Derek
Can't sleep. Missing you. I'm sorry.
Not your fault. We made this choice together.
Derek
Still. I hate that you're hurting.
I hate that you are too.
Derek
We'll get through this. I promise.
I wanted to believe him. But lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling while Daisy slept peacefully across the room, I couldn't see how this would ever be okay.
The next morning came too soon. I dragged myself to classes, but I couldn't focus. Every time my phone buzzed, I jumped, hoping it was Aaron.
It never was.
By afternoon, I'd made a decision. I couldn't just sit around waiting for my brother to be ready to talk. I needed to see him, to make him understand.
The soccer team had practice at four. I'd go to the field, wait for him after, force him to listen.
But when I arrived at the field, the atmosphere was tense. I could feel it from the bleachers where I sat, watching the team go through drills.
Aaron and Derek were on opposite sides of the field. Always. Like they'd made an unspoken agreement never to be close to each other.
And every few minutes, Aaron would shoot Derek a look that could kill.
"This is bad," Nova said, appearing beside me. She was dressed in another one of her colorful dresses, but her expression was worried. "Really bad."
"I know." I couldn't tear my eyes away from the field. "Aaron won't even look at me. He's blocked my number and blocked me on social media too. Who does that?"
"He blocked Derek as well. And he's been talkingto Dad about switching up positions for Westpoint." Nova bit her lip. "He wants Derek benched."
My heart sank. "He can't do that."
"He's not wrong that team chemistry matters," Nova sighed. "Derek's good, but if Aaron can make a case that having him start would disrupt the team dynamic..."
"This is all my fault." I put my head in my hands. "If I'd just..."
"Don't." Nova's voice was firm. "You fell in love. That's not a crime. And Aaron's being a dick about this."
"He's hurt. We lied to him."
"Yeah, you did. But you had your reasons." She touched my shoulder. "Look, I'm not saying what you did was right. But love is messy and complicated, and sometimes there's no good choice. You picked each other, and now you have to ride it out."
On the field, Derek missed an easy goal. Aaron didn't hide his satisfaction.
"This is going to get worse before it gets better," Nova predicted.
She was right.
Practice ended, and Aaron stormed off toward the locker rooms without a word to anyone. Derek saw me in the stands, and his whole body seemed to deflate.
I made my way down to the field, meeting him at the edge.
