Lola POV
The final competition was coming up.
Regionals. The one we’ve trained for all year. The one that would determine scholarships, reputations, and everything we’ve worked for.
And I wasn’t about to let it slip through our fingers.
We were in the gym, drenched in sweat. The smell of rubber soles and tension filled the air. The squeak of shoes, the slam of the ball on the floor, the sharp whistle of Coach echoing off the walls—it was all routine by now. But something about today felt heavier.
We were all tense. Focused. Hungry.
“Let’s go again!” I shouted, tossing the ball into the air. “Darla, you’re up to serve!”
Darla let out a loud sigh and rolled her eyes. “I’ve done it like five times already.”
“And you still keep messing it up,” I snapped. “So yeah, again.”
“Maybe I’d stop messing it up if you actually coached instead of yelled,” she muttered under her breath as she stepped up.
“What did you just say?” I asked, stepping toward her.
Bree, standing next to me, put a hand on my arm. “Lola, chill. We need her arm today.”
“I don’t need her attitude,” I said.
“I don’t need your dictator energy,” Darla fired back, arms crossed.
“Stop acting like you’re the victim,” I spat. “You’re on this team because your parents paid for half the gym’s renovation. Not because you’re any good.”
Darla took one step toward me. “Screw you, Lola. Just because your life’s falling apart doesn’t mean you get to take it out on me.”
And that’s when Cassian stepped in.
“Enough!” he barked, coming between us before we could rip each other’s heads off. “Both of you! Do you want to walk into Regionals like this? Falling apart?”
“She started it,” Darla muttered.
“Don’t act like a kindergartener,” Cassian snapped back at her. “We’re here to train. Don't throw slaps.”
I stepped back, biting the inside of my cheek. I could feel the stares. Everyone in the gym had frozen mid-movement. The silence screamed louder than we did.
Cassian turned to me. “You need to cool it.”
“I’m captain,” I reminded him through clenched teeth.
“Then act like it.”
That stung. I hated when he was right. Hated it even more when it was about me.
I took a deep breath and turned back toward the court. “Let’s keep going,” I said. “Same rotation. Darla, serve. Bree, prepare to cover her left.”
Everyone slowly got back into position.
As the drills continued, so did the tension. The ball flew back and forth across the net with rapid fire. We missed a few. Recovered others. Bree called out for blocks. Cassian barked orders. My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but I didn’t stop. Not even for a second.
Because we needed this.
Every play had to be perfect. Every spike had to land. Every mistake had to be fixed now—not at the championship..
We took a short break. Everyone dropped to the floor or leaned against the wall, guzzling water.
Cassian tossed me a towel. “You’re pushing hard today.”
“We don’t have a choice,” I said, wiping the sweat off my face.
“Yeah, but they’re tired.”
“We can’t afford to be tired,” I snapped. “Do you want second place?”
Cassian didn’t answer. But the look in his eyes said enough.
Everyone knew what was at stake.
Bree walked up beside me, her ponytail frizzy, sweat dripping down her temple. “Lola, I know you’re stressed. But if we keep tearing each other apart like this, we won’t win. I’m just being honest.”
I looked at her, heart pounding. “I know. I just—”
She nodded slowly. “I know. But we need you. The real you.”
That did it. I blew out a shaky breath and turned toward the team.
“Alright,” I said, clapping my hands together. “Everyone. Huddle up.”
They all looked up, surprised. But they came.
Bree. Diego. Cassian. Darla. Ava. Hannah. All of them.
I stood in the center, voice clear but trembling slightly. “I know the past few weeks have been messy. I know we’ve all been dealing with stuff. Drama. Rumors. Pressure. But this? This right here? This team—this is what matters now.”
I looked at each of them. Darla still had a bit of fire in her eyes, but even she stayed quiet.
“We have trained too damn hard to fall apart now. We’re not just walking into the final game. We’re walking in to win. To take what’s ours.”
I paused, heart pounding.
“We will win the championship,” I said. “And we’ll do it together.”