Breaking the Playbook [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14

LOLO'S POV

I'm standing in the middle of the living room, my hands clenched into fists at my sides, staring out of the window as the sun sets in a dramatic blaze of orange and pink. The room feels like it's closing in on me, the walls pressing in as if they're bearing witness to the turmoil inside. The media frenzy, my father's mounting pressure, and my own swirling emotions are all crashing together, creating a storm I can barely navigate.

A knock on the door breaks through my thoughts. My heart skips a beat. I know who it is. Brooks. We haven't seen each other in days, and the weight of our separation has been gnawing at me, making every moment feel like an eternity.

I open the door, and there he is, standing in the hallway with an expression that mirrors my own distress. His blue eyes are intense, almost desperate, and his jaw is set with frustration. "Lolo," he says, stepping inside, "we need to talk."

I nod, stepping aside to let him in. As he walks past me, I catch a whiff of his cologne, a scent that used to soothe me but now feels like a bittersweet reminder of what we're fighting for. "Yeah," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady, "we do."

We move to the living room, and Brooks sinks onto the couch, his shoulders slumped. I sit across from him, the distance between us feeling like a chasm. The silence stretches out, heavy and uncomfortable, until Brooks breaks it with a growl of frustration. "This has to stop, Lolo. I can't keep doing this."

I flinch at the anger in his voice. "What do you mean? What do you want me to do?"

He rubs his face with his hands, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I want us to figure this out. I'm fucking exhausted, Lolo. The media, the league, your father—it's all too much. I need to know where we stand, because this limbo is killing me."

I can feel the tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. "You think it's easy for me? I'm caught between my job, my family, and my feelings for you. It's not like I have a clear path here."

Brooks stands up, pacing back and forth, his frustration palpable. "I'm not asking for a clear path. I'm asking for something real, something we can hold onto. I can't keep pretending that everything's okay while we're being torn apart."

I stand up too, the room feeling smaller with every step. "And what if the only way to keep everything from falling apart is to walk away from each other? What if that's the only way to protect what we have left?"

Brooks stops pacing and looks at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and resolve. "So, what are you saying? Did we just throw in the towel? That we give up on this because it's fucking hard?"

"No," I say, my voice cracking. "I'm saying that I don't know how much more I can take. I don't know if I can keep fighting against the odds while everything around us is crumbling."

He steps closer to me, his expression softening slightly, but the intensity remains. "Lolo, I love you. I'm not ready to give up. But we need to make a decision. We need to figure out what we want and how we're going to get there."

The words hang in the air between us, and I feel a surge of emotion that's almost overwhelming. I want to reach out to him and feel his warmth and strength, but I'm afraid of the consequences. The pressure, the scrutiny—it's all so much.

Brooks takes another step closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch my arm. "I know this is hard. I know it feels like the world is against us. But I'm not going anywhere. I need you to tell me what you want, because I can't keep living in this fucking limbo."

His touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I look into his eyes, seeing the raw, unfiltered emotion there. I can feel the heat between us—a magnetic pull that's impossible to ignore. The distance between us collapses as he pulls me into his arms, his touch igniting a fierce, desperate need within me.

Our lips meet in a kiss that's both tender and intense—a collision of passion and longing. The world outside fades away, and all that exists is the connection between us. I can feel the heat of his body, the strength of his embrace, and the way his lips move against mine with desperate urgency.

The kiss deepens, becoming more urgent and more consuming. His hands travel up my back, pulling me closer, and I can feel his heartbeat pounding against my chest. I respond with equal fervor, my fingers threading through his hair, holding him close as if I can't bear to let him go.

For a moment, everything else ceases to exist—the media, my father's demands, the league's pressure. All that matters is the heat of his body, the way he holds me, and the way his lips move against mine with a hunger that matches my own.

We break apart, both of us breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against each other. The intensity of the moment is overwhelming, and I can see the conflict and determination in Brooks' eyes.

"We need to make a decision," he says softly, his voice filled with both resolve and uncertainty. "We need to figure out what we're going to do."

I nod, my heart racing, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on me. "I know. I need to think about it. I need to figure out what's best for both of us."

Brooks looks at me with a mix of hope and resignation. "Take your time. Just know that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

I watch as he steps back, his eyes still locked on mine, filled with a blend of hope and frustration. The room is heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tension, and I know that the decision I'm about to make will change everything.

As he turns and walks toward the door, I feel a pang of fear and longing. The future is uncertain, and the choices I have to make are daunting. But I know one thing for sure—I can't keep living in this limbo forever.

I watch him leave, the door closing behind him with a soft click. I'm left alone in the room, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. The decision I have to make feels monumental, and the stakes have never been higher.

The intensity of our kiss lingers, a reminder of what's at stake and the depth of what we share. I'm standing at a crossroads, and the choices I make now will determine the course of our future. The storm outside mirrors the turmoil inside, and as I stand here, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.