Don't You Dare

Chapter 8: Shared Spaces

The referee's whistle blew sharply, and the crowd gasped as the ref signaled a penalty kick. Andrea's heart pounded as she watched Gabe get to his feet, his expression determined. The defender who had pulled his jersey was arguing with the referee, but it was clear Gabe would get the penalty shot.

The entire stadium seemed to hold its breath as Gabe positioned himself for the kick. He took a deep breath, his eyes focused solely on the goal, and then, with one powerful motion, he struck the ball. It sailed past the goalkeeper's outstretched hands and into the top corner of the net.

The crowd erupted into cheers, and Andrea jumped to her feet, clapping and shouting, her pulse racing from the excitement of the moment. She watched as Gabe's teammates swarmed him, their cheers and congratulations filling the air. He looked up at the stands, his eyes searching, and when he found her, he grinned and raised a hand in a quick wave.

Andrea couldn't help but smile back, her heart swelling with a mix of pride and affection. She wanted to run down onto the field and throw her arms around him, but she held back, watching as Gabe embraced his teammates and exchanged high-fives with the coaches. This was his moment, and she didn't want to intrude.

As the crowd began to disperse at halftime, Andrea and Megan made their way down the bleachers, weaving through groups of students and parents, everyone buzzing with excitement from the game. She spotted Gabe near the edge of the field, still talking animatedly with a few of his friends.

"Go to him," Megan urged with a grin, nudging Andrea forward. "He's looking for you."

Andrea hesitated for just a moment, then started walking toward him, her heart pounding. She was almost to him when she saw a girl approach Gabe, her long hair shining under the stadium lights. Andrea recognized her as one of the more flirtatious girls from their school. She leaned in close to Gabe, her hand resting casually on his arm as she spoke, her body language flirtatious.

Andrea felt her stomach twist as she watched the girl stand on her tiptoes, leaning in as if to kiss him on the cheek. Gabe stepped back immediately, looking startled and clearly uncomfortable. His eyes darted around, and when they found Andrea, his expression softened. He said something to the girl, his tone polite but firm, and then quickly made his way over to Andrea, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Hey," he said, slightly out of breath, his cheeks still flushed from the game. "I was looking for you."

Andrea forced a smile, pushing down the swirl of emotions inside her. "You played great, Gabe. Really impressive."

"Thanks," he said, his eyes searching hers. "Did you see that last play? I wasn't sure if we were going to pull it off."

"You were incredible," she said honestly, but her eyes flickered to the girl who was still lingering nearby, watching them with a curious expression. She tried to ignore the uneasy feeling growing in her chest. "You really led the team out there."

Gabe followed her gaze and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, about what just happened—"

"It's fine," Andrea interrupted, her voice tense. "You're back on the team, everyone's excited to see you play again, and... I get it."

Gabe frowned, stepping closer and lowering his voice. "No, it's not like that, okay? She doesn't mean anything to me. You know that, right?"

Andrea bit her lip, glancing away. "I want to believe that, but... it's just hard sometimes. Seeing you like this, everyone wanting to be around you. It's like I'm back in the shadows, watching from a distance."

Gabe's expression softened, and he reached out to take her hand. "You're not in the shadows, Andrea. You're the only one I see. None of this matters if I don't have you."