Caden also fell asleep,the smile still on his face as he drifted off.

Rose woke the next morning, rushing to get ready for practice. "Shit" She muttered, glancing at the time as she rabbed her keys. "Love you!" She called while walking out the door and getting into her car. She drove to practice, worried about what her coach would think. Rose jogged in and tried to just jump into whatever drill they seemed to be doing, but was pulled aside by coach Nat. "Rose....you're late." She stated, a disapproving look on her face. "I'm sorry, I overslept." She stated, knowing no excuse would just let her off the hook for this one no matter who she was engaged to. Coach Nat nodded to ward the extra court in gesture for Rose to do lines. Rose just nodded and began

Caden pulls into the parking lot in his sleek black McLaren, drawing stares from the other players. He’s not here to show off—he’s here to prove he belongs. The final practice before the Super Bowl, and he’s ready to make a statement.

As Caden walks onto the field, Coach Hopkins’ eyes lock on him. The intensity is immediate.

“Ortiz! You think you can show up in that car and coast through this practice? You’re playing in the Super Bowl, not a rookie showcase!” Hopkins roars. “Stop thinking you’re a celebrity and start thinking like a lineman!”

Caden doesn’t flinch. He’s been here before—people doubting him, pushing him to crack. But today? He won’t back down. He nods, keeping his cool. “Understood, Coach.”

---

The whistle blows, and the practice begins. Every muscle aches as Caden battles against the defensive line. Hopkins screams corrections from the sideline, but Caden doesn’t let it get to him. He focuses, digging in with everything he’s got.

“Better, Ortiz. Now you’re starting to get it. Keep pushing like that, and maybe you’ll prove you belong on that field come Sunday.”

Caden’s heart pounds, but it’s not fear. It’s fire. He’s not just some rookie—he’s here to dominate. The Super Bowl is in sight, and he’s ready to claim his spot.

Rose finished her lines and started hitting with the other girls as the rest of practice passed in a blur. She sighed as she got into her car, not entirely trusting herslef to drive with how shaky she was at the moment. The memory of her last crash and Caden being there enough to steer her away from immedietly driving. She didn't know if after today she wanted to keep doing volleyball, but it was something to do while Caden practiced so why not? She sighed shakily, closing her eyes and tipping her head back against the headrest, feeling quite defeated and torn

Caden pulled the McLaren into the driveway of his mansion, the engine’s hum gradually fading to silence. He didn’t even acknowledge the sleek car anymore. His body felt like it had been pummeled, every muscle sore and worn out from the day’s practice. The adrenaline from the field had long since dissipated, replaced by a crushing exhaustion that dragged him down with every step.

He didn’t look at Murphy, his Great Dane, who was waiting by the door, tail wagging in hopeful anticipation. Caden’s face was drawn, his eyes dark with fatigue. He barely acknowledged the dog’s presence as he trudged past, too tired to give anything more than a brief glance.

He climbed the stairs slowly, the weight of the Super Bowl pressing down on him. The day’s practice replayed in his mind—the shouting, the pressure, Hopkins’ harsh words. It all felt like it was closing in on him, even in the silence of the mansion.

When he finally reached his bedroom, he barely had the energy to shut the door behind him. With a heavy sigh, he collapsed onto the bed, face-first, not even bothering to remove his clothes. His body hit the mattress with a dull thud, and for a moment, he didn’t move. His face sank into the pillow, and he let out a long, exhausted breath, as if letting go of everything at once.

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the cooling system. His mind was still racing, too many thoughts swirling around: the game, the expectations, the weight of everything. But for now, all he could do was lie there, his body too drained to think.

Murphy was still waiting outside, but Caden didn’t move to greet him. Instead, he let the silence swallow him whole, the exhaustion finally pulling him under.

Rose drove home and noticed Caden was home as well. She walked inside, glancing around. "Caden?" She called, taking off her shoes and heading upstairs. "Cad-" She said, stopping when she saw the shut door and Murphy. "Caden?" She asked softly through the door, knocking on it

Caden groaned slightly when she called his name,flipping onto his back and walking to the doorway before opening the door to her. "Hm?" He asks tiredly,rubbing his face with his hand.

"I was just making sure you were alright..." She said quietly, trailing off and heading downstairs

"Oh,yeah.I'm fine.Thanks for checking." He says,grabbing his change of clothes before heading to shower.Caden finished showering and changed into a pair of clean clothes before flopping back onto the bed and falling asleep.

Rose got a lotus doordashed before heading upstairs and setting it down on her bedside table. She grabbed a blanket and pulled it gent;y over Caden and her both as she played with his hair beside him