Lost But Found | ✔️ - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Closer Than Before
Jaxon stared at the door, rolling his shoulders like he was preparing for battle.
Ava crossed her arms. "You don't even have a plan, do you?"
Jaxon turned his head, smirking. "Carter, you wound me. Of course I have a plan."
She raised a brow. "Oh yeah? Let's hear it."
"Step one: kick the door."
Ava sighed. "Reed—"
Bang.
She jumped as Jaxon delivered a solid kick to the door. It rattled, but it didn't budge.
He grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Alright, maybe step one needs some adjustment."
Ava groaned, running a hand through her blonde hair. "This is my nightmare."
"Hey, at least we're in this together," Jaxon said, winking.
She shot him a glare but didn't say anything.
Jaxon took another step back, sizing up the door. If he had his helmet, he could ram into it, but there was no way he was risking his throwing arm before a game.
"Alright, new plan," he said. "We yell until someone hears us."
Ava let out a dry laugh. "Brilliant. Truly groundbreaking thinking."
Jaxon rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath.
"Hey! Someone get us out of here!" he yelled, pounding on the door.
For a second, there was nothing but silence.
Then—
"Jaxon?"
Jaxon smirked at Ava. "Told you I had a plan."
Ava muttered something under her breath just as the door swung open.
Standing on the other side was one of the assistant coaches, looking mildly annoyed. "What the hell are you two doing in here?"
Jaxon grinned. "Team bonding exercise."
Ava elbowed him in the ribs before brushing past the coach. "We got locked in," she said simply.
The coach sighed. "Get moving, Reed. You've got a game to win."
Jaxon saluted before jogging after Ava. She was already a few steps ahead, heading toward the field, but something about the way her shoulders weren't as tense as before made him grin.
She was still trying to act like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn't just let him see a part of her no one else did.
He jogged up beside her, falling into step easily. "So," he said casually, "we're best friends now, right?"
Ava snorted. "Not even close."
Jaxon smirked. "Come on, Carter. We just survived a life-or-death situation together."
"It was a closet."
"Yeah, but it was a really small closet."
Ava shook her head, but the corner of her lips twitched—just slightly.
Jaxon caught it, and for some reason, it felt like the biggest win of the night.
"Just focus on your game, Reed," she said, looking ahead.
Jaxon did.
But for the first time, he wasn't just playing for the win.
He was playing with a new thought in the back of his mind—
That maybe, just maybe, Ava Carter wasn't as untouchable as she wanted everyone to think.