Chapter 62 The Lake
Phoebe
“Hey, Phoebe.”
A horn honked, followed by a familiar voice calling out from the distance. I stopped walking and looked up, spotting Finley leaning out of Zion’s car window. For a second, I just stood there, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. Then my feet started moving toward him on their own.
He jerked his chin toward the passenger seat. Without saying much, I got in and shut the door. A wave of quiet relief slowly spread through my chest. I wasn’t sure what to say first—only that I was glad it was Finley who came.
He’s always known how to calm me down—no pressure, no theatrics, just his presence, like a cool breeze in the middle of a heatwave.
“Let me guess... Hayden sent you,” I muttered, eyes on the road as dusk settled in, casting everything in that blueish winter hue.
“You got it. He told me before you guys left... and Zion, too. Actually, Zion was the loudest one. He wouldn’t stop bugging me during my game two hours ago.” Finley chuckled, starting the engine.
“He probably knows already,” I said, rubbing my thumb—my go-to habit when stress gnaws at me.
“Yeah, Zion picks up on stuff like that. He’s tight with Hayden. But hey... you want to go straight back to the dorm or hit somewhere to clear your head a little?”
I hesitated. “Give me a suggestion.”
Finley smiled gently, eyes soft like always. “Let’s go to the lake.”
I wasn’t expecting it to look this beautiful in winter.
The lake, framed by tall, bare pine trees and patches of wild grass frosted with white, looked like something out of a dream. A thin mist hovered above the still water, reflecting the soft gold of the setting sun. The air was biting, but somehow, it felt good—like something that woke you up from the inside out.
“I like this place,” I said quietly, slipping off my shoes and walking barefoot toward the icy edge of the lake. My toes instantly went numb from the cold, but the sting felt weirdly good.
“Knew you would,” Finley said, shrugging off his jacket and tugging off his hoodie. “Come on. Don’t just admire it.”
“You’re insane,” I laughed, watching him wade into the freezing water like it was no big deal.
Still... I followed. Stripping down to my thermal top and shorts, I stepped into the lake, gasping as the cold water hit my skin. It was brutal—but it pulled something heavy off my chest.
We swam slowly, not saying much. Just being. Sometimes Finley looked at me and smiled, and I smiled back. The silence didn’t feel awkward—it felt healing.
Later, we leaned against a big rock near the bank, water lapping softly around us.
“You know,” Finley said, turning to me, “it’s okay to feel drained. To be confused. And it’s okay to choose yourself.”
His words landed deep, tapping into something I’d kept locked away.
“I just... didn’t think it would blow up like this,” I whispered.
“Sometimes we don’t need to see it coming,” he said. “We just learn to flow with it... and eventually, it settles.”
I closed my eyes and let the wind and water soothe me—until the sharp ringtone of a video call shattered the peace.
Finley picked it up. The name “Hayden” lit up the screen.
“Yo,” he answered casually. I peeked from the corner of my eye.
Hayden was standing in the dorm room, hair a little messy, expression calm. “Where are you? Is Phoebe okay?”
Finley glanced at me and then angled the phone to show me. “She just needed some air. Took her to the lake.”
Behind Hayden, Zion’s face suddenly popped into the frame. “Phoebe! You’ve been gone forever! Don’t stay out too late—we’ve got practice, remember?!”
I rolled my eyes and gave a half-smile. “Jeez, you’re such a nag, Zion.”
Hayden chuckled under his breath. “Don’t forget—practice tonight.”
Finley gave him a nod and hung up.
Time fast-forwarded to our late-night e-sports practice. We were back in the dorm’s training room. Finley was handling setup, while I’d be on cleanup duty once we wrapped around 11 p.m.
Zion, as usual, was loud and dramatic. “Adonis! Stop ramming the tower like a lunatic! This isn’t your ninja arc!”
“I thought it was a secret tunnel, bro!” Adonis shot back.
Despite myself, I cracked a smile. Their dumb bickering always had that effect.
Hayden didn’t talk much. But I caught him looking my way now and then. Not saying anything—but his gaze was steady. Intense. Like there was something he wanted to say but was holding back.
I focused. On the game. The rhythm. The calm voice of Finley occasionally guided the team.
Afterward, we started packing up.
“Phoebe,” Adonis called, walking over. “Wanna hit the gym? I’m heading over, but it looks like you could use a little... release. I saw what happened with Hayden.”
I paused. Then nodded. “Yeah. I need a distraction.”
The gym was quiet—just the low hum of the heater and the sound of our sneakers on the floor. I sat at the leg press, gripping the handles tightly as I started pushing the weights. Over and over. My breath quickened. Sweat beaded along my temple.
I wanted to forget. To burn out the memory of the rejection. The things that were said.
“You know,” Adonis said, “if you curse while lifting, it works better.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Not in the mood to joke, dumbass.”
“Fair,” he replied, sitting beside me. He grabbed a towel and gently patted my shoulder. “But seriously... you’re kind of amazing. Even when everything falls apart, you don’t lose your cool. If it were me, I’d probably spiral into villain mode.”
I turned to him. “Adonis…”
He looked right at me—no teasing, no sarcasm. Just something real.
“If only I’d had more time to know you first... maybe I could’ve been the one you chose,” he said softly.
And for some reason... I didn’t pull away when he touched my cheek. The moment hung between us—quiet, heavy, warm.
Then he leaned in and kissed me. Soft. Focused. Like he meant it.
And just when I let my eyes fall shut—
“Phoebe.”
That voice.
I turned. Hayden stood at the doorway of the gym, face blank, but eyes serious.
I pulled away from Adonis, my pulse thudding in my ears.
Hayden’s voice was steady. Unshakable.
“We need to talk.”