Chapter 12. A Clash on Home Turf

Caleb’s POV

The ball was in my hands, and the game had my full attention—or at least that’s what I wanted to believe. My focus should have been on the field, on the play, on securing the win, but my mind had other ideas. In my peripheral vision, I caught sight of Caroline and Aurora talking. My grip on the ball tightened, my jaw clenched.

I knew Caroline well enough to know when she was genuinely interested in someone, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that her attention toward Aurora wasn’t just casual curiosity. It made my skin prickle with something I didn’t want to name.

I told myself it was nothing. I told myself I didn’t care. But my agitation was far deeper than I let on. It wasn’t just about Caroline. It was about Aurora. I didn’t want her getting too close to Caroline, and the reasons for that were... personal. More personal than I was willing to admit, even to myself. I could feel it like an itch in the back of my mind, a slow burn that refused to g