CHAPTER 25 #2
“I made you my motivation. Every time you ran onto a court, every time you chased your dreams… I carried it with me. You didn’t even know. You didn’t have to. It was enough just to watch, just to have you exist in my world.”
She paused, her eyes glistening, hand hovering as if she wanted to reach out but feared even that. “If whatever you’ve been trying to say… if you need to say it, say it right now.”
My mind spun, caught between the ache of my own feelings and the reality of her bravery. That cracked something in me. That was it, the only thing I’d been waiting for, the only thing I needed to risk everything now.
Before I knew it, I surged forward, grabbed her face with both hands, and kissed her.
Desperate, like every frustrated, overwhelmed thought had finally found its release.
She froze for half a second, then melted into me, her hands finding my waist, pulling me closer like she’d been waiting for this as long as I had.
The kiss gentled, slowed, turned into something aching instead of frantic. Her lips brushed mine again and again, like she was memorizing me. I let my hands slip to her jaw, softer now, thumbs grazing her skin.
Our lips parted, breath tangled, and before I could stop myself the words tumbled out.
“You drive me mad, Alex. Completely mad. You walk into a room and suddenly I can’t think straight.
I hate how much space you take up in my head, how one look from you can undo me.
And I’ve tried so hard to shut it off, to tell myself I don’t need this, don’t need you. But it never works. It’s always you.”
Her expression wavered. I pressed on, my voice breaking.
“I push you away because I’m terrified of what you do to me. Because when it’s you, it isn’t just a distraction. It’s everything. And I don’t know how to survive that and still hold myself together.”
For a moment she just stared at me, chest heaving. Then she whispered, rough and unguarded, “Careful, Smythe. I might think you actually like me.”
I gave a wet little laugh, half-tear, half-scoff. “Might?” I whispered back. “Alex, I wouldn’t be this much of a wreck if I didn’t.”
Her grin was crooked, a little shaky. “Good. Because otherwise, this would be incredibly embarrassing.”
I smacked her arm lightly, but couldn’t stop the smile breaking through. “Trust you to make a joke out of this.”
But then her face shifted, the humor thinning, eyes sharpening with something heavier. “What about him?” she asked quietly. “Nico.”
I swallowed, shaking my head. “He’s like a family to me. That’s it.”
And in my head, I added what I couldn’t say out loud, but that wasn’t my story to tell. Nico’s sexuality was his own. Some things stayed sacred.
Alex’s jaw worked, like she wanted to believe me but didn’t trust herself to.
Her eyes flickered, uncertainty still there, so I pressed on, words tumbling before I could second-guess them.
“And what about Cassandra? You think I don’t notice how people look at you two?
You laugh together, train together, disappear off to camps together.
So tell me, am I supposed to believe that’s nothing too? ”
“Cassandra and I… She’s my best friend, my partner in training. But that’s all it’s ever been. There’s never been anything else.”
I raised a brow, testing her. “So no secret French romance hidden away at training camps?”
She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Please. If you knew the amount of times she’s yelled at me for skipping stretches, you’d know romance is dead.”
A laugh slipped out of me, lighter than I meant. “Fine. But don’t expect me not to get jealous when you two look like you’re plotting world domination.”
Her lips curved into a grin, sly. She leaned in a little, her voice dipping low. “Why? You jealous, Smythe?”
I stared at her, torn between rolling my eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously in love with you, maybe.”
I groaned. “That was terrible.”
“Yeah?” she teased, leaning in close enough our noses brushed. “Kiss me then. Shut me up.”
So I did.
The kiss was warm, laughing at first, both of us smiling like idiots, the kind of kiss that said finally.
But suddenly a voice cut through the shadows. “There you are!”
I spun to see Bianca striding toward us, looking relieved and mildly exasperated. “Liv, I need you, like, right now. I need moral support before I stand up in front of two families and blurt something like ‘cheers to love and cocktails.’”
Bianca’s eyes flicked between us then, her grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Ah. So this is Alexandra Cadiz. Finally.”
Alex straightened, polite but visibly caught off guard. “It’s nice to meet you Bianca. Congratulations on the engagement.”
