Lost But Found | ✔️ - Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Under the Lights, Again
Jaxon
Game nights always had a certain kind of electricity.
The roar of the crowd, the snap of the ball, the way everything slowed down the second he stepped onto the field.
Jaxon lived for it.
But tonight?
Tonight, he couldn't stop looking at her.
Ava Carter stood on the sidelines, her cheer uniform crisp under the bright stadium lights, her ponytail swaying as she moved through the routine with effortless precision.
But Jaxon knew better now.
He knew that behind the perfect timing and sharp movements was a girl who hated small spaces, who carried too much weight on her shoulders, who let exactly no one in—until him.
And now, she was his person just as much as he was hers.
The thought sent a surge of adrenaline through him as he adjusted his helmet, clapping his hands together.
Time to win.
—
Ava
She didn't know what had changed, but something had.
Maybe it was the way Jaxon kept glancing at her from the field, his smirk just a little softer, his eyes just a little more intense.
Maybe it was the way her heart shouldn't be beating this fast—because it was just another game, right?
Except it wasn't.
Because now, Jaxon mattered.
And that? That was terrifying.
But also... not.
Ava exhaled, forcing herself to focus as the final minutes of the game ticked down.
The Wildcats were up by a touchdown. The other team was desperate, pushing hard.
Jaxon took the snap.
She knew that look—laser-focused, reading the defense, waiting for his moment.
Then, in one perfect throw, he launched the ball down the field, and the receiver caught it clean in the end zone.
The crowd exploded.
The scoreboard flashed—Wildcats Win.
Ava didn't even think.
She ran.
Straight onto the field, dodging players and cheerleaders, straight toward the one person she wanted to run to.
Jaxon had barely turned around before she crashed into him, her arms wrapping around his neck.
He caught her easily, arms locking around her waist, breathless from the game, from the moment—
And then, before she could second-guess it—
She kissed him.
Right there, in the middle of the field, under the blinding lights, in front of everyone.
And for the first time, Ava didn't care.
The crowd erupted in cheers, whistles echoing around them, but all she could focus on was Jaxon.
The way he grinned against her lips before kissing her deeper, one hand tangling in her ponytail, the other gripping her waist like he wasn't planning on letting go anytime soon.
When they finally pulled apart, Jaxon smirked, his forehead resting against hers.
"Not that I'm complaining," he murmured, breathless, "but what was that for?"
Ava rolled her eyes, her lips twitching. "For winning."
Jaxon chuckled, his grip tightening. "I'd win every damn game if it meant you'd kiss me after."
Ava scoffed. "You're impossible."
Jaxon grinned. "Yeah, but you like me."
She sighed dramatically, pulling back slightly. "Unfortunately."
He laughed, spinning her once before setting her down, his arms still wrapped around her.
The noise around them didn't matter. The stares didn't matter.
Ava wasn't going to run, not anymore.
She was lost but then found.