Chapter 17 — Breaking Points
813 Words
Ethan Hayes
Everything between them changed after the scholarship conversation.
Not immediately.
Worse.
Slowly.
Painfully slowly.
Lena stopped texting first.
Stopped waiting for him after practice.
Stopped smiling at him across crowded rooms.
And Ethan hated every second of it.
But he also didn’t know how to fix it.
Because the truth was messy.
Too messy.
The scholarship from Blackwood wasn’t just an opportunity.
It was survival.
Professional scouts.
Medical support for his shoulder.
Money his family desperately needed.
Walking away from it would be stupid.
But losing Lena suddenly felt unbearable too.
Which meant Ethan spent most days emotionally spiraling while pretending everything was fine.
Classic coping mechanism.
By Wednesday, even Noah noticed.
“You look miserable.”
“I’m tired.”
“You’re in love.”
Ethan nearly choked on his drink.
“Shut up.”
Noah smirked knowingly. “That bad?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
Which honestly answered enough.
Meanwhile Lena threw herself into volleyball practice hard enough to become concerning.
“Take a break,” Ava warned during evening drills.
“I’m fine.”
“You’ve practiced for four straight hours.”
“I said I’m fine.”
She wasn’t.
At all.
Because every time Lena looked at Ethan lately, she saw distance growing between them.
And it terrified her.
The worst part?
Neither of them were fighting properly either.
No screaming.
No dramatic breakup.
Just silence.
Cold silence.
Which somehow hurt more.
Thursday night finally broke both of them.
Westbridge hosted a pre-nationals celebration in the main sports hall, crowded with athletes and music and flashing lights.
Lena almost didn’t go.
Then Ava physically dragged her there.
“You need one night without emotional suffering,” Ava declared.
“Bold assumption.”
The second Lena entered the hall, she spotted Ethan across the room immediately.
Of course she did.
Her heart still reacted stupidly fast seeing him.
Unfortunately—
Sophia Reed stood beside him laughing at something he said.
Lena’s stomach twisted painfully.
Ava noticed instantly.
“Oh no.”
“I’m leaving.”
“No you’re not.”
“They look happy.”
Ava grabbed her arm immediately. “Lena.”
But Lena was already walking away toward the drinks table, chest tight and thoughts spiraling badly.
Across the room, Ethan noticed her instantly.
And immediately realized something was wrong.
Especially when he saw the expression on her face before she looked away.
Shit.
Sophia followed his gaze carefully.
“You should probably go after her.”
Ethan frowned. “It’s not like that.”
Sophia gave him a look.
“You’re really in love with her, huh?”
The words hit harder than expected.
Because Ethan still hadn’t allowed himself to fully say it out loud.
Not even in his own head.
But hearing someone else say it?
Dangerous.
Terrifying.
True.
Ethan found Lena outside near the empty tennis courts minutes later.
Cold wind whipped through the night while distant music echoed from inside.
“You’re avoiding me again.”
Lena laughed quietly without humor.
“You noticed?”
“Lena.”
She turned toward him sharply.
“What exactly are we doing anymore?”
The exhaustion in her voice wrecked him instantly.
Ethan stepped closer slowly.
“We’re figuring it out.”
“No,” she whispered. “You’re leaving.”
“I haven’t decided anything.”
“You didn’t deny it either.”
Silence.
Wrong answer.
Lena looked away quickly, eyes shining slightly now.
And suddenly Ethan couldn’t handle the distance anymore.
He grabbed her wrist gently before she could walk away.
“Look at me.”
She didn’t.
“Lena.”
Finally she looked up.
Big mistake.
Because seeing tears threatening in her eyes nearly destroyed him completely.
“Don’t do that,” he said quietly.
“Do what?”
“Act like this doesn’t matter to me.”
Her chest tightened painfully.
“Then tell me it won’t end.”
Ethan opened his mouth.
And stopped.
Because he couldn’t promise that.
Not honestly.
Lena nodded slowly like she already understood.
“That’s what I thought.”
She pulled away immediately.
But Ethan caught her again—
this time pulling her directly against him.
Then he kissed her.
Hard.
Desperate.
Like he was trying to stop her from leaving entirely.
Lena kissed him back instantly despite everything.
Because no matter how angry she was—
she still loved him.
The realization hit both of them at the same time.
And somehow made the kiss hurt worse.
Ethan’s hands tightened against her waist while Lena grabbed his hoodie desperately, both of them breathing unevenly by the time they finally pulled apart.
Foreheads touching.
Hearts breaking slowly.
“I don’t know how to lose you,” Ethan admitted quietly.
Lena closed her eyes painfully.
“Then stop giving me reasons to be scared.”
Neither spoke afterward.
Because neither knew if that was possible anymore.
- Writer
