All Chapters of Rivals Or Lovers: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ethan POVThree days since the so called victory.Everyone kept saying “it’s good for the team,” or “healthy competition”, like that made it less irritating. Ryan had been walking around with his jaw clenched like he was holding back a growl, and I… well, I was enjoying the view.Today, Coach had gathered us to warn us about practicing and shits.Coach gave me a look that said don’t make me regret this, then walked away, leaving I and Ryan in the middle of the field surrounded by people pretending not to watch.Ryan turned fully toward me. “We do this my way. Got it?”I took my time answering, pretending to adjust my wristband. “That depends.”“On what?”“Whether your way actually works.”His jaw flexed. He looked like he wanted to punch the ground just to cope. “You really don’t know when to shut up.”“I do,” I said. “I just don’t see a reason to when I’m right.”He stepped closer, his voice menacingly low. “You’re not right. You are only tempting.”“And you’re boring,” I replied ev

Ryan POVI walked up to my bike and threw my helmet on. I turned to look at Ethan, he already had his, holding it in place, a smirk sitting on his face. He threw a leg over and took his spot beside Kyle’s.I turned to Champ. He was with Kyle too. "Bad friend." Ever since those two became roommates, Champ had forgotten I existed in his diary.Coach clapped his hands. “Alright, listen up! Today we’re not competing. You’re on the same team now, so act like it. The two heads we picked last time, take charge. I want everyone learning how to back each other up and block other teams. You got that?”A few heads nodded.“Ryan, Ethan, you two, get to the front. Marco, Kyle, you two behind them. Rex, tail behind Ethan, Wesley. Tail Ryan, Champ. You'll race at the from with Ryan and Ethan, while the rest, fall in pairs. We’ll start with tailing drills.”I turned my bike and threw the throttle once. The sound ripped across the field. Ethan looked at me, that smug grin still in place while Champ wa

Kyle POVThe restaurant we went for dinner wasn't a fancy one, the food wasn’t anything fancy too, it was just a bowl of instant noodles and grilled chicken from the small shop behind the garage. The kind that always tasted better when you were starving.Champ sat across from me, his chopsticks in hand and quiet as usual. He barely looked up, and when he did, his ears went red again.Little idiot. He made it impossible not to know he had a crush on me, not like I was going to tell him. I enjoyed watching his small moves, the guy was maybe a few inch taller than me but he actually all cute and bubbly.“Don’t tell me you’re shy now,” I said, chewing on my chicken.He blinked. “What?”“You’ve been quiet for the last ten minutes.”He shrugged. “i just feel tired.”“Sure,” I said. “You’ve been tired since practice. You sure you’re not secretly eighty or something?”That got a small laugh out of him, soft and real. He always laughed like he didn’t mean to. I kind of liked that.We finished

Ryan POVMy head felt like it had been splited open. The first thing I heard was running water from the shower next door.I groaned and turned over, the sheets sticking to my skin. My throat was dry, my mouth was worse. My skin felt disgusting and sticky.Bits of last night came back slowly— the bar, the noise, Ethan dragging me out, his hand on my arm and then.....nothing.I pushed myself up, blinking at the light creeping through the window. My shirt was gone, my jeans halfway unbuttoned.“What the hell…” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.The bathroom door opened with a soft click.Ethan stepped out, a towel slung around his shoulders, his hair damp and sticking up in every direction. His eyes met mine and for a second, neither of us said anything.Then he smirked casually, like something happened and I didn't know.“Morning, fellow Captain. Are you alive?”I grunted. “Barely.”He laughed low and easy. “You should’ve seen yourself last night.”“Don’t remind me.” I dragged a hand down

Ryan POVSomething was feeling too warm around my skin.The kind of heat that wasn’t from a blanket, it felt… alive like one was breathing.I groaned, half asleep, rolling over only to hit something solid. It groaned back.My eyes snapped open.Ethan.He was right there. In my bed. His arm slung around my waist, his face buried against the back of my neck like it was the most natural thing in the world.For a full two seconds, my brain short circuited. Then my instinct kicked in.“The hell—” I jerked hard, my knee colliding with his stomach. He let out a surprised grunt just as I kicked him off the bed.“Damn—!” Ethan hit the floor with a thud. “What the hell, man?!”I scrambled upright, my heart pounding, breath sharp. “What are you doing in my bed?”He sat up slowly, wincing, one hand on his ribs, his hair sticking up like he’d wrestled a tornado. “Relax, soldier. You were burning up last night. You had a fever.”My mind stuttered. “That doesn’t explain—hugging me?”He blinked, then