Episode 6: The Breaking Point
Jaden couldn't sleep.
Even after the hallway fell silent, after the soft giggles and muffled moans disappeared behind closed doors, after the chaos of the day finally settled—he was still wide awake.
His mind was a storm. Abby. The tournament. The blood on the pitch. The feeling of being trapped in a place where everything was designed to break him.
He sat up, running a hand through his hair. Fuck this.
He needed to clear his head.
Late Night Tension
The facility was nearly empty this late at night. Only a few dim lights illuminated the halls as Jaden walked toward the training field. The cold air hit his skin, but he welcomed it. The pain in his ribs felt distant now. The only thing he could feel was frustration.
He pulled out his phone. One message from Abby.
Abby: You asleep?
Jaden stared at the screen. He could lie. Say yes. Say something simple and safe.
But he didn't.
Jaden: No.
A few seconds passed. Then—
Abby: Wanna talk?
Jaden exhaled, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
Did he?
Did he want to tell her about Blaine fucking stomping his hand into the dirt? About Marco screaming in agony, his leg twisted like a broken toy? About how this place felt less like an academy and more like a goddamn battlefield?
No.
Because if he told her that, she'd worry. She'd tell him to leave. And leaving wasn't an option.
Jaden: I just miss you, that's all.
Abby: …
His stomach twisted as the typing bubbles appeared. Then disappeared. Then came back.
Abby: I miss you too.
Jaden felt his chest tighten. He gripped the phone like it was the only thing grounding him.
Jaden: I hate that I can't see you.
Abby: I know.
Abby: But when this is over, we'll have all the time in the world.
Jaden leaned against the cold metal bleachers, staring up at the sky. Would they, though?
What if he lost? What if he wasn't enough?
He didn't type back. He just let himself drown in the silence.
Lust & Rivalry
The next morning, Jaden was pissed off and exhausted. He didn't even react when Leo threw a towel at him.
"The fuck is wrong with you?" Leo muttered, brushing a hand through his messy hair. "You look like you spent all night jerking off."
Jaden shot him a glare. "Fuck off."
Leo smirked. "Testy."
Jaden ignored him and pulled on his training kit. The second he stepped into the hallway, though, he nearly collided with Ava Sinclair.
She was standing there, adjusting her jacket, her blonde hair slightly disheveled, lips swollen.
The same girl he had seen last night in the hallway.
Jaden tensed as he glanced over her shoulder—where Blaine Mercer was walking out of a room, pulling his hoodie over his head.
Their eyes met for half a second. Blaine smirked.
Jaden clenched his jaw and turned away.
Ava noticed. And she liked it.
She stepped a little closer, dragging her nails lightly across Jaden's wrist as she walked past. A ghost of a touch.
"Careful, Carter," she murmured, her voice low. "This place changes people."
Jaden didn't respond.
He just kept walking.
He already knew that.
Blood in the Water
Training was a fucking warzone.
Vance had them in a full-field match, no referees, barely any rules. It was brutal. Tackles that should've been red cards? Ignored. Clashes that would've stopped any normal game? Encouraged.
Jaden was already running on empty, his frustration boiling over. Every time he touched the ball, someone was on him, shoving, clawing, hacking at his legs.
Then Blaine fucking shoulder-checked him into the dirt.
Jaden hit the ground hard, his already bruised ribs screaming in pain.
Blaine loomed over him, smirking. "What's wrong, Carter? Can't handle a little contact?"
Something inside Jaden snapped.
He shot up, shoving Blaine back. "Go fuck yourself."
Blaine just laughed.
"You mad 'cause I beat your ass yesterday? Or 'cause I had your little blonde friend in my bed last night?"
Jaden swung.
His fist connected with Blaine's jaw, sending the bigger striker stumbling back. For a second, there was silence.
Then Blaine tackled him.
The two crashed to the ground, fists flying. Blaine got a hit in—Jaden felt the sharp crack against his cheekbone—but he didn't fucking care. He grabbed Blaine's collar and drove his head forward, smashing it into Blaine's nose.
Blood splattered onto the grass.
"ENOUGH!"
Coach Vance's voice ripped through the chaos.
Strong arms yanked Jaden and Blaine apart. Jaden's breathing was ragged, his knuckles stinging from the impact. Blaine wiped his nose, blood smeared across his fingers—but he was still grinning.
Vance stormed toward them, his icy gaze locked onto Jaden first.
"You wanna fight, Carter?" he growled. "Fine. You're going in the fucking cage."
Jaden froze.
The cage?
Vance turned to the rest of the team. "Tomorrow morning. 1v1 fight drills. No ball. No rules. Just two men. One standing."
He looked back at Jaden, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.
"Let's see if you're really Iron Stride material."
Jaden's heart pounded in his chest.
This wasn't football anymore. This was survival.