Chapter Ten: Lines You Don’t Cross
699 Words
Scarlett told herself she wasn’t going to his next game.
She really did.
But somehow…
She ended up there anyway.
Again.
“Just watching,” she muttered to herself, arms crossed as she stood near the bleachers. “That’s it.”
But her eyes?
Already found him.
Blake.
On the field.
Focused. Controlled.
Dangerously good.
Her chest tightened slightly.
This is getting annoying.
Then—
She saw her.
A girl.
Tall. Pretty. Confident.
Walking straight toward Blake the moment the game paused.
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed.
The girl smiled at him—
And Blake?
He didn’t walk away.
Didn’t shut it down.
He just stood there, listening.
That was enough.
Scarlett scoffed quietly.
“Of course,” she muttered.
Her mood dropped instantly.
“Why do I even care?”
But she didn’t leave.
Couldn’t.
And that made it worse.
After the game—
Scarlett was already walking away when—
“Running off again?”
She stopped.
Slowly turned.
Blake.
Standing there like he’d been waiting for her.
Her eyes flicked past him briefly—
The same girl was still nearby.
Watching.
Scarlett’s expression hardened instantly.
“I wasn’t running,” she said flatly.
“Looked like it.”
She shrugged. “Maybe I just don’t feel like staying around… distractions.”
Blake raised an eyebrow.
“Distractions?”
She tilted her head slightly, her tone sweet—but sharp underneath.
“Yeah. You seem busy.”
His gaze sharpened.
“You mean her?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you meant it.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “You think everything is about you.”
“And you think nothing is,” he shot back.
Silence.
Tension rising fast.
Scarlett stepped closer.
“Why do you even care?” she asked. “You’ve got girls f*****g lined up, remember?”
Blake let out a quiet, disbelieving breath.
“And you don’t?”
That hit.
Her jaw tightened.
“At least I don’t pretend otherwise.”
“And I do?”
“Yes.”
Their voices dropped.
Closer now.
More personal.
“You act like you don’t f*****g care about anything,” she continued, eyes locked on his. “But you do whatever you f*****g want, with whoever you want, and expect people not to notice... f**k!”
Blake stepped closer.
“And you act like you’re above it all,” he said quietly. “Like you don’t let anyone in.”
Scarlett’s breath hitched.
“Maybe I don’t.”
“Yeah,” he murmured. “That’s the problem.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Then—
Without thinking—
Scarlett grabbed his shirt slightly, pulling him closer.
“Stop acting like you know me,” she said, her voice lower now.
Blake didn’t pull away.
Didn’t move.
His eyes dropped briefly to her lips—
Then back to her eyes.
“You’re right,” he said quietly.
His hand moved—resting lightly at her waist.
“Maybe I don’t,” he added.
Her breath caught.
They were too close now.
Way too close.
The noise around them faded.
Everything slowed.
Scarlett didn’t move.
Didn’t pull away.
Neither did he.
Their faces inches apart.
Breath mixing.
Tension snapping tight—
Like one more second would break everything.
Blake’s voice dropped even lower.
“Then let me.”
That did it.
Scarlett pulled back instantly.
Like she’d been burned.
“No,” she said quickly, shaking her head.
Blake frowned slightly. “Scarlett—”
“No,” she repeated, firmer this time. “This—whatever this is? It’s not happening.”
Her chest was rising too fast.
Her thoughts racing.
“That’s what you said before,” he pointed out quietly.
“And I meant it.”
A pause.
Pain flickered across his expression—quick, but there.
Scarlett noticed.
And it made everything worse.
“Good,” he said finally, stepping back.
His tone colder now.
Walls back up.
“Then we’re clear.”
That hurt more than she expected.
But she didn’t show it.
“Perfect,” she replied.
Silence.
One last look.
Then Scarlett turned—
And walked away.
Again.
But this time?
It didn’t feel like a win.
For either of them.
- Writer
