Chapter 23 Monday Morning
Monday morning was a cold realization.
I tried to keep my head down as I walked through the athletics wing, but the atmosphere had shifted. The usual high-fives and loud laughter in the halls were replaced by a sharp, biting silence that followed me like a shadow.
My phone hadn't stopped buzzing since 7:00 AM.
I finally opened the student forum. The "Viper Poll" was pinned to the top of the page.
WHO SHOULD STAY IN THE VIPERS' PIT?
The Captain (Leo Vance): 79%
The Charity Case (Jaxson Miller): 11%
The comments were a bloodbath. Some called Jaxson a "social climber," while others mocked me for "going slumming." It felt like the entire university had turned into a courtroom, and we had already been found guilty.
I pushed into the girl's locker room, hoping for a moment of peace before practice. Instead, I walked right into a trap.
Sarah, the head flyer and a girl who had been trying to get into my brother's circle for years, was standing in the center of the room. She was holding her phone up, showing the rest of the girls the video of Jaxson and me.
"Oh, look," Sarah said, her voice dripping with fake pity. "The princess has arrived. Tell us, Elena, is the 'scholarship experience' really worth ruining your brother’s reputation? Or do you just like chasing the help because it makes you feel important?"
The other girls giggled nervously. I felt the blood rush to my face. "It’s none of your business, Sarah. Leave it alone."
"It is our business when the Vipers are the laughingstock of the conference," Sarah snapped, stepping closer. "Leo is a legacy. You’re a Vance. But you’re acting like a groupie for a guy who’s going to be back in a trailer park the second his eligibility runs out. It’s pathetic."
"The only thing pathetic here is you, Sarah."
Chloe stepped out from behind a row of lockers, her gym bag slung over her shoulder.
She walked right up to Sarah, her eyes narrowed.
"You’ve been bitter since freshman year because Leo wouldn't give you the time of day," Chloe said, her voice steady and loud. "So now you’re attacking his sister because she found something real? Get a life. If I hear you mention 'the help' one more time, I’ll make sure the coach hears about who’s been 'helping' the rival team’s kicker with his homework."
Sarah turned a deep shade of red, sputtered for a second, and then turned away, grabbing her pom-poms. "Whatever. Let's go, guys. Some of us actually care about the team’s image."
As the room cleared, Chloe grabbed my arm. Her face was pale. "Elena, don't listen to her. But you need to be careful. People are getting mean."
"I know," I whispered. "I just didn't think it would be everyone."
"Head up, El," Chloe commanded, her voice ringing out so the girls near the door could hear. "Don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you flinch. Sarah has the personality of a thumb-tack, and she’s just mad she’s not the one everyone is talking about."
We walked out into the bright hallway, the heavy door swinging shut behind us. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Thanks, Chloe. I don't know why they're being so cruel. It’s not like I’m the first person on campus to date someone."
"You’re a Vance, Elena," Chloe said, stopping us near a row of trophies. "To people like Sarah, you’re supposed to be a statue, something perfect to look at that never does anything unexpected. By picking Jaxson, you broke their little fantasy."
She leaned in, her expression softening. "But listen to me. This isn't just about mean girls in a locker room anymore. People are taking sides, and it’s getting ugly. You have to be smart. They’re looking for any reason to tear you and Jaxson down to protect the 'Viper image.'"
"I know," I whispered, looking at my reflection in the trophy glass. I looked small. "I just didn't realize that loving him would mean fighting the whole school."
"Then get your armor on," Chloe said, patting my shoulder. "Because the game is just starting, and I have a feeling the hits are going to get a lot harder from here."
I spent the next two hours in the library, trying to focus on a biology paper, but the words blurred on the screen. Every time a hockey player walked by, I flinched.
"You look like you're waiting for a bomb to go off."
I looked up. Cooper was standing there, his hood pulled low. He looked around to make sure no one was watching before he sat down across from me.
"Cooper? Are you okay?"
"I’m fine," he said quietly. "But Jaxson isn't. Elena, the locker room is a war zone. It’s not just whispers anymore. Marcus has been in the freshmen’s ears all morning. He’s convinced them that Jaxson is a 'poison' and that if he’s gone, the team can go back to normal."
My heart hammered against my ribs. "What does that mean?"
"It means they're planning something for the afternoon practice," Cooper said, leaning in. "They’re going to run the high-speed transition drills. Marcus told the guys to 'lose their balance' when Jaxson makes his pivot. They’re going to take out his legs, El. At that speed, his knees won't stand a chance."
I felt sick. "They’re going to intentionally injure him?"
"They want to force the Coach’s hand," Cooper explained. "If he’s injured, he’s off the roster. If he’s off the roster, he’s not a distraction. Marcus thinks he’s 'saving' the team."
"Does Leo know?" I asked.
Cooper looked away. "Leo isn't talking. He’s just letting it happen. He’s the Captain, El. If he doesn't tell them to stop, they won't. You need to get to Jaxson. Tell him to sit out. If he goes on that ice today, he might not walk off it."
Cooper stood up and vanished into the stacks before I could even thank him.
I sat there, frozen. By loving Jaxson, I hadn't just made my brother angry, I had put a target on Jaxson’s back.
If I stayed with him, I would be the reason his dreams ended. I would be the reason he lost the only thing he had left: his career.
The stakes were finally clear. To save his future, I might have to be the one to let him go.