Emily's PoV:

I had to act fast-really fast.

No I am not going to the bathroom, I am trying to put some sense into Aiden's head.

I had no idea how much time Aiden had before the game resumed, and I couldn't let him spiral into that dark, frustrated place ~without even trying. With every second that ticked by, I could see the team's morale slipping away, and I couldn't stand by and watch them lose. Not when Aiden was capable of so much more.

I pushed my way through the crowd at the bleachers, squeezing past row after row of cheering parents and fans. Their shouts were deafening, but they didn't matter. Not right now. I had to get to Aiden.

"Excuse me!" I shouted, trying to make myself heard over the raucous voices.

A man in front of me, who seemed to take this game as seriously as life itself, turned and scowled. "Miss, go home! They haven't played a single damn minute today!"

I winced at his harsh tone, but I didn't let it deter me. I needed to be here.

"I just need a moment with-"

"You don't need to pass over here, the game is done. Go home " another man sneered.

"Yeah, go home!" someone else chimed in, and a chorus of boos echoed through the crowd.

I felt my frustration bubbling up, but I pushed it down. This wasn't the time for a fight.

"I NEED TO TALK WITH MY BOYFRIEND!" I shouted as loud as I could, making the men in front of me straighten up in surprise. They parted quickly, allowing me to squeeze through.

I didn't wait for their apology or their confused stares. I was focused on one thing: Aiden.

Finally, I saw him sitting on the bench, his hands in his hair, clearly struggling with whatever was weighing on him. I pushed through the last few people between us and called his name.

"AIDEN!" I shouted, my voice carrying through the noisy stadium.

His head whipped around, clearly startled, but when he saw me, he immediately stood up and jogged over.

"What are you doing?" he asked, concern etched on his face as he checked to make sure I was okay as half of my body was over the railing to talk to him "You might fall."

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice sharp, not giving an inch.

"What?" He was clearly caught off guard.

"What do you mean what?" I said, frowning. "I didn't come all the way here to watch you lose. Whatever is happening, put it aside. You know this game. You've played it a thousand times. So stop sulking and focus." I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a stern whisper. "I swear to God, if you give up now, I will kill you."

He blinked, stunned by my words, but I could see his frustration softening.

"You're angry," he said, sounding almost apologetic.

"Damn right I am," I shot back. "You're better than this, Aiden. And I know you know it. So stop letting everyone else's energy drag you down."

"I just... feel like everyone's given up," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "The team's too demotivated, and they're just not going to pull this off. The Wolves are too strong."

"You have two points of difference," I said. "There are five minutes left. You can still win this, but only if you fight for it and get your mind right"

"Yeah, if we get a field goal or a touchdown," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"I'm serious." I gave him a hard look. "You're joking right?"

Aiden raised an eyebrow, almost skeptical. "We can't do it. It's too risky."

I shook my head, refusing to back down. "I thought this was something you wanted."

"It is," he said, but his voice wavered, and I could see the doubt in his eyes. "But I'm not sure I can do it alone."

"Well, you're not alone," I shot back. "You've got your team. And right now, they're looking at you. They need you, Aiden. They need their captain to lead them. You need to lead them. If they see you giving up, they'll follow suit. But if they see you fight, they'll fight with you."

His face shifted, a flash of realization lighting up his expression.

"So go out there," I said firmly. "Be the captain, and finish this game."

He looked at me for a long moment, as if weighing my words, then gave a small, half-smile. "Okay," he said simply, and I watched him turn and sprint back to his team.

"Do you think it'll work, miss?" one of the older men from the bleachers asked, eyeing me with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

"Yes," I said, my voice unwavering. "It will."

I stayed where I was, watching Aiden as he returned to the field. He huddled with his teammates, his presence commanding their attention. He spoke with authority, and though I couldn't hear his exact words, I could see the energy shift. The team wasn't defeated anymore. They were focused.

The circle broke, and they clapped in unison, their cheers echoing in the stadium. "DELTA LIONS, OH!" they chanted, rallying behind their captain.

I felt a smile tug at the corners of my lips.

"They're back in the game," someone behind me commented, and I nodded. Aiden had ignited something in them. Now it was up to them to finish what they started.

The game was tense, every play a heart-pounding risk. Aiden shouted commands to his teammates, his voice cutting through the air.

"Stay on your man!" he barked as Luke snapped the ball to James.

James ran with it, but the defense was tight, and Aiden yelled again. "Stick to the game plan-don't force it!"

