~ Chapter 35 ~
Eva decided that being Reed Taylor's girlfriend felt nothing like she'd imagined it would.
She had always assumed it would feel loud.
Obvious.
Like something that announced itself with flashing signs and heart-pounding chaos.
Instead, it felt... quiet.
Steady.
Like slipping into a pair of shoes that fit so well she forgot she was wearing them.
They were walking toward her morning class, side by side, the early air still carrying a hint of chill. Reed's hand was in hers, their fingers loosely intertwined, not gripping, not possessive, just... there. Like it belonged. Like it always had.
Eva kept catching herself looking down at their hands.
Then quickly looking away.
Then looking again.
Because every time she did, her chest did that soft, melty thing she hadn't figured out how to control yet.
Reed noticed.
Of course he did.
His thumb brushed slowly across her knuckles, a lazy, absent-minded motion, like he wasn't even aware he was doing it.
Eva swallowed.
Her heart did a small, undignified flip.
She tried to act normal.
Tried to focus on literally anything else.
The trees lining the walkway.
The girl skateboarding past them.
The distant sound of someone arguing on their phone.
Anything but the fact that Reed Taylor was holding her hand on a Tuesday morning like it was the most natural thing in the world.
They didn't talk much.
Not because it was awkward.
But because it wasn't.
Silence with Reed didn't feel heavy. It felt easy. Comfortable. Like neither of them was scrambling to fill space just to prove something.
Halfway down the path, Eva felt her shoelace brush against her ankle.
She glanced down.
Great.
Before she could say anything, Reed stopped walking.
Eva looked up, confused. "What—"
"You're gonna trip," he said simply.
Then, to her absolute horror, Reed Taylor let go of her hand and crouched down in front of her.
On the sidewalk.
In public.
Eva's brain short-circuited.
"Reed, you don't have to—"
"I want to," he said, already tying the lace.
The world did that slow, floaty thing.
People walked past.
No one cared.
No one stared.
Which somehow made it worse.
Reed's fingers moved quickly, efficiently, like this was the most normal task in the universe.
Eva stood there, staring at the top of his head, cheeks burning.
When he finished, he tugged the lace gently, checking it.
Then looked up at her.
"Better?"
Eva nodded.
"Yes."
He stood, slipped his hand back into hers without ceremony, and started walking again like nothing life-altering had just happened.
Eva, on the other hand, was having a spiritual experience.
Her heart was pounding.
Her face was on fire.
Her insides felt soft and warm and dangerously close to turning into soup.
She didn't know when someone tying her shoelace had become the hottest thing she'd ever witnessed, but here they were.
They passed a group of guys from the basketball team.
"Morning, Taylor," one of them called.
Reed nodded back.
Then, almost casually, squeezed Eva's hand once.
Not hard.
Not dramatic.
Just a small, grounding squeeze.
Another guy glanced at Eva and smirked. "That your girl?"
Reed didn't hesitate.
"Yeah."
One word.
No performance.
No edge.
Just fact.
Eva felt it all the way in her stomach.
Her face probably matched a stop sign.
The guys nodded in approval and kept walking.
Reed didn't look at her.
Didn't make a big deal out of it.
But his thumb resumed its slow brushing motion over her knuckles.
Like he knew exactly what that one word had done to her.
Outside her classroom building, Reed stopped.
Eva turned toward him.
He lifted his free hand and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
His knuckles grazed her cheek.
Light.
Barely there.
Eva forgot what breathing was supposed to feel like.
"Have a good class," he said.
"You too," she replied, her voice softer than intended.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple.
Not rushed.
Not hesitant.
Warm.
Familiar.
Then he pulled back like he hadn't just rearranged her entire soul.
Eva stood there and watched him walk away.
She didn't immediately move.
Didn't immediately go inside.
She just stood there, fingers still tingling, heart still humming.
For the first time in her life, being seen didn't feel terrifying.
It felt... nice.
She realized, a little shakily, that she liked being his girlfriend.
Not in a surface-level way.
Not in a bragging way.
In a quiet, deep, rooted way.
She liked being chosen.
And maybe even more than that—
She liked choosing him right back.
---
The locker room smelled like sweat, cologne, and adrenaline.
Someone's speaker was blasting music too loud. Someone else was yelling over it anyway. Lockers slammed. Tape ripped. Sneakers squeaked against tile. The kind of chaos Reed had lived inside for years.
Normally, it felt like home.
Today, it felt heavier.
Conference finals.
Scouts in the stands.
Coach had said the word "opportunity" at least twelve times during shootaround.
Reed sat on the bench, elbows on his knees, slowly wrapping tape around his fingers.
Not rushing.
Not stalling.
Just... grounding himself.
Ryan dropped onto the bench beside him, already in full chaos mode.
"Gentlemen," he announced loudly, "I would like to formally state that if I brick even one open three, I will simply pass away on the court."
Felix snorted from across the room. "Please do it quietly."
Vinod, tying his shoes with surgical focus, added, "If you die, I'm taking your minutes."
Ryan clutched his chest. "You're heartless."