“Mm-hm.” Bianca’s grin widened, positively wicked. “Well, Alexandra, thank you for keeping my sister so entertained. I had to come rescue her myself.”
Heat shot up my neck. “Bianca!”
She laughed, looping her arm through mine with the authority only a big sister could wield. “Come on, Liv. You’re on speech duty with me.” Then, over her shoulder, she added with a sing-song lilt: “Don’t wait up too long, Alex.”
And just like that, she whisked me away, leaving Alex watching us with that unreadable look I knew too well.
ALEXANDRA
Last night replayed in my head like an overdramatic highlight reel: lanterns swaying over the beach, soft music, and, well… that moment with Olivia. My stomach still did its cartwheels just thinking about it.
I should’ve gone straight to my room after, but instead I found Cassandra and Georgia at the bar, already halfway to disaster.
They were flushed and glassy-eyed, laughing too loudly, clinking their drinks against the glasses of two men who looked far too entertained by the whole scene.
It was the kind of trouble that always spiraled if nobody stepped in.
So I did.
I slipped in between them, gathering the abandoned glasses, gently prying them away from whatever nonsense they were getting pulled into.
Cassandra pouted, Georgia rolled her eyes, but they both knew the drill.
We weren’t here for a night of flirting ourselves into a hangover, we had training in three days and someone had to be the responsible one.
They protested the entire walk back to the villa, stumbling beside me like two overgrown children denied dessert. Cassandra looped her arm through mine, giggling at nothing in particular, while Georgia kicked at shells on the sand, humming some off-key tune that made me wince.
By the time I got them into the room, Cassandra threw herself onto her bed and looked at me with a lazy smile. “You’re glowing, by the way.”
I froze trying not to give my smile away. “I’m not.”
She laughed softly, eyes half-lidded. “You are. I’ve never seen you like this. Whatever happened out there… I’m happy for you.”
I didn’t answer because my heart was still on that beach, still caught between Olivia’s breath and her confession. I lay awake a little longer, letting the night finally settle around me, until sleep eventually dragged me under.
Morning came far too quickly.
Cassandra and Georgia shuffled out looking like ghosts who regretted every life choice that led them to tequila. They muttered half-formed promises about never drinking again and winced every time sunlight touched their retinas.
After we we’re fully caffeinated and only slightly less disheveled, we trailed behind Georgia as she practically skipped toward the main hall, trying to pretend she wasn’t nursing a headache the size of Asia.
Cassandra strode ahead with a pair of sunglasses welded to her face, while I walked behind them, trying to act casual and probably failing like a caffeine-deprived triathlete who’d barely slept in two days and was still carrying the echo of a kiss on her mouth.
Both families were already at a table, laughing like the world had just handed them all the perfect morning. Olivia caught my eye for a split second, lips twitching in that familiar, slightly annoyed way, and my chest did that stupid little jump that only she could trigger.
We found our seats on the nipa hut spread out on the beach, family-style, a proper boodle fight, Filipino-style, with seafood, rice, and grilled meats laid out on banana leaves. Olivia was across from me, laughing at something Bianca had said.
“Morning,” I said, keeping my voice low and casual, though I swear it came out too smooth.
“Morning,” she replied, bright but clipped, like she was trying to act normal while her brain clearly wasn’t cooperating.
Georgia’s mother leaned over, impossibly sweet and curious. “So, Georgia, how are your races going so far?”
Georgia rolled her eyes and grinned, clearly loving being the center of attention. “Well, me and Alex, we’ve got a T100 in San Francisco this week. It should be… interesting.”
William, who’d been quietly sipping his coffee, smirked. “Interesting? You mean after your little DNF in Singapore thanks to that mechanical disaster on the bike?”
Georgia groaned dramatically, waving him off. “It was one race! And it wasn’t my fault!”
I tried to sip my coffee like it was the most fascinating thing in the room, even though I could feel Olivia in front of me like a second pulse.
“Alex,” Bianca chimed in, tilting her head with a curious grin, “you play tennis too, right? I swear I’ve watched one of your matches before.”
Before I could even begin to form a semi-humble, non-cringe answer, Olivia’s grandmother brightened like someone had just handed her the missing corner of a puzzle.
