Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Noah

Well, I have to admit, my little stunt at lunch didn’t exactly unfold the way I had imagined. I walked into his office expecting to catch my usual “lucky break,” but instead? I got kicked out with six penalty points slapped on me like a badge of dishonor. Six! It felt downright unfair. Sure, I knew the sting of that punishment would hit hard when he finally collected, but honestly, the aftermath—the way Aiden would touch me, hold me close, whisper low words afterward—that was the part that made every bit of it worthwhile.

I muttered to myself with a goofy grin, “Man, I’m sick.”

Cold shoulder or not, punishment or not, I still got what I wanted. Aiden had kissed me before the game. Not just a quick peck, but slammed me against the wall and kissed me like he didn’t give a damn who might walk by. Seriously, what was he on? Whatever it was, I was hooked—I wanted more.

By the time I stepped onto the field, it felt like pure rocket fuel was pumping through my veins. The stadium lights blazed down, the stands were packed tight, and for once, my mind was clear: this was mine to own.

And damn, did I own it.

In the first quarter, I threaded a pass between two defenders so clean that even Daniels looked stunned. The roar from the crowd hit me like a tidal wave, a thunderous sound that pounded against my chest. By halftime, I was running plays like I’d written the damn playbook myself—fake left, cut right, launch it downfield, touchdown. The student section erupted. People were shouting my name, screaming my number. Hell, I swear I spotted a couple of signs with “Blake #12” scrawled on them. My ego ballooned so fast I thought I might float right off the turf.

Every snap, every throw, every call—it all just clicked seamlessly. The ball felt like an extension of me. My teammates started slapping my helmet, hollering, “Let’s go, Blake!” and “That’s our QB!” They fed off my energy, and I fed off theirs, until Central State didn’t know what hit them.

Back in the locker room, the guys went wild—shouting, smacking helmets, spraying water bottles everywhere like we’d just won the championship. And for the first time, when they congratulated me, it wasn’t just noise. It was respect. They looked at me differently, like I was someone they could genuinely follow. I felt pride, acceptance—the kind I’d never experienced before.

But stepping out of that locker room was a whole different story. The crowd was still buzzing, students and cheerleaders pressing in close, Lexie and her crew rushing toward me like I’d just walked off a movie set. Hands grabbing, cameras flashing. Lexie smiled wide, already telling me her dad wanted to congratulate me—“just five minutes.”

Amid the chaos, before I could even catch my breath, I caught sight of Aiden. He was surrounded by commentators, board members, and faculty—all clamoring for his attention. Beyond that, I noticed where he was steering the conversation—toward the scouts he’d told me about. The ones he’d arranged to be here tonight.

I hadn’t even cleared the crowd when it hit me—the tug of two worlds. On one side, Lexie waiting to drag me to her dad and his “exclusive guests.” On the other, Aiden moving straight toward me with that look that said, “Move, Blake, now.” Two directions, two doors, each promising something I couldn’t afford to turn away from.