Page 54 of Game on, Love

At the stadium, I had watched Raina’s retreating figure for what felt like a lifetime before I moved.

I knew it was partly my fault. Well, it was more my fault than she probably realised. She had told me she was going to be taking a tour of the stadium today, and when I spotted her during our training, I encouraged Rihaan to check on her first.

It was two minutes.

Two minutes, and from a distance, I could tell that it was a bad idea.

One sharp exchange with her brother, and both of them pulled back so fast, their usual personalities replaced by something bigger and yet quieter than I’d imagined.

But still, when I reached her, she let me see the vulnerability in her before it all went downhill. The hesitation—God, that hesitation—when I’d looked at Rihaan and then at her. It wasn’t even that I wasn’t sure about standing in front of her. I just didn’t knowhowto balance it between them. I didn’t know how to help either of them, and somehow, I’d managed to fuck it up with both.

After she disappeared, I walked towards Rihaan, who was already packing up his bag and left before I could say something, and the look he gave me told me he wasn’t going home.

Then, just as I was leaving, Sean showed up unannounced and insisted on having a conversation. I would’ve dodged him, but then coach walked up to us and started critiquing my techniques; I was stuck. Both of them were set on making sure I wouldn’t fuck up my selection, but what neither of them realised was that it wasn’t in my game; it was all in my head.

And if I didn’t rush home back in time, I was afraid that the one thing helping me was slipping through my fingers faster than any ball I could swing.

I glanced around the house, staring at the stairs and the hallway, but something felt wrong.

Was she even home?

Walking into the living room, the lights were still turned off, and the spot Milo had claimed his own was empty. I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated. I knew I was overthinking it, but it wasn’t like I could just text her or call her to check up on her. Somehow, in the past few weeks, exchanging numbers hadn’t crossed our minds. We naturally just found the other when we were home.

I couldn’t exactly ask Rihaan or Vedant for it either; that just felt like it would open up a can of worms altogether that, after today, I was sure,thatwould not be helpful.

Stepping back outside in the hallway, my gaze flitted to the stairs a part of me wanting to go up to her room, but the sound of a key in the lock made me freeze. The door opened slightly, her soft voice echoed in the empty space, and relief flooded through me. “Look, Milo. We’reback.”

She didn’t notice me as she pushed the door, busy trying to calm the distressed cat as she stepped inside, but she wasn’t alone.

Axel was standing behind her, cradling Lilli like it was the most normal thing in the world. His gaze remained on the cat as he scratched behind her ears. This was the first time I’d seen Lilliin someone else’s hold except Raina’s and a strange feeling in my stomach formed.

“Milo, calm down,” Raina unzipped her cat carrier, and when there was enough space, Milo jumped out and sprinted up the stairs, clearly not pleased that he had to go outside.

I knew she had noticed me, I’d caught the awareness run through her. But instead, she turned to Axel.

“Thanks for the help.” She grabbed Lilli from his hold.

“I didn’t exactly have a choice,” He flashed her a grin before he noticed me. “Hey, man.”

I nodded back as she replied. “You could’ve said no. This wasnotme calling in my favour.”

Axel laughed, shaking his head, and unease ran through me. Shifting my weight, I watched them without making it obvious I was hanging onto their words. “Great, could’ve told me before, Rain.”

I didn’t like the way I felt at that moment—part of me wondered why she hadn’t asked me for help if she needed it when she knew I would’ve said yes—the other focused onthemas his gaze flicked to me before he pulled her in for a hug.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” She replied, waving him off.

This whole thing felt like an imbalanced situation, and with each growing second, it bothered me. When she didn’t turn around to meet my eyes right away like they always did, my heart dropped slightly, but I took a step in her direction anyway.

“Everything okay?” I didn’t bother hiding the concern in my tone.

“Yeah,” She finally looked at me now, and I saw the guardedness in her eyes. “I had to take Milo to the vet for a follow-up.”

My brows furrowed; I hadn’t realised he was sick or hurt. “What for?”

“He hurt his tail during the water leak, and it was just to see if it was healing properly.”