She didn’t flinch.
She didn’t fold.
Shefought.
That... did something to me. Stirred something up I didn’t expect.
Because yeah, I’ve dated gorgeous girls—perfect teeth, perfect tans, trust funds bigger than their personality—but none of themwantedanything.
Not like Jade.
She wanted her spot.
She wanted respect.
She wanted towin.
And I know that want. I live for it. I’m an athlete too. Itrain like hell, I work harder than people think I do. I know what it takes to get on top and stay there.
So watching her grind it out on that field, push past the whispering girls and the side-eye and the sabotage? I respected the hell out of that.
Ifeltit.
And I wanted her.
Not just in the usual way—which, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely did. That’s been true since the bonfire.
But now it was more.
I wanted to know what made her tick.
What made her fight.
What made herburn.
And when she sat there on that cliff, biting her lip, blinking back tears, ready to give up on something she earned just to avoid more damage… I snapped.
I couldn’t let her do it.
She deserved to be there. On that field. On that team. Inthisschool.
Hell, maybe even next to me.
I kissed her because I couldn’t not.
Because I needed to show her—not with words, not with smirks or bullshit banter—but with action.
Because actions are what Jade respects.
And when she kissed me back?
Game over.
I’ve kissed a lot of girls.
None of them ever tasted like defiance and sunshine and grit.
None of themmattered.
