Nova P.O.V

Date: December 13, 2238

"Find an empty bunk, set your stuff down, then head out to the field." Sergeant Carter instructed from the middle of the large room. We were in one of the arena backrooms minutes away from the start of the competition.

It finally was time. All the long, excruciating hours of practicing boiled down to one moment, this moment. And there could be only one winner.

"If you can't find one, head across the hall to the next room, and Mrs. Steven will sort you out." He continued as everyone hurried to grab a spot. This would be our home away from home for the next three days until the final night of the competition.

Troy, Jax, Stacy, and I quickly claimed the last two bunk beds at the back of the room and began settling in.

"Hey, Roman," Maverick called from the bunk in front of ours. "Just because we're boys now doesn't mean imma take it easy on you out there."

"I didn't expect you to." Troy stopped fiddling around in his bag and turned to him with a smirk. "Cause we certainly won't be. And when we win, everyone will finally see who's faster, stronger, and overall better in every way."

Maverick crossed the room until he stood directly before Troy, their chests nearly touching. "Oh, is that right?"

"Yeah. It is."

"Boys, boys," Stacy laid a hand on each of their shoulders. "Have you forgotten that the first event is a relay race? So it won't matter how fast, strong, or whatever you are if your partner completely screws up."

"Stacy!" I hissed, eyes darting to a pale-faced Jax.

"I-I mean... of course that won't happen with our team. We'll win the whole competition. I meant the other teams." She shot a small smile in Jax's direction before turning away and lightly slapping her mouth.

But the damage had already been done. Jax turned and paced between our two bunks.

"I'm sorry." Stacy mouthed to Troy before he followed Jax.

I sighed, pushing my hands through my hair, and dropped onto the lower bunk. Troy would hopefully calm him.

"Did I tell you what happened when Troy thought you were hurt?" Stacy whispered, sitting down beside me.

I stared at her in silence, caught slightly off guard by the sudden change in topic.

"Well, did I?" She asked when my silence dragged on.

"Only a dozen or so times." I finally answered with a roll of my eyes. "And I still don't believe you."

"Nova, I'm telling you, when Maverick told Troy you were in the infirmary, the boy was furious. No, I'm sorry the man was furious thinking that you were injured. His veins were throbbing, and his muscles popping. He looked like he wanted to kill anybody that got in his way just to get to you." She fanned her face as her cheeks flushed red.

"You're crazy. And you weren't angry when Maverick said I was in the infirmary?"

"Yeah, I was angry. But Nova, this was different. I love you like a sister, but Troy is definitely not thinking about you in a sisterly way."

Before I could reply, Jax dashed past us to the door. Troy muttered a curse under his breath before following after him.

"What just happened?" Stacy mused aloud.

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." I rose to my feet and hurried to the door.

Reaching the hallway, I glimpsed Troy at the restroom entrance before he disappeared inside. I rushed after him, my concern for Jax overriding my slight hesitancy at entering the men's room.

"Jax," I called as we approached the first stall, where he sat on the floor half-slumped over the toilet. "You alright?"

"Yeah." He meekly said as Troy held out a hand to him. He took it, allowing Troy to pull him to his feet.

"You sure?" Troy asked.

Jax nodded, slowly moving to the sinks and turning on the faucet. For a solid minute, he stood there in silence, watching the water run. Neither Troy nor I spoke just waited, allowing him the time to collect his thoughts.

"The memories of my brother and the stress of losing the competition..." Jax trailed off, bending down and letting the water fill his mouth.

I moved closer, resting my hip against the counter as he rinsed his mouth before splashing water on his face. Water droplets dripped down his face as he looked up at his reflection in the mirror before continuing, "Of losing y'all. All of it just c-came crashing down on me."

"Jax, win or lose, we'll always have your back," Troy gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

I nodded in agreement as Jax's eyes shifted in my direction in the mirror, a small smile playing on his lips.

