All Chapters of Rejected by my team, Claimed by the Rival: Chapter 21 - Chapter 29

AUTHOR’S POVThe Athletic Board Conference Room was devoid of warmth the next morning. Brutal, freezing air conditioning blasted from the ceiling vents. A massive, heavy mahogany table dominated the space, surrounded by an oppressive, suffocating silence.Athena sat rigidly in a heavy leather chair. She stared blankly at the five high-ranking board members sitting aggressively across the massive table. Director Hayes sat at the far end of the room, bathed in the warm, golden light filtering through the expensive window blinds. Directly next to her sat Board Member Davis. He was a balding, perpetually red-faced man who had been ruthlessly grilling Athena for twenty straight minutes.Davis flipped condescendingly through a freshly printed copy of the viral blog post. The paper rustled loudly in the quiet room."So, Miss Cole," Davis sneered, adjusting his glasses. "You expect this board to blindly believe that your sudden, miraculous ability to turn the absolute worst team in the divisio

ATHENAThe brutal midday heat radiated off the concrete pathways of the UCLA quad, thick and suffocating. Dodger blue skies provided zero shade, and the glare reflecting off the Wilshire Boulevard traffic made it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open. Dodging a group of frat guys aggressively launching a neon frisbee across the grass, I headed straight toward the student union, my backpack feeling like it was filled with lead.The relief of yesterday’s board victory felt distant, overshadowed by the lingering stares from students I passed. The fabricated strategy-theft article had been pulled down by *The Westmore Insider* at dawn, yet the toxic damage remained. I hadn't seen Luca directly, but the bitter taste in my mouth was his flavor.Suddenly, a phone screen flashed inches from my face.Chloe, the campus TikToker, slid into my path with a wide, fake grin that didn't reach her eyes. She moved like a predator closing in on wounded prey."Hey guys, I’m back with Athena Cole!" Chl

ATHENA The humid air hung heavy in Bruin Plaza, a thick, stagnant layer of smog that tasted faintly of roasted street corn, overpriced espresso, and cheap hairspray. Strolling into the center of the campus rally, the environment felt less like a university event and more like a low-budget teen movie set. Students roamed the concrete walkways in unhinged costumes—two guys sprinted past us trapped inside giant, overheating inflatable bear suits, while a group of dance majors in vintage 80s neon fitness gear practiced a routine near the steps.Tessa bumped her shoulder against mine, shaking a massive plastic cup of lemonade. "If anyone asks, I don't know the guys in the bear suits. Also, your hair looks surprisingly calm today despite the heat wave. That takes skill.""Compliment accepted," I murmured, keeping my pace steady. "Let’s just grab the rally schedules from Talia and get back to the rink before the traffic on Sunset gets completely locked up."Cutting through the dense crowd

ATHENAExiting the brutalist architecture of the humanities building, the humid air hit my face like a hot, wet towel. The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the concrete walkways, reflecting a harsh, blinding glare off the massive windows of the student center. Scanning the crowded plaza for Tessa’s bright curls yielded zero results among the sea of undergraduates rushing between summer lectures.Sweat prickled the back of my neck. Weaving through a pack of freshmen riding electric scooters, I dodged a guy balancing three iced coffees in a cardboard carrier. I finally spotted her. She leaned against a poured-concrete planter outside the campus juice bar, her thumbs flying aggressively across her phone screen."I’ve been tracking you for ten minutes," I said, stopping next to her and wiping my forehead with the back of my hand. "I thought you got abducted by the math department."Looking up, Tessa slid the device into the back pocket of her denim cutoffs. "Please, I’d rather go to f

ATHENAThe thick calluses on his palms pressed through the thin nylon of my track jacket, creating points of burning heat against my skin. Resting his forehead gently against mine, our breaths mixed in small, rhythmic white clouds under the harsh, buzzing overhead stadium lights."You think I’m just trying to stay on top of an investment, Athena," Jeremiah murmured. His voice scraped low across the quiet ice, carrying a weight that demanded attention. A heavy sigh vibrated through his torso, transferring the physical movement directly into my ribs. "But you don't get how this place works.""Then explain it to me," I replied. Keeping my tone hushed felt necessary, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the fragile, pressurized bubble enclosing us. "Because right now, it feels like everyone has a hidden agenda. Nobody does anything in this league without a contract or a selfish motive attached to it."Stepping a fraction closer, his skates carved a tiny, sharp groove into the frozen su