❝Forever?❞ Raya asked nervous. She was holding onto that little moment of hope.
Chad nodded, smiling. He grabbed her hand and started to hold it. ❝We were meant to be together.❞
Raya Souix was built for the spotlight. She has beautiful legs and beau...
With school nearing its end, the girls were immersed in training for the competition series. Gabriella and Troy's bond had deepened, and they even found themselves mediating between Raya and Chad during their arguments. Being on a national team came with intense stress—early and late rehearsals, and endless study sessions. The pressure was beginning to weigh heavily on Raya, and it was becoming evident to everyone.
She was perpetually tired, her energy reserved solely for the competition, which sometimes caused her grades to slip. It wasn't a huge problem, but it was enough for her friends to notice the change. The vibrant, hardworking Raya was now often falling asleep, missing hangouts, and being short with people who simply asked questions.
Raya sighed as she stared at her calculus homework, feeling overwhelmed. There had to be something better than schoolwork to think about.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Can I come in?" came Chad's voice from the other side.
"Sure," Raya mumbled. Chad entered, his curls tied up in a ponytail, carrying a box of donuts. Raya managed a faint smile as she moved her notebook aside. "Fine, bring on the happiness."
Chad chuckled, sitting beside her on the bed. "I know you're stressed, so I brought these to cheer you up."
"That's sweet," Raya said, giving him a quick kiss. The kiss felt like a warm reminder of how much she missed their one-on-one time.
"So, how's work?" Chad asked.
"Stressful. Coach D wants me to lead the group dance, and I'm worried about messing up. Plus, I've got so many papers and assignments that I haven't slept in days," Raya complained, pushing her hair back.
"Maybe you need to relax, baby," Chad suggested.
"I can't relax—I have too much on my plate. My grades are slipping, and I'm so focused on the competition that everything else falls by the wayside."
"Maybe I could help," Chad offered, starting to kiss her neck and slowly moving his hands to her thighs. Raya tried to suppress a smile as he made her more comfortable. "Feeling better?"
Raya nodded, tugging at his hair. "Chad, I should really get back to studying. If I don't finish, my grades will drop."
"Come on, not even for a few minutes?" Chad pleaded.
