Elena sat quietly in the stands, her heart still racing from the conversation with Gabriel. She had never imagined herself in this situation. Not with him. Not with someone like him. Gabriel was always the guy who had everything under control, the one who never showed his true feelings at least, not to her. But now, everything felt different. He had opened up to her in a way she never expected, and it was throwing her off balance. She couldn’t understand what had just happened.
She watched him on the field, his every movement sharp and precise. He was a machine, a force of nature, playing with all the skill and focus that made him the best. But something in his demeanor had changed. Something that made her heart flutter in a way she couldn’t ignore. Every time he glanced her way, she felt a sudden surge of emotions-anger, confusion, and something more-something she didn’t want to admit to herself.
Why was she feeling like this? She wasn’t the type to be swept up in the chaos of someone else’s emotions. But when Gabriel had confessed what he felt, it had thrown her off track. She had never seen him so vulnerable, so raw. It made her question everything she thought she knew about him.
Her mind spun with all the possibilities, all the what-ifs. What did this mean? Was he serious? Could she even trust what he had said? She had never thought of him this way before. He had always been the confident, distant guy-the one everyone admired but no one really understood. And yet, there he was, opening up to her in a way that made her heart ache.
But no. She couldn’t let herself get caught up in this. She had more important things to focus on-like the match. This was a crucial game, and it was now in the final stages. Gabriel’s team was leading, but the tension in the air was palpable. Elena couldn’t help but be drawn into the excitement, her gaze fixed on the players, her mind momentarily distracted from the storm of thoughts swirling inside her.
But even as she watched, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. Every time Gabriel moved, every time his eyes flickered in her direction, she felt a pull in her chest-a pull she couldn’t explain.
The game was reaching its peak. The score was close, and the atmosphere was electric. The crowd roared, urging their teams on, but all Elena could think about was Gabriel. His movements were fierce, almost desperate, as if this match meant more than just a win. And maybe, just maybe, it was more than that for him. Maybe it was about proving something-something to himself.
She glanced at Andrew, who was pacing along the sideline, his face tense with concentration. His eyes flickered toward Gabriel occasionally, but Elena could sense that even he was aware of the strange tension between the two. Andrew had always been the more laid-back of the two, but today, even he couldn’t ignore the shift in Gabriel.
Elena clenched her fists, fighting the urge to stand up and shout, to release the tension building inside her. She wasn’t ready for this-whatever this was. It was too much. Gabriel’s words still echoed in her mind, and she couldn’t shake the image of him, standing so close to her, his eyes filled with something unspoken. Her heart skipped a beat every time she thought of it.
The whistle blew, signaling the final minute of the game. Gabriel’s team was inches from victory. But it didn’t matter. All Elena could focus on was him, the way his gaze flickered toward her again, the way his body tensed with determination. She felt her breath catch in her throat. He was playing for something more than just the game.
Before she could process it further, Gabriel’s team scored the final point. The crowd erupted into cheers, but Gabriel didn’t celebrate. He stood still, his eyes scanning the stands, until they landed on her. For a moment, it felt like time had stopped.
Elena’s heart raced, her chest tightening with anxiety. She couldn’t look away from him. She was frozen in place, caught in his gaze. And then, just as quickly, he turned, walking off the field without a second glance.
Elena felt a strange sense of loss as she watched him disappear into the locker room. What was that? What had just happened? Her mind was reeling. She couldn’t process any of it. She wanted to talk to him, to ask him what the hell was going on. But the moment had passed. The tension, the uncertainty-it was all still there, hanging between them.
She stood up shakily, her body feeling lighter but her heart heavier than ever. She needed space, time to think. This was too much. She needed to figure out what was going on in her own head before she could even think about what Gabriel was feeling.
As she made her way out of the stands, her thoughts were interrupted by a shadow falling over her. She looked up to see Adrian standing in front of her, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“You look lost,” Adrian said, his voice cool but carrying an edge of something else-something she couldn’t place.
Elena forced a smile, trying to shake off the whirlwind of thoughts swirling inside her. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Just… trying to figure things out.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking toward the locker room where Gabriel had disappeared. “You’ve got something going on with him, don’t you?”
Elena’s eyes widened, but she didn’t have time to respond. Adrian had already turned away, walking toward the sidelines. She watched him go, confusion settling over her again.
What did he mean by that? Did he know something she didn’t? She had barely had time to process her own feelings, let alone Gabriel’s. But now, it seemed that everyone around her was aware of the tension she hadn’t even fully acknowledged.
From a distance, Adrian watched Elena closely, his expression unreadable. He had seen the way she looked at Gabriel during the game-the way her eyes followed him, the way her emotions shifted when their gazes met. It wasn’t lost on him. Adrian had always been observant, and today, he had seen something in Elena that even she didn’t seem to recognize yet.
But he wasn’t going to let it go unnoticed. He couldn’t. Gabriel had something going on with her, and it would be foolish to ignore it. Adrian couldn’t quite understand it, but he knew one thing for sure: Elena was his, And Gabriel… well, Gabriel had never been easy to read.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed as he walked away, deep in thought. He wasn’t about to let this play out without making his move. Whatever this was, he wasn’t going to stand by and let Gabriel win without a fight.
And as for Elena? He had no idea what she was feeling, but he wasn’t about to let her slip away without knowing where her loyalties lay.