Unconditionally

In the Middle of the Storm

Allison's POV

The Cheers and shouts felt like pure magic. I was buzzing with excitement, high-fiving my friends and shouting, celebrating his victory. But as I scanned the crowd, I caught a glimpse of Stella, her expression a mix of joy and something else—something darker that made my stomach drop.

"Did you see that goal?" Jenli shouted, his face lit up with excitement as he joined our group, Enzo right behind him, pumping his fist in the air.

"Yeah! That was amazing!" I said, forcing a smile, but my eyes drifted back to Stella. She looked tense, her body language closed off as she stood apart from the celebration. I could feel a storm brewing.

"Look over there," Enzo said, pointing to Arnold as he broke away from his teammates, still riding the high of victory. "He's coming over to Stella!"

"Uh-oh, this doesn't look good," Jenli murmured, glancing between them.

"What do you mean?" Jordan asked, furrowing his brow.

"Just watch," I said, crossing my arms, my heart sinking as I followed them. Arnold looked serious, and Stella was fidgeting nervously, her excitement from earlier evaporating.

"Can we talk?" Arnold said, his tone shifting. The music from the celebration faded into the background as their conversation took a darker turn.

"Sure," Stella said, but the hesitation in her voice told me everything I needed to know. They moved away from the crowd, and I felt a chill creep up my spine.

As they began to argue, I exchanged worried glances with Jenli, Enzo, and Jordan. "What's going on?" Jenli whispered concern etched across her face.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good," I replied, straining to hear their conversation.

"Every time I mention the tournament, you act like it's a death sentence for us!" Arnold exclaimed, his frustration boiling over.

"Maybe it's because I feel like I'm losing you!" Stella shot back, her voice filled with hurt.

"I don't want to lose you!" Arnold pleaded, desperation creeping into his tone.

"Then why can't you see it from my perspective?" Stella's voice wavered, and I felt the sting of her words. I wanted to rush over and comfort her, but I knew they needed to resolve this themselves.

"Every time you talk about your future, it feels like you're just planning a life without me!" Stella yelled, and I cringed at the raw emotion in her voice.

"Is that how you see me?" Arnold replied, his expression a mixture of disbelief and hurt.

"Maybe it's better if we take a break," Stella said, her voice cracking, and I felt my heart shatter at the sound of those words.

"Wait—what?" Arnold stammered, clearly caught off guard.

"It's how I feel!" she shot back, tears pooling in her eyes. "I need space to figure out what I want too!"

At that moment, I felt the tension in the air shift dramatically. I glanced at Jordan, who had a worried look on his face. "Should we intervene?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.

"No," I said softly, watching Stella turn away, her shoulders shaking. "They need to sort this out on their own."

As Stella walked away, I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. Arnold stood there, stunned, the regret etched on his face.

"Dude," Jordan finally said, stepping forward as Arnold remained frozen. "What just happened?"

"I didn't mean for it to escalate like that," Arnold said, running a hand through his hair, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Man, she was really hurt," Enzo added, his brow furrowed. "You can't just let her walk away like that."

"I know," Arnold replied, anguish clouding his features. "But I thought we were on the same page. I didn't want to hurt her."

Jenli stepped closer, her expression sympathetic. "You need to talk to her, Arnold. You both care about each other too much to just let it end like this."

"I'll try," he said, determination flashing in his eyes. "But I don't know how to fix this."

Jordan glanced toward the exit where Stella had disappeared. "You should go after her, man. You don't want to lose her over this."

"Yeah, what he said," Enzo agreed, crossing his arms. "She needs to hear from you. Tell her how you feel."

With a deep breath, Arnold nodded and took off toward the exit, leaving us standing there. I turned to the others, feeling a mix of anxiety and hope. "I just hope they can find their way back to each other," I said, my heart heavy. "They love each other, but sometimes love means navigating through the toughest storms."

Jenli nodded, her expression solemn. "Let's give them some space. They'll figure it out. They have to."

As the celebration continued around us, I couldn't shake the feeling that their fight was just the beginning of something much deeper. But I knew that whatever happened next, I would be there for both of them, ready to support my best friend and help her find her way back to Arnold.