"And your brother would be proud of you," Troy added, and at once Jax's smile fell flat.

He whipped around to face us. "Would he? Cause I'm not you, Troy, and I'm definitely not... Jaxon. This fighting stuff ain't for me."

"Don't give that this ain't for me bullshit, okay. Look at your transformation over the last couple of weeks. Larry was wrong, and you proved that by showing up for my training sessions every week without fail. No matter how hard I pushed you, you never quit."

I couldn't contain my smile at the encouraging words leaving Troy's mouth. Pride swelled in my chest as I watched them. Troy's fierce loyalty to his friends and family was one of the qualities that always appealed to me on a deeper level.

"I wanted to," Jax mumbled, looking down at his feet.

"But you didn't. And that says a lot about who you are inside."

Jax opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Andrew burst into the room.

"Here you are!" He said, coming to a stop beside me. He eyed me weirdly, probably internally questioning my presence in the boy's bathroom, but thankfully, he didn't comment. "What are you guys doing? The competition is about to begin. Everyone else is already on the field!"

"Oh, shit. Let's go."

We took off from the room, heading down the hallway to the tunnel leading to the field. Sergeant Carter and Mrs. Stevens stood waiting at the entrance alongside Maverick.

"Here, here." Mrs. Stevens said, handing Troy and Jax a pair of leather gloves.

"Are you backing out, Roman?" Maverick asked with a smirk.

"Never." Troy firmly replied, slipping on his gloves as he walked past him.

"You might want to ask Nova for a good luck kiss. Cause heaven knows you'll need it!" Maverick shouted at his back, still trying to rattle him.

Troy scoffed but didn't even so much as glance back. The raucous screams of the crowd drowned out the sound of my heart shattering into a million pieces at his dismissive reply. I stopped myself from reaching up to massage away the sharp pain in my chest.

Later, later. I repeated to myself, trying to keep my tears at bay. I was hurt but even more so pissed. He didn't have to reciprocate my feelings but the flirting. Had he just been playing with my emotions?

Wait, calm down, Nova. Troy wasn't that type of person. There's no way he would do that to someone, right?

I shook my head, clearing away the thoughts and doubts.

Focus on the games.

I turned to the field, listening to the chants from the crowd. Each section prayed for one team's victory while simultaneously cursing the opposing teams.

"Will all participants take their place so we can begin?" Mr. Armstrong's voice blared through the speakers as he appeared on the large screen at the end of the field.

"Let's go!" Andrew yelled, sprinting past us. I forced a smile on my face and followed after him.

A sea of red, blue, yellow, and green flags ferociously waved throughout the arena as the crowd supported the team they wanted to win. Each of the four teams wore their usual black pants and boots with different color shirts. The Freshmen wore green, the Sophomores red, the Juniors yellow, and the Seniors blue to distinguish us while out on the field.

Andrew and I jogged across the lawn, joining the group of Sophomores chanting Jax's and Troy's names on the left side of the field. The Freshmen team stood a few feet from us, screaming their teammates' names.

Across the field, the Junior and Senior teams incited the crowd, wearing their colors with smug grins.

I chuckled and shifted my gaze to Maverick and Troy standing behind the white line painted across the edge of the field. The Freshman girl standing next to Troy turned and nodded while the Senior girl standing next to Maverick did the same.

After Troy and Maverick nodded to the girls, they turned and nodded to each other.

The small gesture wasn't mandatory but had somehow become a part of the game over the years.

The cameras followed Jax as he jogged to the gleaming metal platform that stood twenty feet tall and stretched across the middle of the field. When he reached it, he ran up the ramp and stood at the top, waiting with the other three contestants.

Jax and Troy were the only all-male team, and the Freshmen were the only all-girl team out on the field. While the Senior and Junior teams had a boy and a girl competing.

"Ready?" Mr. Armstrong baited the crowd, holding his empty hand towards his ear. They immediately roared now that everyone was in place on the field.