Iron Stride

Episode 5: Fire & Frustration

The pain in Jaden's ribs was a dull throb as he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his dorm. The day had been hell. His body felt like it had been hit by a truck, his hand still ached from Blaine's stomp, and the echoes of Marco's screams still haunted his mind.

But none of that mattered right now.

Because on his phone screen, there was a message from Abby.

Abby: I swear to God if you get yourself killed in that place, I'm bringing you back just to kill you again.

Jaden chuckled under his breath and texted back.

Jaden: I'm still breathing. That counts, right?

Abby: Barely. What happened?

Jaden hesitated. How was he supposed to explain? That this wasn't football anymore? That this place was a fucking battleground where hesitation got you hurt—where some guys wouldn't make it out at all?

He could imagine her reaction. The fire in her eyes, the way she would go off on him for putting himself in danger.

Jaden: Just training. Tougher than I expected.

A few seconds passed.

Abby: Liar. You sound off.

Jaden exhaled. She always knew.

Before he could respond, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Texting your girl?"

Jaden looked up to see Leo, leaning against the doorway with a smug grin.

"She's not my girl," Jaden muttered, locking his phone.

Leo smirked. "Uh-huh. Sure."

He flopped onto his bed, stretching. "Let me guess—sweet, supportive, probably too good for this fucked-up place?"

Jaden didn't answer.

Leo grinned. "Bro, enjoy that while it lasts. Girls like that? They don't wait forever."

Jaden shot him a glare. "Shut the fuck up."

Leo just laughed. "Relax. I'm just saying—you're stuck in here. She's out there. A lot of guys would kill for a girl like that."

Jaden clenched his jaw. He knew that. He fucking knew that.

And it was eating him alive.

Lust in the Air

Later that night, Jaden lay awake in his bed, trying—and failing—to sleep.

It wasn't just the pain.

It was everything. The pressure. The violence. The way Abby felt like the only real thing left in his life.

He closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe.

Then—a soft thud. A quiet giggle.

Jaden frowned.

He turned his head toward the door—where it wasn't fully closed anymore.

Beyond it, just down the hallway, he saw Ava Sinclair—the same girl Leo had flirted with before.

And she wasn't alone.

Some guy—probably one of the older players—had her pinned against the wall, his hands roaming up her sides. She gasped, biting her lip, fingers gripping his shirt.

Jaden quickly looked away.

This place was fucked.

Guys weren't just competing on the pitch—they were tearing each other apart in every way. Lust, ego, rivalry. It was all the same.

He clenched his fists.

All he wanted was one person—the one he couldn't have right now.

Abby.

And that pissed him off more than anything.