Lost But Found | ✔️ - Chapter 11: Chapter 11
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Lingering Effects
The next morning, Jaxon expected things to go back to normal.
After all, the game was won, the crowd had celebrated, and Ava Carter had successfully escaped his presence the moment the final whistle blew.
But something had shifted.
Because now? Now, Jaxon knew something no one else did.
Ava Carter wasn't just guarded—she was afraid of something. And that fear, that glimpse of vulnerability he'd seen when they were trapped in that closet, had stayed with him longer than it should have.
So, naturally, he had to poke at it.
Spotting her in the hallway wasn't hard. She moved through the crowd with her usual ease, not stopping to talk to anyone, not giving anyone a chance to slow her down.
Too bad she hadn't factored him into her schedule.
Jaxon fell into step beside her, hands shoved into his pockets. "Morning, Carter."
She didn't even glance at him. "Reed."
He smirked. "You sleep okay? No small, dark spaces messing with your dreams?"
That got a reaction.
Ava shot him a glare, stopping mid-step. "Are you seriously bringing that up right now?"
Jaxon leaned against the lockers, tilting his head. "I mean, it was a pretty big moment in our friendship."
She let out an exasperated sigh. "We're not friends."
Jaxon grinned. "Not yet."
Ava stared at him like she was debating whether to hit him or walk away. He'd take either, honestly.
Instead, she exhaled and turned back toward her locker. "You really don't know how to let things go, do you?"
"Not when they're interesting."
She froze for half a second before recovering, her movements controlled again as she swapped books from her locker. "There's nothing interesting about me, Reed."
Jaxon scoffed. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."
Ava shut her locker with a little too much force, finally turning to face him. "Look, I get it. You think I'm some big mystery, and you're the guy who always has to figure people out, right?"
Jaxon didn't answer. Because, well... yeah.
She crossed her arms. "Let me make it easy for you. I'm not a puzzle for you to solve."
Jaxon studied her for a moment. She was standing tall, her expression unreadable. But her fingers were gripping the strap of her bag just a little too tightly.
He nodded slowly. "Alright."
Ava blinked, clearly thrown off. "Alright?"
"Yeah." He shrugged. "I won't push."
Ava frowned, like she didn't quite believe him.
Jaxon smiled, stepping back. "For now."
She groaned. "Unbelievable."
As she turned and walked away, Jaxon let his smirk fade.
Because the thing was, he meant what he said.
He wouldn't push.
But that didn't mean he was going anywhere.
The next morning, Jaxon expected things to go back to normal.
After all, the game was won, the crowd had celebrated, and Ava Carter had successfully escaped his presence the moment the final whistle blew.
But something had shifted.
Because now? Now, Jaxon knew something no one else did.
Ava Carter wasn't just guarded—she was afraid of something. And that fear, that glimpse of vulnerability he'd seen when they were trapped in that closet, had stayed with him longer than it should have.
So, naturally, he had to poke at it.
Spotting her in the hallway wasn't hard. She moved through the crowd with her usual ease, not stopping to talk to anyone, not giving anyone a chance to slow her down.
Too bad she hadn't factored him into her schedule.
Jaxon fell into step beside her, hands shoved into his pockets. "Morning, Carter."
She didn't even glance at him. "Reed."
He smirked. "You sleep okay? No small, dark spaces messing with your dreams?"
That got a reaction.
Ava shot him a glare, stopping mid-step. "Are you seriously bringing that up right now?"
Jaxon leaned against the lockers, tilting his head. "I mean, it was a pretty big moment in our friendship."
She let out an exasperated sigh. "We're not friends."
Jaxon grinned. "Not yet."
Ava stared at him like she was debating whether to hit him or walk away. He'd take either, honestly.
Instead, she exhaled and turned back toward her locker. "You really don't know how to let things go, do you?"
"Not when they're interesting."
She froze for half a second before recovering, her movements controlled again as she swapped books from her locker. "There's nothing interesting about me, Reed."
Jaxon scoffed. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."
Ava shut her locker with a little too much force, finally turning to face him. "Look, I get it. You think I'm some big mystery, and you're the guy who always has to figure people out, right?"
Jaxon didn't answer. Because, well... yeah.
She crossed her arms. "Let me make it easy for you. I'm not a puzzle for you to solve."
Jaxon studied her for a moment. She was standing tall, her expression unreadable. But her fingers were gripping the strap of her bag just a little too tightly.
He nodded slowly. "Alright."
Ava blinked, clearly thrown off. "Alright?"
"Yeah." He shrugged. "I won't push."
Ava frowned, like she didn't quite believe him.
Jaxon smiled, stepping back. "For now."
She groaned. "Unbelievable."
As she turned and walked away, Jaxon let his smirk fade.
Because the thing was, he meant what he said.
He wouldn't push.
But that didn't mean he was going anywhere.
End of Lost But Found | ✔️ Chapter 11. Continue reading Chapter 12 or return to Lost But Found | ✔️ book page.