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9
Jaylen
Sweat pours off my forehead and my breathing is ragged as I dribble the ball across the green grass and in one fluid movement, I kick the ball as hard as I can. I watch as it slips past Cain’s hands to land in the top left corner of the net.
I smile and walk over to Cain to pat him on the back. “That was a good effort.”
He inhales sharply, trying to get his breath back. “I’m so glad I don’t have to defend against you in games, Jay. You put me on my ass every time.”
He’s not wrong about that. I would hate to go up against me in a soccer game knowing the strength and speed I’m capable of. Of course, I dial it back a tad to avoid suspicion. The last thing I want is for Coach and the rest of the management team to think I’m on steroids or something.
“Well, you’re lucky you only have to defend against me during practice.” I clap a hand over his shoulder. “Keep up the great work for tonight.”
He smiles. “You too, Cap.”
I jog back to where the rest of the team is standing, waiting for their turn to try and get the ball past Cain. He is one of our level's best goalkeepers across the country, so he is the perfect person to train with. If we can get the ball past him, then we can do the same with every other keeper we play against.
Preston steps forward to take his turn as I move to stand next to Miles and Ethan. They have already had their turn with Ethan failing to sink the ball into the back of the net while Miles succeeded.
Miles claps me on the back. “That was a solid shot. I swear Cain can never save one of your shots.”
“You never fail against him,” Ethan adds with a smile. “And that’s why you’re our captain.”
I shrug and fold my sweaty arms over my training shirt. “Maybe one day he’ll get lucky.”
As Preston fails to get the ball past Cain, my heightened senses pick up on the conversation Roman is having with his two friends while they wait for the remaining players in line to take their turn. I have always hated the guy, not just because of what he did to Evie when they were dating, but because he’s so fucking annoying and entitled. He thinks he should have everything handed to him on a silver platter, whether it’s Evie or wanting the title of captain.
He joined the team the same year as me, Ethan, Preston, and Miles, and from the first day of training, I knew we weren’t going to get along. It was clear he wanted to be captain so badly that when Coach gave the title to me, I heard Roman talking shit about me in the locker room when he thought I couldn’t hear. But I hear everything.
He has made it clear he doesn’t like me, and the feeling is mutual.
When he started dating Evie, I can’t say I was angry because I was fucking livid. I knew what kind of guy he was because I had seen it firsthand playing alongside him for a couple of years. So, I wanted to warn her about him, but I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries, especially the one Miles had put in place when we were in high school. He strictly told me I could never date Evie. I hated the idea, but I respected his wishes as my best friend. But fuck was it hard to sit back and watch that fucker Roman be with her. To kiss her. Be the reason she smiled. And know that he fucked her. It made my blood boil, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I heard the news about their break-up from Miles, and to say I was elated would be an understatement. I was fucking thrilled. It didn’t take long for the school to find out he had cheated on her, but Miles didn’t want her to know that, so he did everything he could to protect her from the truth as he had been doing her entire life since the death of their parents. I don’t know how he managed to keep the truth from her, but it must’ve worked because as far as I know, she doesn’t know the entire school is aware of what happened.
Ethan and Miles are talking about the game tonight, but all I can focus on is what Roman is saying to his friends.
“Are you sure it’s going to work?” his friend Dale asks.
Roman has a smug smirk on his lips as he shrugs. “Who knows? But there is only one way to find out. I think once I up the anty on the photos, she’ll come crawling back to me in no time.”
My arms fall to my side, my fists clenching at his words. He’s not talking about Evie, right?
“What if she tells Miles about it?” Jim, his other friend, asks, lowering his voice. “That wouldn’t be so—”
“She won’t tell Miles shit,” Roman interrupts, running a hand over his shaved head. “After dating her for a year, I know she won’t go to her brother for anything that involves her personal life because of how overprotective he is, no matter how much she threatens to do so. I know she’ll try to handle this on her own and when she realizes she has no choice but to get back together with me, it will be too late for Miles to do anything about it.”
What the fuck is he talking about? What is he doing to Evie that would make her take him back? The thought of her ‘crawling back’ to him makes me see red, my palms stinging from how deep my nails are embedded into my skin.
“If she is resisting now or even calling your bluff, how do you plan to make this work?” Dale asks, his brown eyes searching Roman’s face.
“I will admit that the first few photos didn’t work, but I have no doubt that the last one will be the cherry on top if she continues to ignore my warnings.” The evil laugh that escapes his lips has me ready to go over there and put his head through the ground, but I reign in my anger. It won’t do me any good to beat his ass until I know exactly what the hell is going on.
“Jaylen?”
My head snaps to the side at the sound of my name. Miles and Ethan are looking at me questionably.
“You all good?” Miles asks and looks past me to where Roman is standing a few feet away, laughing with his friends. His eyes darken at the sight of his sister’s ex-boyfriend. “God, I fucking hate that guy.”
