August Flynn.

"I know deep inside you care about him; everyone in the team knows." He lets out a breath. I lift my gaze, eyes boring into his; I straighten up, feeling a newfound confidence.

"And if I care about him, so what? Does that make you feel better? At least I care—unlike you.”

He smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "You are playing a dangerous game, honey."

"At least it's for someone I care about, but unfortunately, some people are too cold to coach their teammates well enough in love and care; they prefer to be cold, stoic, and brutal."

The smile that was once on his face slowly disappeared; he didn't say a word before he walked out of sight, leaving me alone in the crowd. I found myself turning back; my father was standing, welcoming his now favorite son to the stage. He applauded him, and right in front of my eyes, he offered him a key to a brand new Rolls-Royce. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing escaped; I could feel the growing lump in my throat when Jordan pulled her into his arms and sealed his lips with hers.

I couldn't hold the tears anymore; they slowly found their way down my cheeks, smearing my makeup and making me look like a cheap little nerd, begging for scraps of attention.

"Is it now clear that you really care?"

"Fuck off," I roared as I bolted out of the crowd, taking every step as briskly as I could, until I found myself outside the building. The air felt dense; the night felt cold as the wind blew my hair into curly waves.

'Fuck, why does my heart have to choose my stepbrother of all people?' I thought inwardly, tears slipping. My chest tightened, my emotions spiraling, and suddenly, I realized I needed the restroom.

……

When I was done emptying my once full bladder, I found myself standing in front of the mirror, watching my blotchy face. I turned to leave, and I figured someone was standing by the door. "What the fuck..." I cursed; I placed my hand on my chest, heart pounding while my breathing was slightly ragged.

I saw the coach walk towards me, a smile that was creepy yet seductive, revealing his set of white teeth. His masculine cologne gave him a dangerous look, unlike the simple one I had known him to have.

I was done with mind games. I stared into his eyes, my chest slightly straightened, my eyes intense as I said, "Are you now following me?"

"Yeah, if only you could help me with a favor."

"A favor?" I can't believe this man has some real nerve, forgetting the fact that he's a rival.

His smile turned mischievous; he leaned, his breath fanned my skin, and my heartbeat increased. "Be my personal coach," he muttered.

I lifted my gaze, eyes wide, almost having a strong urge to land a slap across his face. "This is ridiculous, a coach wanting a coach?" This is the greatest joke of the year.

He slightly pulled back, his gaze averting in a different direction; his expression turned dark and dangerous, like he was capable of anything. I saw the opportunity to leave, so I ignored his presence and briskly walked towards the door. I felt his strong hand wrapped around mine, pulled me into a warm embrace, and whispered, "You are going nowhere; we aren't done talking."

"From the way you sound, you don't need a coach; you certainly need a therapist because you are mentally un…" Words were caught in my throat, and my breath hitched when he removed what seemed like a silicone mask, my brow slightly furrowed, knowing the face was familiar yet unable to recall.

"So you are now walking around in disguise, or should I say eggshells?" I asked. My lips sealed as I stared at his sharp features and hazel green eyes, which took me off guard.

"Or it seems you are no longer the nerdy rabbit that has been following Jordan everywhere he sets foot; today you seem quite feisty, huh?"

"I have always been feisty for jerks like yourself; if you don't let me leave, I might as well act defensive."

He lifted his hands in surrender, the annoying smile still evident on his face as he took a step back. I took the opportunity to leave, but before I reached the door, he said something that made me rethink, "Remember, your family and crush, who is your stepbrother, they don't give a shit about you, August; they are just using you to get what they want. After they are done, you will be dumped like a piece of shit." I ignored him and walked outside the building, feeling my temperature rising. I cursed under the dimly lit environment. I found myself leaning against the wall for support; my breathing was ragged while trying to calm my aching heart. Then a crowd of people poured out of the building; they were all standing in front of a car that was beautifully decorated with flowers and was wrapped in red wrappings, making the whole process look more beautiful. I saw the crowd give way, allowing Jordan and Avery to pass through; they walked like the power couple that they were towards the car, and my father handed them a pair of scissors while encouraging them to cut the wrap. Jordan stretched out his hand to cut the wrappings only for Avery to stop the process.

