under.And it scared me to know that I was the only one who saw it.The only one who could calm him down.Cassie sighed, shaking her head. “You’re so lucky he didn’t get kicked off the team.”I frowned. “He didn’t?”“No, but he got suspended for a week.” She leaned in. “And he’s banned from practicing with

I should’ve been pumped to be back.Three weeks off the field. Three weeks of watching from the sidelines. Three weeks of feeling like a useless piece of shit while my team carried on without me.And now?Now, I was back.But instead of relief, all I felt was a strange, uneasy weight pressing down on my chest.I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake it off.The locker room was buzzing, the usual pre-practice chaos—guys joking around, throwing tape at each other, blasting music loud enough to make the walls vibrate.But the second I stepped inside, the energy shifted.Heads turned.Conversations quieted.And just like that, I knew.Some of them were glad I was back. Others… not so much.“About time,” Ethan muttered, tossing me a roll of tape. “Team’s been shit without you.”“Yeah, well,” I grunted, catching it. “They managed.”Aaron smirked from across the room. “Barely.”But not everyone looked thrilled.A few of the newer lads kept their distance, shooting me quick glances before turn

I was making a mistake.A big one.I knew it the second I pressed send.“Pick me up at 8.”The moment the message was out, I wanted to grab it back, shove the words back down my throat and pretend I’d never thought them.But it was too late.Luca had already seen it.And worse?He had replied immediately.Luca: “See you then, princess.”I groaned, throwing my phone onto my bed like it had personally betrayed me.What the hell was I doing?I had spent weeks—months—telling myself that getting close to Luca Russo was a bad idea. That he was dangerous in ways that had nothing to do with his reputation on the field and everything to do with the way he made me feel.Like I was standing too close to a flame, just waiting to catch fire.But here I was.Jumping straight into the inferno.The DriveBy the time 8 PM rolled around, I had changed outfits three times and cursed myself at least a hundred.And yet, when I heard the familiar deep rumble of Luca’s car outside, I still rushed to the win