Chapter 368

The crowd erupted into cheers of triumph as the buzzer sounded, signaling a sharp victory.

"We did it!" Aria exclaimed, leaping to her feet in jubilation.

Lucas whooped beside her, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "That's how it's done!"

A surge of adrenaline propelled me from my seat. With a grin plastered on my face, I dashed down the stairs, my heart pounding with excitement. The crowd roared around me, a chorus of cheers and applause filling the air.

I reached the doors of the stadium just in time to see Timothy emerge from the rink, his face alight with triumph. Without hesitation, I sprinted towards him, my arms outstretched.

"Timothy!" I called, my voice filled with joy.

He spotted me and a wide smile spread across his face. In one swift motion, he scooped me up into his arms and spun me around, my laughter mingling with his.

"You were amazing out there!" I exclaimed as he set me back down, my heart still racing from the exhilaration of the game.

Timothy's eyes sparkled with pride as he looked down at me. "That was a close one for sure. But the better team one."

Around us, fans crowded in, offering their congratulations and high-fives. But amidst the celebration, Alex lingered nearby, his cool façade slipping away to reveal the simmering anger beneath.

"You got lucky, Timothy!" Alex spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "We demand a rematch!"

I bristled at his tone, my fists clenching at my sides. "It wasn't luck, Alex. Timothy and his team earned that win fair and square."

But Alex wasn't backing down. His face twisted into a snarl as he advanced on Timothy, his anger palpable in the air.

"You cheated!" Alex shouted, his voice echoing through the space as the crowd grew quiet and confused. "I won't stand for it!"

Timothy held his ground, his jaw set in determination. "I didn't cheat, Alex. You're just a sore loser."

Before I could intervene, Alex lunged forward, his hands reaching out to grab Timothy. I gasped as they grappled with each other, a swirl of bodies and raised voices.

"Stop it!" I cried, pushing against the crowd to reach them.

Security guards rushed forward, pulling Alex away from Timothy and dragging him towards the exit. His coach followed close behind, shaking his head in disappointment.

"This behavior is unacceptable, Alex," his coach scolded. "You're lucky we're not pressing charges."

As they disappeared from sight, a wave of relief washed over me. I turned to Timothy, my heart overflowing with pride.

"You handled that so well," I said, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

Timothy grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Better than we can say for him."

But then, his expression softened, and he turned to me and the others. "I hate to cut the celebration short, but I need to head to my locker real quick. I'll catch up with you guys in a bit."

I nodded understandingly, petting his cheek. "Take your time. We'll be here."

With one last smile, Timothy disappeared down the hallway.

As we exited the stadium, the elation of victory slowly ebbed away, replaced by a gnawing worry as Timothy failed to appear. My friends and I scanned the bustling corridors, but there was no sign of him.

"Where could he be?" Aria's voice was tinged with concern as we approached the locker room area.

I shook my head, my heart racing with unease. "I don't know. He said he'd meet us outside."

But as we stepped into the hallway, my anxiety spiked. Timothy was nowhere in sight, and a sense of urgency propelled me forward.

“I’m going to go look for him,” I said urgently.

Aria nodded as she pulled out the car keys. “Don’t get lost in there.”

I was already inside the building before she could finish and I hurried down the corridor, my eyes darting frantically in search of him.

And then, relief flooded through me as I spotted him. Timothy stood in a secluded corner, his posture tense as he spoke quietly into his phone. My steps faltered as I approached, uncertainty gnawing at the edges of my mind.

"Timothy?" I called out, my voice trembling with apprehension.

He looked up, surprise flashing across his features before quickly masking his expression. Ending the call abruptly, he pocketed his phone and turned to face me.

"Evie," he greeted, his tone forced casual. "I was just wrapping up a quick call. Ready to head out?"

Though his words sounded innocent enough, a nagging suspicion tugged at my senses. Something didn't feel right, but I pushed the feeling aside, forcing a smile as I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, let's go," I replied, though doubt lingered in the back of my mind.

As we rejoined the group outside, Timothy's demeanor seemed unchanged, but my unease only grew. I kept stealing glances at him, searching for any hint of what had transpired in the hallway, but his expression remained inscrutable.

"Are you sure you're okay, Evie?" Lucas's voice broke through my thoughts, concern etched into his features.

I offered a weak smile, pushing down the urge to voice my suspicions in front of our friends. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired from all the excitement. We’ll meet you guys at the apartment, okay?"

Lucas gave me a thumbs up. “Sounds like a plan. Drive safe.”

As he turned and got in the car with Aria, I reached for Timothy's hand, seeking reassurance, but the unease in my gut refused to dissipate. Something was off, and I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer.

As we settled into the car, I resolved to confront Timothy about the phone call once we were alone. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was keeping something from me, and I’d had my fair share of secrets in one lifetime.

The drive home was filled with chatter and laughter between us, but my mind remained consumed with thoughts of Timothy and the mysterious phone call. I stole glances at him whenever I could, but he seemed lost in the glory of his team’s victory.

When we finally arrived at the apartment, I could already hear my friends inside chatting away. Before Timothy could open the door, I pulled him aside, my heart pounding with anticipation.

"Timothy, can we talk?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his eyes searching mine for a moment as he attempted to smile. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come.

"What was that phone call about?" I blurted out, unable to contain my curiosity any longer. “Not judging, just, you know, making sure everything is alright.”

Timothy hesitated, his gaze flickering away before returning to meet mine. "It was nothing, really. Just some personal stuff I had to take care of."

But his words rang hollow, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. "Are you sure?" I pressed, my voice trembling with uncertainty.

He nodded, but there was a guardedness in his eyes that told me otherwise. "Yeah, I'm sure. Let's not worry about it right now, okay?"

I wanted to push further, to demand answers until he relented, but I could see the weariness in his eyes, and I relented. For now.

"Okay," I replied, though the anxiety regardless as we made our way inside.