CHAPTER 13

END OF VOL1

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I headed toward the locker room, heart pounding. Aidan was there, putting away his sports gear. When he saw me, he froze, visibly startled, dropping what he was doing. He turned to face me, clearly unsettled by my presence.

**Him:** "Hey."

**Me:** "Hi."

He raised an eyebrow, as if my visit was completely unexpected.

**Him:** "What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. This situation was messy. What could I say after everything that had happened? I didn't even know if I could say it all—but I had to try.

**Me:** "Uh… I don't even know where to start."

He hesitated, then turned to me again, his expression almost desperate.

**Him:** "I'm really sorry for lying to you, I just wanted—"

I raised my hand, stopping him before he could finish.

**Me:** "No. Don't apologize for hiding the truth. Apologize for not staying that night."

He looked stunned, like my words had hit him straight in the chest. A heavy silence settled between us before he finally spoke again, his voice laced with resignation.

**Him:** "It wouldn't have mattered anyway. You'd still end up with Malcolm. No matter what I do."

I shook my head gently, locking eyes with him. It wasn't that simple—for either of us. I could understand his pain, but it didn't justify everything.

**Me:** "Looking back, I get why you kept the truth from me. You did what you did because you loved me. You were scared of losing me, weren't you?"

I looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer. The anger, the sadness—it all swirled inside me.

**Me:** "I wish I'd heard that from you back then. I wish you'd told me that the reason you hid the truth was because you didn't want to lose me. Maybe, if you'd said that, I wouldn't have walked away."

He stayed quiet, as if searching for the right words to mend what had broken. His eyes found mine again, holding a glimmer I couldn't quite decipher.

**Him:** "What if I say it now?"

I looked at him, uncertain. But I knew—it wasn't that simple anymore. Maybe it was too late for words. Maybe it was too late for apologies.

**Me:** "You never know. Try—and see."

He stepped closer, his movements laced with vulnerability. Then, in a trembling voice, he let the words fall—the ones he'd probably been too afraid to say before.

**Him:** "I love you, Kaylee. I love everything about you. I didn't want to lie—I just… couldn't bring myself to lose you."

Before he could say another word, I couldn't help myself. I kissed him. It was an impulse, a raw need to fill the space between us. I pulled him close, silencing his confession with the warmth of my lips against his.

The world seemed to melt away, leaving only that suspended moment in time. The mistakes, the silence, the heartache—they all converged in that kiss. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I believed that maybe… there was still hope.

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**THE GAME DAY**

The big game was finally here. You could feel the excitement in the air, thick and electric. I was caught somewhere between rushing around in preparation and drowning in nerves. I was supposed to head to the stadium with Lisa, a friend who had slowly become more like a partner-in-crime. She was kind, always there for me no matter what. That morning, more than ever, I felt like she truly understood what I was going through.

**Lisa:** "We should go support them, don't you think?"

**Me:** "You're right. Aidan's probably losing his mind right now. Let's go—no time to waste."

**Lisa:** "We can't yet. They're still in the locker room."

**Me:** "I'm going anyway."

I didn't plan on waiting. I needed to see him. I needed to be there for him, even if it wasn't the perfect time. I rushed off toward the locker room, each step quicker than the last, my heart thundering in my chest. I'd half-expected an unpleasant smell—you know, sweat, testosterone, the usual—but to my surprise, the air was pretty neutral. Not bad, not great. Just the scent of shared effort.

When I walked in, a strange feeling washed over me—all eyes turned to me at once. The atmosphere was even heavier than I imagined. The players fell silent the moment they saw me. It caught me off guard.

**Me:** "Hi!"

One of the guys looked at me, surprised, eyes fixed on mine before he spoke.

**Some guy:** "Aren't you Aidan's girlfriend?"

**Me:** "Yeah, that's me. Where is he?"

Another guy pointed toward a corner of the room.

**Another guy:** "Back there."

I hurried in that direction, my heart pounding harder with every step. When I reached Aidan, he looked at me with a mix of confusion and surprise, as if I'd materialized out of thin air. I could feel the tension radiating from him.

**Him:** "What are you doing here?"

**Me:** "I came to cheer you on," I said, offering a sincere smile, even though inside, I could feel the pressure weighing on him.

He stared for a moment, then without a word, grabbed his shirt and walked out of the locker room with me.

**Him:** "You could've come later, you know."

**Me:** "I know. But you need to be ready for this match—and I want to be here for you, right from the start."

He nodded, still visibly stressed, his eyes darting around as though the pressure of the moment was swallowing him whole.

**Him:** "Yeah…" he muttered, running a nervous hand through his hair.

**Me:** "You've got this, Aidan. I believe in you."

I had no doubts. No matter how big the stakes, I knew he'd give it everything he had. And I would be right there, by his side, cheering him on until the very end. Because deep down, more than any victory, it was him who mattered most.

Overcome by emotion, I kissed him, feeling the weight of all those uncertain months melt away in an instant. It was a perfect moment—but fleeting. The coach's voice cut through the air, deep and stern, snapping us back to reality as he entered with the rest of the team.

**Coach:** "I hope you won't disappoint me, Gibson."

**Me:** "He won't," I said with a smirk. "He has to win—he promised to take me to prom."

Aidan gave me a surprised look, a small smile tugging at his lips.

**Aidan:** "So that's your way of saying I have no choice, since I haven't asked you yet?"

**Me:** "Take it however you want," I teased, playfully.

The atmosphere around us was tense—the match was intense, every move on the field counted. The adrenaline was high, and I could feel how much it all meant to Aidan and to every player out there. Time flew, the outcome uncertain… until finally, Aidan, driven by sheer will, scored the winning goal. He threw his arms up in victory, and with a single glance in my direction, made it clear to everyone: that goal was for me. That one simple gesture, full of meaning, lit up my entire world.

After the match, the crowd went wild, but all I could hear was my heartbeat syncing with his triumph. The celebration was well-earned—but through it all, one thought lingered: he still hadn't asked me.

One week before prom, he finally turned to me, his face serious but sincere.

**Aidan:** "So… will you go to prom with me?"

**Me:** "I didn't think you still had to ask," I said with a glowing smile. "But of course."

And just like that—we had our happy ending. Maybe it wouldn't be perfect, maybe there'd still be challenges ahead… but for the first time in a long while, I felt at peace. I felt like we'd found our balance—and that balance, that bond, was something worth holding onto forever. That's what I wanted.

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**THE END**