“Oh! That’s where I know you,” she said, pointing at me with the kind of certainty only grandmothers have.
“You’re a Cadiz. I remember watching your mum play, such variety, such flair. And it runs in the family, I see!”
I almost choked on air but somehow managed a soft, grateful laugh instead. “Thank you,” I said, a little shy but sincere. “That means a lot, really. I’m nowhere near my mom’s level or my twin’s. I just try to enjoy it.”
It sounded awkward coming out, but before I could sink into the table, Olivia looked up at me.
“I’ve seen you mix it up,” she murmured, the words slipping out like she didn’t have to think about them. “You’ve got a… flair for it, just like your mum.”
I tried not to choke on my coffee, smiling back before I could overthink it. My heartbeat tripped over itself, absolutely useless.
Breakfast wound down, the chatter fading into laughter and the clatter of dishes as everyone started planning the next activity.
Once everyone had finished, Cassandra and Georgia claimed the sunniest spots on the beach, fully committing to sunbathing and soaking up the calm before heading back to training and races.
I smiled, letting them settle, and on the other hand, I had spotted Olivia sitting on a cluster of smooth rocks.
Her hair was loose, catching the sunlight, and her swimsuit made my heart beat like it's about to burst. Great. Just what I needed: a full-blown, flustered Alex Cadiz moment.
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and sauntered over, trying to look casual.
“Fancy seeing you here, Smythe,” I said, hands shoved deep into the pockets of my shorts, pretending I hadn’t stood ten meters away rehearsing three different openings like an idiot.
She looked up at me, one brow arched, lips curving. “You do realize this isn’t exactly a secret spot, right?”
“Mm,” I sighed dramatically, lowering myself beside her in the sand. “Still feels like you were waiting for me.”
“You are unbelievable.”
I bumped her shoulder lightly with mine. “So,” I said, casual but not at all casual, “are we… something now? Or am I supposed to keep guessing every time you kiss me?”
She buried a laugh in her knees. “Alex. Please.”
I tilted my head. “That wasn’t a no.”
She peeked at me, cheeks warm, eyes dancing. “Do I need to give you a title to stop you from spiraling?”
“I mean, it would speed up the process.” I shrugged like my heartbeat wasn’t lodged in my throat. “So? Are we dating now or am I just the girl you occasionally let kiss you when the moonlight hits just right?”
That did it. She cracked, a soft, helpless giggle escaping before she could stop it.
“We’re dating,” she whispered, looking at me like she was giving me a secret. “If… if that’s what you want.”
The words knocked the air out of me more than any wave could. My grin was instant, unstoppable. “That’s definitely what I want.”
Her expression softened, it became open, unguarded in a way she’d never shown anyone on court. But then she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly thoughtful.
“There’s one thing.” She pulled her knees up again, wrapping her arms around them, her shoulder brushing mine.
“I think… we should keep this private. At least for a bit.”
I frowned, but not in protest, just trying to read her. “Private as in…?”
“Not hiding,” she clarified quickly, eyes flicking to mine. “Just… protecting it. I want it to breathe before we let everyone else get their hands on it.” Her voice dipped, quiet, honest. “I want to figure you out first. Just you. Just us.”
Something in my chest eased at the way she said it, like she wasn’t hiding me, but protecting us.
“Okay,” I said softly. Then, with a crooked grin: “Just us.”
She smirked, nudging me with her shoulder. “Good. Because I don’t think I could handle your terrible flirting in front of an audience.”
I gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to my chest. “Excuse me, my flirting is top tier.”
“Top tier cringe, maybe.” She giggled, covering her mouth, and the sound was so stupidly perfect I couldn’t stop myself from laughing too.
Leaning closer, I dropped my voice. “Still worked on you, didn’t it?”
Her giggles softened into a smile that made my whole body feel like sunlight. She leaned against me, her head brushing my shoulder. “God help me, it did.”
I smirked. “You know I’m terrible at pretending I’m not wildly in love with you, right?”
She pressed her forehead to my shoulder, laughing under her breath.
“You’ll manage,” she murmured. “You always do.”
We sat there for a while, laughing too loudly at nothing, our hands finding each other in the space between us.