A tense night

The following week was a turning point for Ethan and Caleb, though neither of them was ready to admit it. The rivalry between them had grown stronger, but there was something else beneath the surface—a tension that neither could fully ignore. It was becoming harder to separate their competitive animosity from something deeper, something more complicated.

It was another late night at the campus soccer field when it became clear that something was changing. After a grueling practice, the team was gathering their things to leave, but Ethan couldn’t shake the feeling that Caleb was watching him. Every time he turned, Caleb was there, his eyes lingering on Ethan with that infuriating smirk.

Ethan was so tired, his muscles aching from the intense drills, but there was no way he was going to let Caleb see that. He grabbed his gear and started to head to the locker room, but Caleb was right there beside him, walking at a casual pace that somehow made Ethan even more aware of his presence.

“You know,” Caleb said, his voice low, “you’re getting better. I mean, you still don’t have the edge, but you’re close.”

Ethan glanced at Caleb, feeling a mix of annoyance and something else—something he couldn’t name. “Thanks for the compliment,” he said, trying to keep his tone even. “I guess I’m not the one who needs improvement.”

Caleb chuckled, not missing a beat. “Oh, I’m sure you think that. But the difference between you and me is that I can play with anyone, no matter what their strengths or weaknesses are. You, on the other hand, seem to lose focus whenever things get a little too tough.”

The words hit harder than Ethan wanted to admit. His jaw tightened as he clenched his fists, but he forced himself to take a deep breath. It wasn’t worth getting into it with Caleb, not now. The last thing he needed was to let Caleb win by getting him to lose control.

Instead, he looked away and kept walking toward the locker room, his mind racing. Caleb had a way of making everything feel like a personal challenge, even when they weren’t on the field. Every word, every smile, felt like another jab at his pride. And for the first time, Ethan wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up this rivalry without something breaking inside of him.

Later that night, Ethan sat in his dorm room, trying to relax. His textbooks were spread out on his desk, but he wasn’t even looking at them. His mind was still on Caleb—the way he spoke, the way he looked at Ethan, like there was always something more behind those cocky smiles. It was enough to drive anyone crazy, but Ethan was starting to realize that maybe he was already there. Maybe he was already losing his mind over Caleb.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Ethan looked up, confused. He wasn’t expecting anyone, not this late.

“Hey,” Marcus called from the other side, his voice muffled. “You good in there?”

Ethan let out a sigh and pushed his chair back from the desk, walking over to the door. When he opened it, Marcus was standing there with a curious expression on his face, holding a couple of cans of soda.

“You don’t look too good,” Marcus said, raising an eyebrow. “Everything okay?”

Ethan shrugged, stepping aside to let Marcus in. “Yeah, I guess. Just… you know, the usual.”

Marcus raised a brow. “The usual? You mean Caleb?”

Ethan didn’t say anything right away. He didn’t want to admit it, not to Marcus, not to anyone. But the truth was that Caleb had been on his mind more and more lately. It wasn’t just the game anymore; it was everything—the way Caleb made him feel like he wasn’t good enough, the way he never seemed to stop pushing Ethan’s limits. But there was something else there too, something Ethan couldn’t figure out.

“Look, man,” Marcus continued, sitting down on the bed and cracking open a can of soda, “I know you’re frustrated with Caleb. But you’ve got to stop letting him get under your skin. He’s not worth it.”

Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “I know. It’s just hard, okay? Every time I try to outplay him, he’s already two steps ahead. I feel like I’m never going to catch up.”

Marcus shook his head, his eyes softening. “You’re better than that, Reed. You’ve got the skill. You’ve got the drive. Caleb’s just… Caleb. He’s always been like this. Don’t let him make you second guess yourself.”

“I’m not second-guessing myself,” Ethan replied, his voice sharp. “I just… I don’t know. I can’t stop thinking about him.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the confession. “Wait, you’re saying this is more than just a rivalry?”

Ethan froze. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. His heart was beating faster, and he felt a strange heat creeping up his neck. He turned away from Marcus, staring out the window as the words echoed in his mind. Was that what it was? Was it more than just competition?

“I don’t know,” Ethan muttered, his voice almost a whisper. “I mean, I hate him. But… I don’t know. There’s something about him that… I don’t know.”

Marcus leaned back on the bed, his eyes narrowing as he studied Ethan. “You’re saying you kind of like him?”

Ethan stiffened, his body going rigid. “No,” he said quickly, almost too quickly. “I don’t like him. I hate him.”

Marcus just raised an eyebrow again. “Sure, you do.”

Ethan glared at him. “It’s not like that, alright? I just can’t stand him. But… damn it, I can’t stop thinking about him.”

Marcus laughed softly, shaking his head. “Well, there’s your problem. You’re so focused on trying to outdo him, you’re forgetting why you’re even doing this in the first place.”

Ethan didn’t know how to respond. He was still trying to process everything, to make sense of the mess of emotions swirling inside him. He couldn’t be having these thoughts. He couldn’t be feeling this way about Caleb—his rival, his competition.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that maybe Marcus had a point. Maybe it wasn’t just about proving he was better. Maybe it was about something else.

He didn’t want to think about it anymore. Not now.

“I don’t need to hear your theories,” Ethan said, standing up. “I’m fine. Just… leave it.”

Marcus didn’t argue. He stood up and patted Ethan’s shoulder. “I’m just saying, man, you can’t let Caleb mess with your head. You’re better than that.”

Ethan didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say. All he knew was that this rivalry, this obsession with Caleb, was getting to be more than he could handle. And as much as he wanted to ignore it, he couldn’t. Something was shifting, something he wasn’t ready to confront.

When Marcus left, Ethan sat back down at his desk, staring blankly at his textbooks. But all he could think about was Caleb. The rivalry was no longer just about soccer. It was about something deeper, something more complicated. And Ethan didn’t know if he was ready to face it.

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