Caleb, stretching near his locker, glanced over. "Focus, idiots. This is it."
That word again.
It.
The game.
The moment.
The thing everyone kept telling Reed was supposed to define him.
Ryan nudged Reed's knee with his own.
"You good?"
Reed nodded.
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the whole truth either.
"I'm not nervous about playing," Reed said.
Felix raised an eyebrow. "That's reassuring."
Reed exhaled slowly. "I'm nervous about everything else."
Ryan tilted his head. "Define everything else."
Reed hesitated.
Then said it anyway.
"People keep acting like tonight decides my entire life."
The locker room got quieter.
Not silent.
But quieter.
Vinod straightened a little.
Caleb turned around.
Ryan's joking expression softened.
Felix leaned back against his locker.
"Yeah," Ryan said finally. "They've been doing that to you since freshman year."
Reed stared at the floor.
"I don't know if I even want what they think I should want."
Caleb crossed his arms. "You mean the league."
Reed nodded once.
No drama.
No big speech.
Just truth.
Ryan scratched his jaw. "You don't talk about this shit."
Reed shrugged. "There's not much to say."
Felix scoffed. "That's a lie. You just hate talking about feelings."
Reed didn't deny that either.
Vinod spoke up, quiet but steady.
"What do you want?"
Reed didn't answer right away.
Because the answer had been forming for weeks now.
Because it felt big.
Because saying it out loud made it real.
"I want to build things," Reed said.
Caleb blinked. "Like... engineering things?"
Reed nodded.
"I like basketball. I love playing. But I don't feel empty when I think about walking away from it."
Ryan slowly smiled.
"That's insane."
Reed huffed. "Thanks."
Ryan shook his head. "No, I mean... insane in a good way. You know how many dudes lie to themselves about that?"
Felix pointed at Reed. "You're the only one I know who could have scouts drooling and still be like, 'Yeah but what about torque calculations?'"
Reed cracked a small smile.
Vinod tilted his head. "And Eva?"
Reed didn't hesitate this time.
"She feels like home."
Ryan let out a low whistle. "Oh, you're gone gone."
Reed didn't care.
"She makes everything quieter," Reed said. "When I'm with her, none of this feels like it decides who I am."
Caleb nodded slowly. "That's real."
Felix smirked. "Also she feeds us, so we're obviously on her side."
Ryan laughed. "Facts."
Reed shook his head, but he was smiling.
Coach's voice cut through the room.
"Five minutes!"
Energy spiked again.
Guys stood.
Shoulder bumps.
Trash talk.
Final stretches.
Reed stood too.
He grabbed his jersey.
Pulled it over his head.
The fabric settled against his skin.
He reached into his locker and pulled out his phone.
One text.
That's all he needed.
Reed: You here?
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
Eva: Row six. Wearing your hoodie. I'm nervous for you but also very proud already.
Something warm spread through his chest.
He typed back.
Reed: Don't be nervous. I've got you.
Then, after a second—
Reed: I'll look for you.
He slid the phone back into his locker.
Ryan watched the whole thing.
"You texted her."
Reed nodded.
Ryan clapped his hands once.
"Alright, gentlemen. He's emotionally stable. We're winning."
Felix pointed at Reed. "Play good. Your girl is watching."
Reed's jaw tightened.
Not with pressure.
With purpose.
He jogged out of the locker room with the team.
The roar of the arena hit him full force.
Lights.
Noise.
Movement.
Bodies.
Everything loud.
Everything alive.
Reed stepped onto the court and did what he always did.
He scanned the stands.
Not desperately.
Not frantically.
Just... naturally.
And then he saw her.
Row six.
His hoodie swallowing her frame.
Hands tucked into the sleeves.
Hair pulled back.
Chewing nervously on her bottom lip like she always did when she was anxious.
She was talking to Parker, but her eyes lifted.
Found him.
Her face softened.
She lifted her hand in a tiny wave.
Reed felt it everywhere.
Not adrenaline.
Not ego.
Grounding.
That's my girl.
Not in a territorial way.
Not in an ownership way.
In a chosen way.
In a mutual way.
Reed rolled his shoulders.
Bounced on his toes.
The future could wait.
The noise could wait.
The questions could wait.
Right now, he had a game to play.
And someone he wanted to come back to when it was over.
That was enough.
---
Eva had told herself she would be calm.
She had told herself she would sit nicely in her seat, sip her overpriced soda, politely clap, and not internally panic every time Reed touched the ball.
That plan lasted approximately twelve seconds.
By the middle of the first quarter, her leg was bouncing, her hands were buried inside the sleeves of Reed's hoodie, and she was leaning forward so much Parker had to keep gently tugging her back.
"Eva," Parker murmured. "You're going to fall."
Eva barely heard her.
Reed had the ball.
He drove hard.
Someone reached.
Someone fouled.
The whistle blew.
Eva gasped like she'd personally been assaulted.
Sandra grabbed her arm. "Bubbles, breathe."
"I am breathing," Eva whispered.
She was not breathing.