"Mr. Stones, or I might as well call you my father-in-law, don't you think it won't be fair that Jordan is the only one cutting the linen? Don't you think August, who's also your daughter, should be here?" When she said those words, deep inside, I felt somehow included even though I knew the motive of Avery was not a good one, but at least she thought about me, knowing how I have always felt left out in most of the family occasions.

"Uh...I think she'll get her time to celebrate w..."

"Dad, she's right, August needs to be here as well; she's also your child," Jordan interrupted, his smile evident as he stared at the car. When he made that statement, I wished to see some warmth in his eyes, but nothing. The uncomfortable look on my father's face clearly showed he didn't want me there, knowing there were people of high caliber that were present and they'll know that he has a nerdy daughter he had never appreciated since the death of his wife.

He forces a smile before he calls out my name in the crowd. Before I could react, a hand covered my mouth from behind; this deep voice echoed through the dimly lit night. "You don't expect to see your brother with that smeared face, do you?" The voice of the man who had just stalked me in the restroom said, his voice deep, which made the memory come flooding in. I now recalled the jerk who was standing in front of me; it was the quiet, calculated rival in Jordan's opposite team, which is the Hotchedog Team. Whenever Jordan's team wins, I have seen him a couple of times the way he doesn't smile or show disappointment; he just stares, his eyes cold and expression stoic. I have never seen or heard him say a word, and his talking to me today is almost a miracle.

"Caspian!" I sounded shocked.

"Or the little bunny now remembers me."

He averts his gaze, turns back to me, and says, "Believe me when I say that is not the best decision for you to meet your father right now."

"But..."

"Just hide there; I'll take care of the situation."

"August…" The voice of my father resounded again.

"I have to go and meet them." My voice trembled, almost imagining how my father would make a scene when we eventually got home. I stared at Caspian, almost forgetting that he was someone who was never to be trusted, recalling how his words had always been weighed before being spoken.

I saw him walk away; only then was I able to properly observe his well-sculptured face and his eyes focused as he took steady strides towards them.

I could see my father's eyes scanning the people around, waiting for me to show up.

In less than a minute, Caspian was standing beside Avery; he whispered something her that suddenly made her let out a horrendous scream.

August Flynn.

My body froze; I found myself covering my face with the palms of my hands. A wave of guilt hit me, like I had committed the crime myself that had resulted in the loud scream from Avery.

"What happened?" A lady wearing a blue jacket rushed to her and asked with a concerned voice about why she had screamed.

I saw Avery lift her finger, eyes red with rage. "I... I... can't seem to find my million-dollar engagement ring," she stuttered while raking each person's presence, almost scanning every individual with a look.

Jordan had stared, his expression unreadable. I saw him stretch out his hand and wrap it around Avery. "Everything would be okay, I promise." He said gently, loud enough for me to hear despite the distance.

Jordan lets go of her. A smile crept on his face, the kind of smile that has always made me doubt if my beauty was a match for his striking features. I saw him whisper something to his guard, who was standing beside the car. The guard nodded his head and turned to leave; everyone stared. My father had a nervous smile, his hands folded in his pockets, while Avery stood beside Caspian, who looked unperturbed as he checked something on his phone, as if he had never said a word to Avery. I felt rage surge within me, my fist tightly clenched, before I took steady strides towards Caspian.

"Oh August, where the fuck were you when I was calling your name?" my father thundered, forgetting we were in the presence of high-caliber people.

He raised his brows slightly, gritted his teeth, and wrapped his hands in a fist, clearly showing that he'll handle my situation later, but for now, let's tackle the current situation.

I turned towards Caspian, wondering why he hadn't been able to secure the situation but had instead made things worse. I raised my hand, about to land a slap across his face. Suddenly the tip of my heel broke due to pressure; I almost fell to the ground. His strong hands instinctively wrapped around my waist, his hazel green eyes bored into mine, and his lips were inches away from my skin. I could feel my heart pounding so fast. "Oh, now you're careless! I thought the feisty lady was strong enough to show her stepbrother how she felt. " I pouted my lips and lunged a knee to his groin, which resulted in a painful groan.

He lets go of me, and I find myself falling to the ground. It smears my makeup further, my hair is more disheveled, and a striking pain in my head makes me almost black out until the guard of Jordan stands above me. More men arrive and help me to my feet.

"You will be taken to the station, Miss Flynn."

