Ryder – On the Field
The sun beat down on the practice field, heat shimmering off the turf. Ryder adjusted his helmet, tossing the ball between his hands, trying to focus.
"Let's go, boys! Push it!" the coach yelled, and the team erupted into drills.
Ryder ran plays, barked orders, and tackled his opponents with his usual intensity, but his mind was only half there.
He kept thinking about Liana—how her laugh lingered like a song he couldn't get out of his head, how her blue eyes glimmered even when she was fuming at him, how the curve of her hips had him stupidly distracted.
He shook his head. Focus. Football. Nothing else.
But it was impossible. Every time he imagined her in class, notebook open, pen in hand, biting her lip as she scowled at him… it made his chest tighten, his jaw clench.
He kicked the ball into the air, watching it spin, and muttered under his breath, "God, she's fat… and she's perfect."
No one could know. No one ever would.
---
Liana – In the Library
The library was quiet, the scent of books and polished wood surrounding her as she tucked her diary beneath her arm.
She sat at a table in the corner, pen in hand, notebook open. She scribbled furiously, trying to get the whirlwind of thoughts out of her head.
Why does he have to be so annoying? she wrote, glaring at the page. Why does he tease me, make me blush, humiliate me in front of everyone, and then… why does my heart flip like a fool when he's near?
She paused, tapping the pen against her lips.
I hate him. I've hated him since we were kids. He's always been mean, always been teasing, always been… Ryder. But I've loved him forever. I can't… I shouldn't. He's Ryder. I'm… me. Fat, curvy, stupid… the sister of Jax and Jordan, not the girl he looks at like I'm something else.
Her chest tightened as she remembered the way he'd smirked at her this morning, dragging Mallory away while keeping his eyes on her.
And the worst part? she scribbled in bold, angry letters. I love it. I hate it. I can't stop thinking about him. I've never stopped thinking about him. Since we were three.
She slammed the diary shut, cheeks flushed, heart hammering. She tried to breathe, tried to calm herself, but every memory of Ryder teasing her, every glance he gave, made her body tingle with a mix of frustration, embarrassment, and something far more dangerous—desire.
Across town, Ryder ran drills, every sprint, every pass, every tackle—haunted by the same impossible girl he couldn't stop thinking about.
And somehow, even though they were on opposite sides of the school, they were both trapped by the same thing: each other.
Ryder stomped into the locker room, helmet under his arm, sweat running down his face. The practice had been intense, but it wasn't the field that had him heated—it was everything else.
Mallory Steele was already there, leaning against her locker with perfect posture, ponytail swinging, eyes rolling at the first glimpse of him.
"Finally," she said, voice dripping with mock annoyance. "I thought you'd get lost in that stupid field of yours."
Ryder smirked, tossing his towel onto a bench. "Shut up," he muttered. "I needed to blow off some steam. You're lucky I didn't bring my football with me."
Mallory laughed, stepping closer, her perfume heavy in the air. "You're lucky I like you, Ryder. Otherwise, you'd be sweating and angry for nothing."
"You're the reason I'm like this," he said, voice low, dark. "Always… on edge. But I guess that's the fun part."
Mallory grinned, brushing her hand along his arm. "You love it. Don't deny it."
Ryder rolled his eyes but didn't pull away. He hated how much Mallory could get under his skin, yet he needed her presence to vent his frustrations. He had other frustrations, ones he would never admit—ones that had nothing to do with football.
---
Meanwhile, across campus, Liana had escaped to the library, where her diary waited. She wasn't alone for long.
A soft voice called from the table next to hers.
"Hey, Liana."
She looked up to see Moana, her best friend since middle school. Thin, delicate, with sun-kissed hair in loose waves, and a carefree, hippie vibe, Moana smiled warmly at her. She wore a flowy dress and had a stack of journals in her arms.
"Hey, Mo," Liana said, tucking her diary closer.
Moana slid into the seat across from her, setting down the journals. "I saw you writing. Plotting revenge on Ryder or just confessing your undying love?" she teased, grinning.
Liana groaned, cheeks heating. "You're horrible. Don't even joke about it."
Moana laughed softly. "I'm just saying… he's a pain in the ass, but you like him. I've seen it since forever."
Liana buried her face in her hands. "I hate him. I hate him. I can't… I just…" She trailed off, frustrated.
Moana reached across the table, squeezing her hand gently. "I know. But you're not imagining it. Ryder has this… effect on you. He's cruel, yes, but there's something about him. I've known you since we were kids. He's always gotten under your skin… and under your heart."
Liana exhaled slowly, staring down at the table. "I hate that you're right."
Moana laughed quietly. "You don't hate it as much as you think."
Liana looked up, meeting Moana's bright, calm eyes. For a moment, the chaos of school—the bullying, the whispers, Ryder's teasing—faded. She wasn't fat or ugly here. She wasn't under Ryder's spell. She was just herself, safe, with her best friend.
But outside, the school waited, and Ryder and Mallory's toxic love danced dangerously close to the secrets he couldn't let anyone know… especially about Liana.
Liana sank back in her chair, gripping her diary as Moana slid her notebook closer.
"You know," Moana said, tilting her head, "Ryder's going to drive you crazy one day, and you'll still be obsessed with him."
"I hate him," Liana muttered, cheeks burning. "I really do. But I can't… I can't stop thinking about him."
Moana just smiled knowingly. "I know, Liana. I've seen it forever."
The library door swung open, and in walked Jax and Jordan, commanding attention without trying. Jordan grinned as always, while Jax's eyes immediately found Moana.
Moana's face lit up, and she waved softly.
"Hey," Jax said quietly, sliding into the seat next to her. He reached for her hand, fingers lacing naturally through hers.
Liana's jaw dropped slightly. Of course she knew they were together—they'd been dating for a year—but seeing the small, intimate gestures between them made her heart twist a little. Jax brushed a strand of hair from Moana's face, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
Moana leaned into him, smiling softly. "You always know when I need this," she whispered.
"I do," Jax said, grinning. "After a year, I think I've got it down."
Liana couldn't help but smile at the sight. The ease between them, the comfort, the affection—they'd been together long enough to know each other inside and out. It made her feel happy for them… and slightly envious of the kind of love that seemed effortless, even though she herself had been crushing on Ryder forever.
Jordan chuckled, glancing at Liana. "Cute, aren't they?"
Moana laughed softly. "Shut up, Jordan."
Liana watched her brother and best friend, feeling a mix of warmth and longing. Jax and Moana had each other, and it was obvious—they were a perfect pair.
And then her thoughts wandered back to Ryder, the boy who teased her mercilessly, protected her obsessively, and made her heart ache in ways she couldn't understand.
Even as she watched Jax and Moana, Liana knew one thing for certain: her crush on Ryder wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.