Cassie, who had Ryan's jersey on over a cropped top like she owned the place, leaned over with a grin. "You're worse than I was my first season dating Ryan."
Eva shook her head. "I don't know how you do this."
Cassie laughed. "You get used to it. Mostly. Sometimes you still want to fight people."
Eva nodded.
Yes.
That.
The game was fast.
Aggressive.
Both teams were good.
Too good.
The energy felt sharp.
Tight.
Like a rubber band pulled too far.
The other team started jawing early.
Eva noticed before she understood.
Extra shoves.
Hands lingering too long.
Smirks.
One guy in particular kept bumping Reed after plays.
Not enough for a whistle.
Enough to be deliberate.
Eva's stomach didn't like it.
Parker noticed her expression. "You clocked it too?"
Eva nodded.
"He's poking the bear," Sandra muttered.
Midway through the second quarter, Reed drove to the basket and got hacked.
Hard.
He hit the floor.
Eva stood up without realizing she was standing.
"WHAT THE HELL," Sandra yelled.
The arena erupted.
Boos.
Shouting.
Whistles.
Reed popped back up.
His jaw was tight.
Not angry.
Controlled.
That somehow scared Eva more.
The guy who fouled him leaned in close.
Said something.
Eva couldn't hear it.
But she saw Reed's shoulders stiffen.
Saw his eyes darken.
The guy glanced up.
Straight toward the stands.
Straight toward Eva.
He smirked.
Said something else.
Reed snapped.
Not physically.
Not yet.
But something in his posture shifted.
Eva felt it.
Like the air changed.
Reed said something back.
Short.
Sharp.
The ref stepped in.
Tech warning.
Coach was yelling.
Ryan grabbed Reed by the jersey and shoved him backward toward their side.
"Let it go," Ryan barked. "Not worth it."
Reed didn't look away from the guy.
Not until Eva did something incredibly stupid.
She cupped her hands around her mouth.
"REED!"
His head snapped toward her.
Their eyes locked.
Her heart was in her throat.
She didn't yell.
Didn't scream.
She just held his gaze.
Steady.
Open.
Worried.
Reed's breathing slowed.
Just a fraction.
Enough.
He nodded at her.
Once.
The message was silent but loud.
I'm good.
I see you.
I've got you.
The game got nastier after that.
More contact.
More trash talk.
More attitude.
But Reed channeled it.
Hard defense.
Clean passes.
Strong drives.
He played like someone with something to prove.
Not to scouts.
Not to the crowd.
To himself.
Late in the fourth quarter, Reed hit a three from the corner.
Nothing but net.
The arena exploded.
Cassie screamed.
Sandra screamed louder.
Parker clapped so hard her hands probably hurt.
Eva forgot how to be a human.
Ryan turned toward their section and pointed.
Vinod slapped Reed's chest.
Felix jumped onto Caleb's back.
Reed didn't celebrate.
He looked up.
Found Eva.
Held her gaze.
Something hot and heavy moved through her.
Not lust.
Not just that.
Pride.
Possession.
Belonging.
The final buzzer sounded.
They won.
The arena lost its mind.
Confetti cannons popped.
Teammates crashed into each other.
Hugs.
Yelling.
Jumping.
Pure chaos.
Eva stood there shaking.
Not from fear.
From adrenaline.
From emotion.
From the overwhelming need to be near Reed.
The cocky guy from the other team tried to say something as players lined up.
Reed didn't even acknowledge him.
Didn't look at him.
Didn't care.
Reed turned.
And walked straight toward Eva.
Not scanning.
Not hesitating.
Straight to her.
Security tried to slow him.
Coach yelled something.
Ryan whooped.
"LET HIM GO."
Reed reached the railing.
Eva barely had time to register what was happening before his hands were on her waist and he was lifting her slightly off the ground and kissing her.
Not a shy kiss.
Not a polite kiss.
A real one.
Firm.
Claiming.
Public.
The kind that said:
She's mine.
And I'm hers.
Eva melted.
Her hands went into his hair.
The crowd around them roared even louder.
Sandra was screaming.
Parker had her hands over her mouth.
Cassie was jumping up and down.
Ryan yelled at the top of his lungs:
"THAT'S HIS GIRL!"
Reed pulled back just enough to press his forehead to Eva's.
Breathing hard.
Eyes dark.
Full.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Eva nodded.
"Yes."
"You scared me."
Eva swallowed. "You scared me too."
Reed brushed his thumb under her eye.
Soft.
Gentle.
"I'm good," he said. "I'm right here."
She nodded again.
He kissed her once more.
Slower.
Deeper.
Like the whole world had narrowed to the two of them.
Around them, everything was loud.
But between them?
Quiet.
Certain.
Real.
Eva realized something then.
She didn't just like being Reed Taylor's girlfriend.
She loved it.
And she loved him.
Eva blushed "I love you."
Reed cracked a smile, a genuine, heart wrenching smile "I love you."
Deep.
Unavoidable.
Permanent.
And judging by the way Reed was holding her like he'd never let go—
He felt it too.