Silent Hearts

Chapter 4

The sharp thud of my cleats hitting the concrete barely registered over the pounding in my ears. My blood was still boiling from practice, but nothing compared to what I knew I was about to walk into. The game wasn't the only thing looming over us—something darker was hanging in the air, and it had Jake Sutton written all over it.

When I stepped into the locker room, the familiar mix of sweat and worn leather filled my lungs, but it wasn't comforting. Voices echoed from the back, and one of them made my skin crawl. Jake.

I knew I shouldn't listen. But I couldn't help it.

I moved silently through the rows of lockers, staying hidden just out of sight. Jake's voice carried, arrogant and loud, like he had the world at his feet.

"She's got me waiting like I'm some kind of charity case," Jake scoffed, his tone dripping with frustration. "Isla's been playing this whole 'I'm not ready' game for months. I'm done waiting. Seriously, how much longer am I supposed to put up with this shit?"

Troy snickered. "Yeah, man. You'd think by now she'd be all over you."

Jake let out a cold laugh, and I felt the anger surge through me, hot and violent. "I've been patient. Done the whole nice guy act. But it's getting old. Bonnie's been eyeing me for weeks, and she knows how to have a good time. Unlike Isla."

My fists clenched, white-knuckled, as I listened. Jake's next words were enough to make my vision go dark.

"If Isla doesn't get her act together, maybe she'll figure it out when she sees me with Bonnie. Hell, maybe I'll give her something to be jealous of. Teach her a lesson."

That was it.

I rounded the corner, every step like a ticking bomb ready to go off. "What the hell did you just say?"

Jake's head snapped up, eyes widening for a second before his smug grin slid back into place. Troy didn't stick around. He slipped out without a word, leaving Jake alone to face me.

Jake leaned against the lockers like he had all the time in the world. "Theo. Didn't hear you come in."

I didn't waste a second. In two strides, I was in his face, grabbing his jersey and slamming him hard against the lockers. The sound of metal crashing echoed through the room, but I didn't care.

"You think this is a joke?" I growled, my voice deadly quiet, inches from his face. "Talking about Isla like that? Like she's some game you're playing?"

Jake tried to shove me off, but I pressed him harder against the lockers, my grip tightening. His smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing. "It's just talk, man. Chill. Isla's my girl, not yours. What do you care?"

"You think you can just throw her name around like that? Treat her like she's disposable?" My voice was shaking with fury, but I kept it low, controlled. "You don't get to do that. Not to her."

Jake's smirk twisted into something nastier, darker. "Isla's mine. You're all worked up because you can't stand that. You're pissed because no matter what you do, she's always going to be with me. You think you're the one she's gonna run to? You're just her backup. Her little safety net."

I slammed him again, harder, my voice a growl. "If you think for a second I'm going to let you hurt her, you're dead wrong. She'll see right through you, and when she does, you'll have nothing. And if you ever try to 'teach her a lesson,' I'll end you."

Jake's eyes flickered with fear, just for a second, before he masked it with another sneer. "She won't believe a word you say. She trusts me. Not you. She doesn't see you like that, Dwyers. You're just the guy who's always there, waiting. She'll never choose you."

His words dug deep, sharper than I expected, but the rage inside me only burned hotter. My grip tightened on his shirt, my face inches from his.

"You're asking to be pummelled ," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "Don't. Piss. Me. Off."

Jake opened his mouth to say something else, but I didn't give him the chance.

I shoved him hard one last time, making the lockers rattle again. Just as I was about to throw another punch, a sharp whistle cut through the tension.

"Hey!" Coach's voice boomed from the entrance. "Break it up!"

I released Jake and stepped back, my chest heaving with barely contained fury. Jake stumbled, adjusting his jersey, and then shot me that same smug grin as Coach stormed over, eyes blazing.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Coach growled, glaring between us. His gaze landed on me, narrowing. "Theo, my office. Now."

I didn't say a word, didn't even look back at Jake. But I could feel his eyes on me, that self-satisfied smirk plastered on his face like he'd won. He hadn't. This was far from over.

I stalked toward Coach's office, my pulse still hammering in my ears. The fury that had burned so hot was still simmering just below the surface, but I knew better than to act on it. I had to be smarter than that—for Isla.

Inside Coach's office, I barely registered the buzz of my phone until I looked down and saw the message.

Dad: Coach called. I'm on my way.

Perfect. Just what I needed.

Minutes later, the door creaked open, and my dad walked in. His face was a mix of concern and frustration, his brow furrowed as he looked at me.

"Theo," he said quietly, stepping inside. "What's going on?"

I ran a hand through my hair, my mind still replaying every second of the fight with Jake. "It's Jake," I bit out. "He's treating Isla like she's nothing. Talking about her like she's some prize, like he's doing her a favor by being with her."

My dad sighed, stepping closer, his expression softening. "I get it, son. I do. But you can't go around getting into fights."

I clenched my fists, still shaking with anger. "So what am I supposed to do? Just let him keep treating her like this? Let him hurt her?"

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. "You need to trust that Isla's going to figure it out. She's smart, Theo. She's going to see through him, and when she does, she's going to need you. Not to fight her battles, but to be there for her."

I swallowed hard, the frustration still simmering beneath the surface. "I just... I don't want her to get hurt."

He nodded, his voice gentle but steady. "I know. But hurting Jake won't protect her. What will is being the guy she can turn to. The guy she trusts when things fall apart."

I nodded, though the rage was still there, burning low. He was right. I couldn't stop Isla from getting hurt—but I'd be there when it happened.