The crowd roared as James threw the ball to Jaden, who dodged a defender and made a break for the end zone. But the Warpath Wolves were blocking hard, and the path was closing fast.

"Hail Mary!" Aiden shouted, his voice full of urgency.

Jaden, thinking quickly, tossed the ball to Cameron, who ran for his life. The defense swarmed, but Cameron fought through the pressure and launched the ball-right into the hands of Aiden, who had slipped through the chaos at the last second.

He caught it, and in a flash, the entire stadium erupted in cheers as Aiden darted across the line for the touchdown.

"TOUCHDOWN!" the crowd screamed.

I felt my heart skip a beat as the players surrounded Aiden, lifting him off the ground in celebration. He grinned, his joy infectious, and for a moment, the world felt like it was standing still.

I didn't hesitate. I bolted down the bleachers, weaving my way through the crowd to the field.

I didn't even notice my friends had made their way down to join me. They must have been waiting for the moment to celebrate with us.

"Whatever you did was amazing," Nate muttered under his breath, his voice full of admiration.

"It was amazing," Alyssa agreed, smiling brightly as she watched Aiden being hoisted into the air by his teammates.

I stood there, heart swelling with pride as I watched him being celebrated by the team. Then he caught my gaze. His eyes softened, and without hesitation, he jogged over to me.

"You did gr-" I started, but I couldn't even finish my sentence before Aiden swept me off my feet, lifting me into the air with a grin that could have lit up the entire stadium.

I laughed, startled at first. He gently set me down, and our faces were inches apart.

"You did great," I whispered, my heart racing.

"No," he said, his smile widening. "You were great."

I blushed, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "I did nothing much. You just needed a push."

He nodded, looking at me with soft eyes. "Thanks, Em."

I nodded back, my face still warm.

"And he saves the day again," Luke joked from behind us, grinning.

"Or his girlfriend," Cameron chimed in, making everyone laugh.

"You did great, Emily," Luke said, fist-bumping me.

"Yeah, thanks for getting some sense into him," Jaden added, smiling.

"I was about to come down here and slap you," Alyssa joked, but there was a note of seriousness in her tone.

"She really was," Mason added, smirking.

Before I could respond, Amy was running up to James, throwing herself into his arms as he spun her around.

"BABYYY!" She yelled

"They make me sick," Luke said, his tone full of mock disgust.

"Where's the party?" Cameron asked, slinging an arm around Aiden's shoulders. "We need to celebrate this man."

Just as he finished speaking, another teammate passed by, grinning. "Party at my house! Shots for everyone! And a whole damn keg for you, cap!"

The team erupted in cheers, Aiden grinning ear to ear.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I guess I'll go. Someone has to keep this party under control."

The celebration continued to Michael's house and I realized since I am fake dating Aiden we usually go to a lot more parties which is not that amazing for me. They are fun with the right people though.

The night had barely started, but the energy at Michael's house was already off the charts. The living room was packed, everyone from the team to their friends dancing and laughing under the flashing lights. The smell of pizza, snacks, and alcohol hung in the air, mixing with the low hum of upbeat music. A keg stood proudly in one corner, surrounded by people taking shots and chugging drinks, while the rest of the house had been overtaken by game tables, red Solo cups, and laughter.

I stood by the door, scanning the room for Aiden, who had slipped off to talk to some of the guys from the team. Honestly, it was a little strange, considering we were supposed to be acting like a couple for the night but I guess that was almost over, it just need some courage from Regina to confess her feelings for Aiden and I was free...

As the night went on, more people poured in, and the house was buzzing with excitement. There was a keg stand happening in the back, and the music kept playing, but I could hear bits and pieces of conversations around me. Everyone was in high spirits. Luke, in particular, was already three beers deep, his face flushed, his movements exaggerated as he danced with whatever girl happened to be near him which made Nate frown a lot.

"Yeah, that's right, work it," Luke hollered at a girl spinning by him, who couldn't stop laughing at his antics. "This party's on fire!" He then pulled her into a ridiculous slow dance, which somehow turned into a full-on breakdance.

"Luke, you're embarrassing yourself," Aiden called over, laughing from across the room.

"You know what?!" Luke yelled back, clearly too tipsy to care. "I'm just... I'm just living my best life!" He paused for dramatic effect. "This is the best night of my life!"

Cameron, already stumbling his way into the kitchen with a beer in hand, overheard Luke's outburst. "You're so wasted, bro." He raised his own cup, joining Luke's party spirit.

