He Chose Her, I Joined His Rival Team

Chapter 3: Transfer Portal

The thick chocolate frosting slowly slid down the expensive wallpaper, leaving a sticky, dark trail behind. Nova didn't look back as she stepped out into the pouring rain, pulling her jacket tight against the chill.

For the first time in three years, she didn't care if Julian was angry. She didn't care if Chloe was crying. The only thing she cared about was the searing pain in her shoulder and the absolute clarity that had finally washed over her.

The next morning, the athletic department's main conference room was buzzing with a different kind of tension.

The team, still riding high on the playoff victory, sat around the large mahogany table. Coach Miller was reviewing the stats on the projector, but the real focus of the room was the empty chair next to Julian. Nova was ten minutes late.

"She’s probably just exhausted from carrying the team," Liam whispered to one of the infielders, earning a sharp glare from Julian.

"Nova needs to remember that no one is bigger than the team," Julian said loudly, making sure the entire room heard him. He adjusted his captain's jacket, leaning back in his chair. "She pulled a stunt last night that was completely unacceptable. As captain, I’ll be having a serious talk with her about discipline and respect."

The door swung open before he could finish.

Nova walked in. She wasn't wearing her team jersey or the standard-issue sweatpants. She wore distressed black jeans and a fitted leather jacket—a stark, sharp contrast to the sea of the Wildcats' blue and gold in the room. Her face was pale but her eyes were flinty and cold.

"Nova," Coach Miller started, pausing the projector. "Glad you could join us. How's the shoulder?"

"It's hanging on, Coach," Nova said, stopping at the end of the table rather than taking her usual seat beside Julian.

"Good. Now take a seat," Julian commanded, pointing to the empty chair. "We were just discussing your behavior. Before we get into the finals strategy, I expect a formal apology for your outburst at the apartment last night. It was unhinged, and you know it."

A heavy, awkward silence fell over the team. The players exchanged nervous glances. Everyone knew Julian and Nova were the golden couple of the Wildcats, but no one had ever heard him speak to their star pitcher like that in public.

Nova didn't move toward the chair. Instead, she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a crisp, white envelope.

"I'm not here for a strategy meeting," Nova said, her voice steady and echoing clearly in the quiet room. "And I'm definitely not here to apologize to you, Julian."

Julian’s smug expression faltered for a second before hardening into a sneer. "Excuse me? I am the captain of this team. You don't get to pitch a fit because you're jealous of Chloe and then disrespect me in front of everyone."

"You're right. You are the captain," Nova said, sliding the white envelope across the smooth mahogany surface. It glided perfectly, coming to a stop right in front of Coach Miller. "Which is why this team is no longer a place I want to bleed for."

Coach Miller frowned, picking up the envelope. He slid his thumb under the flap and pulled out a single sheet of paper. As he read it, all the color drained from his face. "Nova... are you serious? The finals are in two weeks."

"I am completely serious, Coach," Nova replied, keeping her posture rigid despite the screaming ache in her arm. "That is my official request to enter the transfer portal, effective immediately. I'm stepping down from the Wildcats."

The room erupted. Liam jumped out of his chair, knocking it over backward. "Nova, what the hell?! You're our ace! We can't win the championship without you!"

"Quiet!" Julian shouted, slamming his hand on the table. He stood up, his face flushed red with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. He glared at Nova, his chest heaving. "This is a bluff. You're throwing a tantrum because I didn't hold your hand last night. You wouldn't dare leave. You've spent your whole college career building this stats sheet!"

"I built it. And now I'm taking it with me," Nova said coldly.

Julian let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "To where, Nova? Your shoulder is practically held together by tape and stubbornness. No other top-tier team is going to take a damaged pitcher mid-season. Especially not one who abandons her team right before the finals. You’re committing career suicide just to spite me."

He walked around the table, stopping inches from her face, trying to use his height to intimidate her. "Take the letter back, apologize, and I'll let you pitch the finals. Walk out that door, and I promise you, you are nothing without me to catch for you and cover your blind spots."

Nova looked up at him, studying the man she had loved. He looked so small now. So fragile in his desperate need to control her.

"I threw a ninety-mile fastball with a torn muscle while you were playing knight-in-shining-armor to a girl who can't read a subway map," Nova said softly, but the venom in her words cut through the room like a scalpel. "I was never nothing without you, Julian. You were nothing without me carrying you."

She didn't wait to see his face contort with fury. She turned on her heel and walked out of the conference room, ignoring the shouts of Coach Miller and her teammates begging her to stay.

She pushed through the heavy glass doors of the athletic building and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The rain from last night had cleared, leaving the campus washed clean.

Her heart was pounding violently against her ribs. She had just thrown away her entire college career. Julian was right about one thing—entering the transfer portal with a bad shoulder mid-season was incredibly risky. But she felt lighter than she had in years.

"Nova!" Julian’s angry voice shouted as the glass doors banged open behind her. He stormed out, his fists clenched. "You think you're so tough? You think you're untouchable? Let's see who wants a broken, washed-up pitcher!"

Nova didn't turn around. She kept walking down the concrete steps.

Suddenly, a deafening, guttural roar shattered the morning quiet.

A sleek, all-black motorcycle tore up the curved driveway of the athletic building, ignoring the 'No Parking' signs. The tires screeched against the pavement as the bike slid into a flawless, aggressive stop right at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Nova's path.

The rider was dressed in a tailored dark suit that screamed expensive, contrasting sharply with the raw, mechanical beast he was riding.

He reached up and pulled off his matte black helmet. Slate-gray eyes locked onto Nova.

Jax.

He looked entirely different in the daylight, yet somehow even more dangerous. The tailored suit clung perfectly to his broad shoulders, and his dark hair was slightly messy from the helmet. He ignored Julian completely, his intense gaze fixed solely on Nova.

He patted the leather seat behind him.

"Hop on, Queen," Jax said, his deep voice carrying over the low hum of the engine. A slow, wicked smirk curved his lips. "Let's go show them what a real dynasty looks like."

Julian stopped dead at the top of the stairs, staring at the incredibly expensive motorcycle and the imposing man riding it. "Nova, who the hell is that?"

Nova looked from Julian’s pale, confused face to Jax’s outstretched hand. The fear and uncertainty about her future vanished in an instant, replaced by a reckless, electric thrill.

She took Jax’s hand, feeling the solid, rough calluses against her palm, and swung her leg over the back of the bike. She wrapped her good arm tightly around his solid waist, feeling the hard muscle beneath the expensive suit.

"Someone who knows what a real MVP looks like," Nova called back over her shoulder.

Jax chuckled, a deep rumble against her chest. He flipped his visor down, revved the engine until it howled, and tore down the driveway, leaving Julian choking on the exhaust fumes.