Breaking the Playbook [COMPLETED]

Chapter 38

BROOKS' POV

By the time I arrived at the facility, the weight of the day already pressing down on me, and I was running on pure adrenaline. I hadn't slept worth a damn; my mind was too busy chasing the thousand fucking scenarios that could go wrong. But I pushed all that shit to the back of my mind as I walked through the doors, my game face on.

The locker room was buzzing with the usual pre-practice chatter, but there was an edge to it today, a tension that I could feel as soon as I walked in. The guys were on edge; the pressure of the season starting to take its toll, and I knew my shit with Lolo wasn't helping.

But I couldn't let them see that. I couldn't let them see how close to the edge I was. So, I shoved it all down, locking it away behind a wall of focus and determination. This was my job, my fucking career, and I wasn't about to let anything mess it up. Not even the chaos that was my personal life.

I made my way to my locker, nodding at a few of the guys but not stopping to chat. I wasn't in the mood for small talk, and I knew they could tell. There were a few glances and a few whispers, but I ignored them, focusing on getting ready for practice. I needed to clear my head to drown out the noise with the familiar rhythm of the game.

As I pulled on my gear, I could feel eyes on me, the weight of their curiosity pressing down like a heavy fucking cloud. They all knew something was up, and I could see the questions in their eyes, but no one said a damn word. Not yet, anyway.

I was lacing up my cleats when the door opened, and Coach walked in, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that made my stomach drop. This wasn't just another practice. This was something else.

He looked around the room, his gaze sweeping over the team, and when his eyes landed on me, they hardened just a fraction. I met his gaze, not backing down, but there was a knot of unease in my gut that I couldn't ignore.

"Alright, listen up," Coach said, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "We've got a lot of work to do, and I need everyone focused. No distractions, no bullshit. We're a team, and that means we've got each other's backs. On and off the field."

His words were directed at the whole team, but I could feel the weight of them pressing down on me specifically, like a fucking anvil on my chest. He was sending a message, loud and clear. No distractions. No bullshit.

I nodded, my jaw clenched, and went back to lacing up my cleats, my mind a whirl of thoughts. This wasn't going to be easy, but I'd made my choice. Lolo and I were in this together, and no matter what, I wasn't going to let anyone—or anything—tear us apart.

I finished up, standing to head out to the field, but Coach stepped in front of me, his gaze locked on mine. There was a moment of silence, the rest of the team watching, but I didn't back down.

"Stay focused," Coach said, his voice low, but there was an intensity to it that told me this was more than just a reminder. It was a warning.

"Always," I replied, my tone just as firm.

He held my gaze for another moment, then nodded, stepping aside to let me pass. As I walked out to the field, I could feel the eyes of the team on me, the weight of their expectations, and their curiosity, but I didn't give a shit.

I was here to play, to give it everything I had. And no matter what happened off the field, when I was out there, it was all about the game. That was the one place I could control, the one place where everything else faded away.

And right now, that was exactly what I needed.

LOLO'S POV

I was waiting for Brooks when he finally walked off the field, his face flushed with the exertion of practice, but there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there before. The guys were still out there, winding down, but Brooks made a beeline for me, his eyes locking onto mine as soon as he spotted me.

"Hey," I said softly as he reached me, his expression hard, but there was a softness in his eyes that made my heart ache.

"Hey," he replied, his voice low, but I could hear the weariness in it.

"How was practice?" I asked, knowing it was a lame question, but I needed to break the ice, to try to get him to open up.

"Same as always," he said, but there was an edge to his voice—a tension that made me frown.

"Brooks," I said, reaching out to touch his arm, but he pulled back slightly, his gaze shifting away from me.

"I'm fine," he said, but the tightness in his voice told me otherwise.

"Don't shut me out," I pleaded, my voice soft, but there was a desperation in it that I couldn't hide. "Please."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and finally looked at me, the hardness in his gaze softening just a fraction. "I'm not trying to shut you out, Lolo. I just... I'm dealing with a lot right now."

"I know," I said, stepping closer, wanting to bridge the distance between us. "And I'm here to help you deal with it. But I can't do that if you're going to push me away."

He hesitated, his gaze searching mine, and for a moment, I thought he was going to pull back again. But then he sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly, and he reached out, pulling me into his arms.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice muffled against my hair. "I just... I don't want you to get caught up in this mess."

"I'm already in it," I whispered, holding him tightly.

"Yeah," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Together."

We stood there for a moment, just holding each other, letting the world fade away. In that moment, it was just us, and nothing else mattered.