"Station, I didn't do anything wrong?"

"You might as well explain how the million-dollar engagement ring is found in your pocket and your disastrous face causes public humiliation and embarrassment to the Flynn family."

"A Ring!" I exclaimed, my hand gently rummaging through my clothes, trying to check how a ring got into my clothes; suddenly the expensive jewelry fell from my pocket, and my mouth hung open in disbelief.

I shook my head, realizing that there was definitely something wrong somewhere. "I...I think you guys must be mistaken; there's some mix-up." I tried to defend myself; I could feel tears burning my cheeks.

I resisted anyone laying their hands on me; my heart palpitated, and I fought the urge not to let down hot tears that threatened to stream down my cheeks. I took a deep breath and muttered with a cracked voice, "I didn't steal the ring; since I was born, I have never been found stealing, and I'm not going to start now."

I could hear the cold whispers of people who were standing there; no one bravely uttered a word; rather, little gossip was spread among their lips. I averted my gaze towards Avery; instead of the panic she once had, now there was a mischievous smile that made her look suspicious.

I knew I couldn't win against the clear evidence pointing right at me. I stretched out my hand; handcuffs were snapped around my wrist as I was dragged out of sight in front of the disdainful face of Jordan. The crowd all watched; my father shook his head, almost believing I had taken the ring. I lowered my head in disappointment while hoping he'd be coming to bail me out. I averted my gaze to Jordan; the look he had on his face broke me further into the tiniest pieces, making me feel the need to let it all out and scream how much I truly care about him, but I know it'll yield little or no results.

I was about to be shoved into the car, and I saw Caspian standing beside Avery; a smirk was clearly written all over his face, and his eyes made him look suspicious.

******

"Did you know the grievous crime you had committed?" The cop asked while rummaging through some copies.

I thought, wondering how that ring got into my pocket, many thoughts running through my mind, but I couldn't seem to fathom how. The ache in my head made me recall the painful fall I had, with his strong hands around my waist. I believe that was when that moron had sabotaged me.

"Uhm...I know who did this." I said almost excitedly as the memory flooded in.

"So now you are not denying the fact you are a thief; you are looking for someone to put the blame on?"

"No, please let me out, and I'll prove to you that I'm not the one, please."

The cop shook his head after letting out a deep sigh; he waved his hand to another cop who was present, and I was taken behind bars.

Everything happened so fast; I stood still, fighting the growing lump in my throat, wondering why the day was increasingly getting worse as every second ticked. I found myself sitting on the dirty, rusted bed; the smell that lingered made me fight the urge not to gag.

Seconds turned to minutes and later hours. I was waiting for my father, my stepmom, or Jordan to show up, but no one did.

I was hoping that at least one of my family members would have called. I found myself waiting while roaming around the cell, but no one showed up. I was immediately gripped by fear when the realization dawned on me that I'm really alone in this world.

After what seems like an eternity, my father showed up with my Jordan. I stood up weakly and walked towards the well-installed metal bars. I wrapped my hand against it, waiting for them to apologize for taking so long, but the look of disappointment on his face said more than words could.

"Dad..." My voice was gentle and pathetic.

"Don't call me Dad; I should have conducted a DNA test to be sure that you are even my daughter." Those words cut like a sharp dagger right through my heart.

"So..." I paused, swallowing a lump, "I'm not worthy to be bailed out?"

"August is not like that; it is just that..."

"Just that you became Dad's favorite son to the point where I don’t even matter anymore?" Fuck, I feel so disgusted while I can't ignore his eyes, despite the coldness in them. I nodded in understanding. "It is clear you don't give a shit about me, despite the fact you know well enough that without me by your side you wouldn't have won that match against the Hotchdog Team."

"Enough, August. What did you do, give him advice? Or I presumed to follow him around like a puppy."

"It's like you forgot the promise you made to Mum on her dying bed," I muttered slowly, tears freely slipping down my cheeks.

"Yes, and it's because of you she's not alive." His voice was cold and his eyes were full of disdain.

Caspian Blackstone.

"Yes, it's because of you she's not alive." I heard her father say, my feet unmoving as those words were said by a father to a daughter, 'No person deserves to hear such,' I thought inwardly. My fist was tightly clenched as I averted my gaze towards Jordan; his eyes were expressionless, and he folded his arms across his chest—no remorse, no guilt, nothing. I felt infuriated, but I decided to stay still and see what would happen.

