Lost But Found | ✔️ - Chapter 20: Chapter 20

The Fall
Ava
She'd done this stunt a hundred times before.
Maybe more.
It was muscle memory at this point—climb, balance, hold steady, trust her bases.
But something felt off tonight.
Maybe it was the way her mind kept drifting back to Jaxon. The way he had looked at her before the game, like he saw something beneath the surface no one else had bothered to look for. The way she had looked back.
Or maybe it was just bad luck.
Because the second she hit the top of the pyramid, she felt it.
The shift.
The weight wasn't right. The base was off-center.
And before she could adjust—
She was falling.
A sharp gasp tore from her lips as gravity pulled her down, the stadium lights flashing above her, the noise of the crowd muffled by the sudden rush of panic in her ears.
She braced for impact, for the jarring pain of hitting the ground—
But before she could register what was happening, strong arms caught her.
Jaxon
He didn't think.
One second, he was on the sideline, watching the game, his focus split between the field and the cheer squad.
And the next—
He saw her falling.
His body moved before his mind caught up.
He sprinted across the sideline, pushing past teammates, ignoring the shouts around him.
And just before she hit the ground—
He caught her.
Ava landed hard against his chest, the force of the fall sending them both stumbling back a few steps. His arms tightened around her instinctively, steadying them both.
The stadium felt like it had gone silent.
Jaxon looked down, heart pounding, his breath ragged. "Ava?"
Her face was buried in his shoulder, her fingers gripping his jersey like she wasn't sure the ground was real yet.
Then, slowly, she pulled back, looking up at him.
"I—I'm okay," she said, her voice breathy, but shaken.
Jaxon didn't loosen his hold. "Are you sure?"
Ava blinked, like she was still processing what had just happened.
Then, just as quickly as she had let herself need him—her walls started to go back up.
She exhaled sharply, shifting in his arms. "You can put me down now."
Jaxon frowned but gently set her on her feet.
The second her shoes hit the turf, Claire and the rest of the squad rushed over, their voices overlapping with concern. The crowd was still murmuring, the game temporarily forgotten.
The coach was calling for the medic. Someone was asking if she was dizzy. Claire was gripping her shoulders, trying to get her to say something.
But all Ava did was glance back at Jaxon, something unreadable in her eyes.
And in that moment, he knew.
It wasn't just the fall that had shaken her.
It was him.
Because he had been there.
She hadn't had to catch herself this time.
He was there for her.