Chapter 66

KAIA

The next few days blurred together like static.

I didn’t feel like doing anything—not going out, not laughing, not pretending everything was fine. Especially not after what happened with Callum.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

The look in his eyes.

The sound of his voice breaking.

The silence that followed once he drove away and never called again.

I wished I had ended things properly. That I hadn’t let things spiral until there was only pain left between us. My feelings for Callum had been real too—that’s what made everything worse. He didn’t deserve to be hurt like that.

Now all I did was lie in bed, curled up in the same oversized hoodie I hadn’t changed out of in two days, scrolling numbly through TikToks I wasn’t really watching.

When the knock came, I didn’t move. Not because I didn’t care, but because I didn’t have the energy to.

I heard shuffling from the living room and Amy’s voice saying something indistinct. A door opened. Closed.

Then footsteps padded toward me.

I barely reacted until a presence loomed over my bed, and a familiar face appeared—crouched beside me with a soft smile that made my chest ache.

“Hey, stranger,” Adrien said.

I frowned, just a little, and groaned, “What are you doing here?”

He reached up and started gently patting my hair.

“Checking to see if you’re still alive. You’ve been M.I.A for days. Had me thinking something happened.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled.

“You sure you’re not sick or something?”

“No,” I said quietly. “I’m just… tired.”

He studied me, brows furrowing as his fingers lightly brushed my cheek.

“Is this about Callum?”

I didn’t answer. Just looked away and swallowed hard.

“Baby,” he murmured, “you’ve got to let that shit go. It’s over. You can’t keep carrying it around like this.”

“I know,” I whispered. “I just… I wish I handled it differently. I wish I didn’t hurt him the way I did.”

Adrien let out a sigh and stood up fully. “Alright,” he said suddenly, his tone shifting. “Get up.”

“What—?”

“C’mon,” he coaxed, tugging gently at my hand. “Just sit up for a sec.”

I begrudgingly sat up, blinking up at him as he cupped my face with one hand and then, with a little flourish, pulled something out of his back pocket.

My brows pinched in confusion as he unwrapped a clear plastic sleeve—inside was a rolled-up blue and white jersey.

My eyes narrowed. “What is that?”

He grinned.

“It’s your shirt,” he said, like it was obvious. “You’re coming to my game tomorrow night.”

I blinked. “You want me to what?”

“Yes.” He raised a brow. “Why do you look like I handed you a live grenade?”

I groaned and flopped back onto the bed.

“Adrien, I’m not in the mood to go anywhere.”

He shushed me like I was being dramatic.

“Come on. One night. I promise you’ll feel better if you go. And I swear, I’m gonna win that game for you.”

I sat up again and eyed him skeptically.

“You’re literally handing me a death sentence. Do you even know how many girls in your fanbase would murder me if they saw me wearing this?”

He chuckled, grabbed my chin, and leaned down so our faces were inches apart.

“Are you coming to support them… or me?”

My heart did that stupid flip thing again. His eyes were locked on mine, intense, unreadable. His proximity made it hard to breathe.

“You,” I whispered.

He smirked. “Good. Now shut up and take the goddamn shirt.”

Then he leaned in and kissed me—quick, soft, but it sent sparks right down my spine.

I smiled. “Fine.”

“Thank you,” he said smugly, handing me the jersey.

Just then, Amy popped up in the doorway, crossing her arms.

“Where’s my t-shirt?”

Adrien turned to her without missing a beat.

“How the fuck would I know? Ask Nate.”

Amy rolled her eyes.

“Aww look at the two of you. Does this mean you two are finally exclusive now or what?”

My eyes flicked to Adrien’s face instinctively, watching him.

He looked at me, really looked—and then gave the softest smile I’d ever seen from him. His hand found mine.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “We are.”

And just like that, I exhaled.

Because finally—I didn’t have to wonder where we stood anymore. He made it clear.

We were in this. Together. No more games. No more hiding. Just us.

And somehow, despite the ache still lingering in my chest… that was enough to make me feel like I could finally breathe again.