"Dad...she gave me life, and the least you could do is see Mum through me, not blame me for it." Her voice cracked as those words left her lips. I felt her pain, her eyes glossy with tears. I almost regretted my actions, but I knew I did what I had to do. I wanted her to find herself, to stop chasing shadows and see the potential within her, the woman with the big dreams.

"So you are... Not going to bail me out?" She asked after a few minutes of silence from her father and brother.

Jordan stretched out his hand and wrapped it around hers. He stared into her eyes as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we would have to keep you here to learn your lesson."

"Lesson! Seriously, Jordan, after everything that we once shared not just as siblings but as teammates, don't you see that I have always..."

"Enough, August. When you are ready to learn, you can inform the cops, and they'll allow you to talk to me on the phone." Her father cut her off, and just like that, he turned away and left. Jordan stared sadly, and for the first time, I saw guilt in his eyes before he also turned and left. They took steady strides towards where I was standing. I immediately lowered my face so Jordan wouldn't have to recognize me. My heart raced when they walked past me, but fortunately, none of them recognized me. I had told the cops that I'd be coming to see and check up on her, but I didn't expect to meet her family and hear words that cut sharper than a sword.

I found myself walking towards the metal bars. She lifted her gaze, her mouth hung open, her eyes wide in shock, but nothing came out of her lips. "What did you come here to do after sabotaging my reputation?"

"You don't get it? I want what's best for you, August. I want..."

"Just shut the fuck up because I remember; you don't give a shit about anyone, and you don't care about anything, Caspian, because you act like a robot on your team, useless and unprofessional." I stared, her words haunting me, my mouth refusing to say a word, because as much as her words hurt, she was right. Maybe I'm not just trying to help her; maybe I need her to help me find myself, to see maybe I'm not emotionless as everyone thinks I am.

Suddenly she went silent, eyes scanning mine. She walked closer to the metal bars as she wrapped her hand around them. "I know I shouldn't have said that, but it won't change the fact that you put me in this situation. You put that ring in my pocket; I know it was fucking you who did it."

"Me? You think I wouldn't have gone as low as doing that cheap scheme? To what end, August?" I asked rhetorically while trying not to smile because I love it when she sounds defensive.

She scoffs, lets go of the metal bar, and says, "So now you are not just stalking me; you are denying everything that you did." The way she said it made her look hotter in her silky red dress, smeared face, and disheveled hair.

Her eyes narrowed as she leaned against the metal. "You know I have always known you to be quiet, but I didn't expect this from you."

"I have always known you to be resilient, but I didn't expect you to just put your potential on hold because of a guy who will never value your presence even in the next few years."

"You don't know anything about Jordan." She counterattacks loudly.

"But at least I know the fact that you were the mastermind behind him winning that game."

She smiled weakly as she stepped away from the metal. "So this is what it is all about, to help your team win as well?"

I paused and thought for a moment, realizing that this rare gem is not only professional; she was intelligent, she observed, and she pointed out loopholes, and it makes her more beautiful in a way I can't explain. Realizing she had noticed I was behind the theft.

"Yes, that's why I'm here. Jordan will not appreciate your effort, but I'll be ready to bail you out of this sick hole only if you agree to be my coach."

"And what if I don't agree?"

I made my face expressionless, nodded my head, and turned away. "Then you can enjoy your stay here." I took every step carefully, hoping she'd stop me, but her silence was cutting deeper than it should because I have always admired August. From the day my teammate, Seb, had a fracture; I saw the way she had helped, the worried look on her face, and the way she handled the situation with class. Since that day, I can't get her out of my mind, but unfortunately, she prefers her sick stepbrother, who only calls on her whenever he needs something, and she'll always show up like a lost puppy.

I was almost at the door, and then I heard her voice, which pleased me more than I wanted to admit. "Okay, fine, but I’ll only coach you once a week,"

A smile curled on my lips because I know it'll definitely be more than a week.

"Okay, little rabbit, we'll see about that," I said before I walked out of the room, and then I went to the counter and asked how much for the bail. I was told a million dollars. I didn't hesitate as I swiped the card on the machine because the gem right there is worth more than a million dollars.