Silent Hearts | 18+

Chapter 7

 The quiet of my room felt heavier tonight, like it had weight.

I shut the door behind me and stood there for a moment, letting my back rest against it, my hands shoved deep into my pockets. The silence pressed in, broken only by the faint tick of the clock on my dresser.

Her face was still there in my head,  hair damp from the rain, cardigan slipping off one shoulder, crouched down on the pavement feeding that stray cat with all the focus in the world. She'd looked so damn content in that moment, like nothing outside it could touch her.

And then Jake's voice slid in, unwanted, curling like smoke through my thoughts. His smirk in the locker room. His voice, casual, like he was talking about a bad cup of coffee instead of someone's girlfriend. Complaining about her boundaries, saying maybe he'd "find it somewhere else" if she didn't get the hint.

It made my knuckles itch just remembering it.

I sat on the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, and dragged my hands down my face. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to say he's not who you think he is, Luna. But I knew her too well. Push her away from something, and she'll plant her feet and hold her ground just to prove she's not being led.

Jake Sutton was exactly the kind of fire she'd have to get burned by herself.

So I kept my mouth shut, because if she found out I'd been keeping this from her, she'd hate me for it. And if I told her too soon, I'd lose her anyway.

"Theo! Dinner's ready!" Dad's voice carried up the stairs.

"Yeah!" I called back, but I didn't move straight away.

By the time I went down, Mum and Dad were already at the table. The smell of pasta hit me — garlic and basil and something else Mum always put in her sauce that I could never name but could always taste.

"You alright?" Dad asked as I sat, his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Yeah," I said, going for neutral.

Mum glanced over, eyes narrowing slightly in that way she does when she's trying to read me. She didn't ask, but I knew she'd circle back later if she thought she had to.

I forked some pasta onto my plate and forced myself to eat, but my head wasn't here. It was still back on the pavement outside Luna's house, the rain on my skin, the way she'd fit under my cardigan like she belonged there. And then further back, in the locker room, Jake's voice slicing through the air.

The conversation between my parents faded to background noise. I was just moving food around my plate by the time I set my fork down. "Thanks, Mum," I muttered, already standing.

Upstairs again, I sat on my bed with my phone in my hand, scrolling for the sake of scrolling. The movement kept me from thinking too hard.

Until Lewis' name lit up my screen.

Lewis: Yo, what's up with you and Sutton? Heard you almost rearranged his face at practice.

I huffed, thumb tapping back without thinking.

Me: He's a dick.

I tossed the phone onto the bed, but it buzzed again almost instantly. FaceTime request.

"Of course," I muttered, swiping to answer. Lewis' face filled the screen, wearing that grin that said I'm not letting this go.

"You can't just drop 'he's a dick' and then disappear. That's against the rules."

I leaned back against my headboard. "Didn't know we had rules."

"We do," he said, shifting like he was settling in for a show. "And one of them is, you tell me when you're two seconds away from breaking Sutton's nose."

I gave him a look. "Not talking about it."

"So you almost punched him for... cardio?"

I didn't answer, which was answer enough.

His grin faded slightly. "This is about Luna, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Drop it, Lew."

"Nah. You've got that look, man. The one you get before a game when you've already decided you're taking the win."

I snorted. "Pretty sure you're imagining things."

He tilted his head. "I've seen this before. Dudes get it when they're about to take someone's girl. You get it when you're about to throw yourself into something headfirst. So, tell me — which one is it?"

"Neither."

Lewis raised his brows but didn't push further. "Alright. But if Sutton's screwing with you — or her — you know I've got your back."

"Yeah," I said, and this time I meant it.

He didn't look convinced, but he let it go. We talked about nothing for a few more minutes — the training schedule, showing me some ridiculous TikTok — before I made an excuse and hung up.

The room felt quieter than before.

Then my screen lit again, and her name flashed across it.

Luna: You awake?

My pulse kicked up. I could picture her — hair falling forward, thumbs moving fast. I typed back:

Me: Yeah, what's up?

The reply came instantly.

Luna: I asked Jake what happened and he's being off, but he won't talk about it. I don't know what's going on with him.

Of course it was about Jake. It's always about Jake. My jaw tightened. I forced myself to answer slow.

Me: Maybe ask him straight up.

A pause, then:

Luna: I tried. He brushed me off. You don't think he's mad at me, do you?

Mad at her. The irony almost made me laugh.

Me: No. You're not the problem here.

Her typing bubble appeared, disappeared, came back.

Luna: You know something.

I stared at that line, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. She wasn't wrong. I could tell her everything right now. But the image of her shutting me out, even for a little while, was enough to stop me cold.

Me: I just... don't think he treats you the way you deserve.

Luna: You don't know him like I do.

I let out a low, humourless laugh. She had no idea. But this wasn't the time to light the match.

Me: Maybe not. Just... keep your eyes open, Luna.

It was all I could give her without crossing the line I wasn't ready to cross.

The pause this time was longer. When her reply finally came, it was short.

Luna: Night, Theo.

Me: Night.

I set the phone down on my chest and stared up at the ceiling. The ache in my chest was heavier now, but I told myself it was the right call. She had to see him for herself.

And when she did, I'd be there. Always.