Aiden and I were hanging out in the corner, trying to keep things low-key for a minute before diving into the chaotic fun that surrounded us. But it wasn't long before Alyssa came running over, dragging Mason with her.

"Emily, bro, we need to do something," Alyssa said, grinning wildly. "We're going to play beer pong!" She pointed to the table where two teams were already set up.

"Beer pong?" I questioned, eyes wide. I had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

"Hell yes! Emily and I are going to totally destroy you guys," Alyssa said with an overconfidence that made me laugh, lately these two have been getting along very well

Mason chuckled, holding up his beer. "hm.. not to be rude but you probably won't"

"Ah ah sure... you learn how it's done " Alyssa teased, grabbing a drink and taking a sip before grabbing a ping pong ball.

Aiden smiled, and as he placed his hand on my back, he gave me a playful nudge. "Ready to lose, Em?" walking to the other side of the table

"Not a chance," I grinned back, feeling a spark of competitive energy.

The first few rounds were honestly just a blur of laughter, misses, and half-hearted throws. Luke was right there in the middle of it all, yelling "MASON!" and "AIDEN, YOU DON'T GOT THIS" from his spot at the counter, swaying slightly. He was still the life of the party, but he was also a little too loud, a little too extra loud.

"Hey, you missed!" Luke screamed, pointing dramatically at Aiden, who just rolled his eyes.

I was in the zone, though. My focus was on the game, not Luke's antics. I grabbed a ping pong ball and tossed it lightly toward the cups on the other side of the table. The ball bounced... and landed.

"Aww, come on!" Mason groaned as we all erupted into cheers.

"See? I told you we'd win," Alyssa said smugly, picking up her drink and leaning back, watching Aiden as he set up for his next throw.

"Alright, alright," Aiden said, trying to be serious but clearly enjoying the game. He grabbed the ping pong ball, tossed it into the air, and with precision, made it land in the back cup.

"Oh, come on!" Alyssa groaned, putting her hands on her hips. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Boom!" Aiden fist-bumped Mason, clearly pleased with himself.

Just as I was about to get ready for the next round, I heard a voice coming from behind me-an unexpected and slightly slurred voice.

"Selena, you're so beautiful. Like, seriously. I've never... I've never seen someone like you before." Cameron, the self-proclaimed life of the party, was now stumbling toward Selena, eyes a little too wide. He was beyond tipsy, and it was obvious by the way he was practically leaning on her for support.

Selena, was holding a cup and trying to remain on the same place despite Cameron's directness, glanced at him with a mix of amusement and confusion. "Uh, thanks, Cameron? You're, uh, really charming tonight." She shot a sideways look at the rest of us.

"I'm serious!" Cameron said, a little too loudly. "You're-wow. You're the most beautiful girl in this entire room. I mean it. Like... you're a goddess." He was grinning like he just dropped the greatest compliment in the history of mankind.

"Okay, okay," Selena said, gently pushing him away, laughing nervously. "Thank you, Cameron, but I think you've had a bit too much."

"Not enough," he grinned, swaying like a tree in the wind. "You're a diva!"

A few of us laughed at the spectacle and his choice of words, but it was clear that Selena was a bit flustered. "Well, thank you, I guess?" she said, still unsure of what to do.

Back at the beer pong table, things were getting heated. The game was neck and neck, with each team landing one cup after the other. My nerves were starting to kick in. I could feel the tension building.

Aiden shot me a sideways glance, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "One cup left, Em. You better make this shot count."

"Please," I smirked. "I was born for this."

I lined up my shot, focused and determined. I bounced the ball once... twice... and with a flick of my wrist, I threw it. Time seemed to slow as it spun in the air, hitting the edge of the cup and-swish.

"YES!" I shouted, pumping my fist in victory.

Aiden was grinning from ear to ear, his excitement contagious. "Well played, Em. Well played."

"We won!" Alyssa shouted , nearly jumping up and down and playfully doing some pistols with her hands signaling victory.

Aiden and Mason threw their hands up in mock frustration, but they were laughing. "I can't believe you guys beat us."

"You suck at this bro" Mason said, shaking his head in disbelief

"Me?" Aiden pointed to himself

"You missed 2 in a row" Mason told him with a disappointed face

Meanwhile, Luke was now completely toasted, trying to do a keg stand for the third time tonight. "Someone hold me!" he screamed. "I'm about to break a record!"

"You're about to break your neck," Aiden shouted across the room.

I laughed, watching Luke awkwardly struggle, his legs waving in the air while his friends cheered him on.