THE CHOICE
843 Words
Chapter Six — The Choice
I woke up the next morning with one thing on my mind.
Ethan.
Again.
I hated how easily he had started occupying my thoughts.
His words from yesterday wouldn't leave me alone.
I need this scholarship.
If they find out what happened, it's over.
What could possibly have happened?
I wanted answers, but I knew asking Ethan again wouldn't work. He had made it clear that he wasn't ready to talk.
So I decided to leave it alone.
At least for now.
When I arrived at school, Maya was waiting outside the training facility.
“You look tired.”
“I didn't sleep well.”
“Why?”
I hesitated.
“Nothing.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You're hiding something.”
“I could say the same about Ethan.”
Her eyes widened.
“Wait. What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Lena.”
I sighed.
“I overheard him talking to someone yesterday.”
“What did he say?”
I lowered my voice.
“He said he needed the scholarship and that if people found out what happened, everything would be over.”
Maya's expression changed.
“That's strange.”
“Exactly.”
“Do you think he's in trouble?”
“I don't know.”
Before we could say anything else, the doors opened.
Coach walked out.
“Team meeting. Now.”
We followed him inside.
Everyone took their seats.
Coach stood in front of us with a serious expression.
“The championship is in three weeks.”
The room became quiet.
“From today onward, we're increasing training. There will be no excuses and no unnecessary distractions.”
His eyes moved across the room.
Then stopped on me and Ethan.
I immediately looked away.
“We win together,” Coach continued. “And we lose together.”
He placed a folder on the table.
“I've also submitted the names of the players being considered for the scholarship scouts.”
My heart started pounding.
This was it.
My chance.
Coach began reading the names.
“Lena Brooks.”
I released a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Then—
“Ethan Hayes.”
I looked at him.
He didn't look surprised.
Instead, he looked relieved.
For some reason, that made me feel strange.
After the meeting, everyone headed toward the field.
I caught up with Ethan.
“You're on the scholarship list.”
“So are you.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“You're worried.”
“About what?”
“About losing it.”
I didn't answer.
He understood anyway.
“I know how important this is to you.”
I crossed my arms.
“You don't know anything about me.”
“Maybe not yet.”
That sentence caught me off guard.
Before I could respond, he walked onto the field.
I followed.
Training was harder than ever.
By the end, my legs were exhausted.
Coach called us together.
“Tomorrow, I'll be selecting the starting lineup for the championship.”
My heart skipped.
The starting lineup.
That meant my position.
I looked at Ethan.
He was looking at me too.
Neither of us smiled.
We both knew what tomorrow meant.
One of us could lose the position.
And neither of us could afford to lose.
---
After practice, I found Ethan sitting alone on the bleachers.
I walked toward him.
“You okay?”
He looked up.
“Yeah.”
I sat a few seats away.
“You don't have to keep saying that.”
He smiled faintly.
“You don't have to keep asking.”
“Maybe I will until you tell me the truth.”
He looked at the field.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke.
“My family is going through something.”
I turned toward him.
“What kind of something?”
“I can't explain everything.”
“Why not?”
“Because it's complicated.”
I waited.
He finally looked at me.
“But the scholarship isn't just about football for me.”
I didn't say anything.
“It could change everything.”
His voice was quiet.
For the first time, I realized something.
We weren't so different.
My scholarship could change my future too.
Maybe that's why I understood him.
Maybe that's why I couldn't hate him as much as I wanted to.
Ethan stood.
“I should go.”
“Ethan.”
He stopped.
“What?”
I looked at him.
“If you need someone to talk to...”
I hesitated.
“You can talk to me.”
He stared at me like he hadn't expected those words.
Then he gave me a small smile.
“Thank you, Lena.”
He walked away.
I watched him until he disappeared.
Tomorrow, Coach would choose the starting lineup.
And for the first time, I wasn't sure whether I wanted Ethan to lose.
That scared me.
Because I was beginning to realize that the boy I'd sworn to hate...
Was becoming someone I cared about.
- Writer
