Go With the Flow

On the third day of our silent treatment, a photo of my boyfriend, Gavin, holding his team's cute new support player, Piper, hit the trending pages.

To damage-control the rumors, Gavin publicly announced that he was single.

I didnt throw a tantrum. I simply rode the wave and let the breakup become official.

But later, when I stood on a massive stage and calmly told the interviewer that I was single...

Gavins eyes suddenly brimmed with tears.

I had been waiting in the private dining booth for six hours.

Gavins team had just won the national championship, and he had secured the MVP title. He had texted me, saying he wanted to celebrate with just the two of us. But the moment he reached the door of the restaurant, his phone rang. It was Piper.

"Gavin, I burned my hand on the kettle... I'm so scared..."

Her voice was thick with tears over the speaker. Panic washed over Gavin's face, and without even saying goodbye to me, he turned on his heel and rushed out.

After that, his phone went dead.

I checked the time. It was five minutes to midnight.

The table of gourmet food had long since turned cold, the grease on the lamb chops hardening into a thick, unappetizing white layer.

I stared at the plate, my appetite completely gone. My hand hovered over the table, my mind drifting back to the trending photos that had kept a lump in my throat all night.

It was the championship finals, a night that should have been defined by match statistics. Instead, the top three trending topics were filled with photos of Gavin and Piper.

The images were crystal clear, accompanied by viral video clips.

The video showed Piper leaping into Gavin's arms in a burst of excitement, her hands locked around his neck and her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

Golden confetti rained down on them. Gavin held the trophy in one hand and kept his other arm wrapped securely around her waist, looking victorious and proud.

In front of tens of thousands of fans, at the pinnacle of his career...

Their interaction looked innocent to the casual observer, but the underlying intimacy was undeniable.

Many comments were already romanticizing their bond, while others questioned the nature of their relationship. After all, my secret relationship with Gavin was an open secret in the pro scene.

Gavin had promised to explain everything to me tonight.

What he failed to realize was that he had already made too many excuses because of Piper. When you hear the same justification repeatedly, it eventually just makes you numb.

I picked up my phone, mindlessly scrolling through my feed, only to freeze when I saw Piper's latest social media update.

Lied to Gavin about hurting my hand, and he actually rushed all the way back! So, are you happy with the surprise party we threw for you, my MVP?

They had thrown him a private victory party.

My finger trembled as I zoomed in on the attached photo.

Balloons and banners filled the background. Surrounded by their teammates, Gavin stood at the center with his arm around Pipers shoulders, his laugh loud and carefree.

The photographer had captured the perfect moment. Piper was tilting her head, looking up at Gavin with an expression of pure, unadulterated adoration.

I laid my chopsticks down, my stomach turning.

Just then, the heavy door of the booth was pushed open, and Gavin rushed in, looking flushed.

When he saw the half-eaten, cold dishes on the table, his jaw tightened. "Why didn't you wait for me?" he asked, his tone laced with a strange hint of grievance.

I let out a soft laugh, too exhausted to argue with his absurd question. "If you haven't eaten, go ahead. I need to get back to the base."

Gavin reached out, grabbing my wrist. "Aren't you going to stay with me?"

"I have scheduled scrims."

Unlike Gavin, my team, Scythe Gaming, hadn't even qualified for the playoffs. My schedule for the off-season was packed with mandatory training. I had to pull several favors just to get tonight off. If I didn't return soon, the manager would gladly use it as an excuse to fine me.

But my cold tone seemed to prick Gavin's pride. He let go of my wrist, his face hardening.

"Are you seriously letting those online rumors get to you? Do you really think Piper and I have something going on?"

I paused, the words of defense dying in my throat.

What was I supposed to say?

Should I mention how our weekly date night was constantly cut short because he had to help Piper level up her rank?

Should I talk about how his phone was always busy, and on the rare occasions he picked up, a girl's soft giggles always echoed in the background?

Or should I remind him of the time an angry anti-fan pushed me into a barrier, bruising my wrist, while he was busy comforting Piper over a lost match, ignoring my messages for three days?

The silence stretched between us, heavy and stifling.

Gavin lowered his gaze, his voice filled with deep disappointment. "I can't believe you actually think so little of me."

Gavin was notorious for his hot temper. He regularly laid into his teammates when a match went south, and he had only started showing a bit of restraint after Piper joined the starting roster.

When he was angry, he was usually loud, defensive, and sharp-tongued. But right now, he just looked deflated.

"She's a young girl, and it's not easy for her to survive in this industry," he said softly. "I'm the team captain. Its my job to look after my players."

"You know how important a player's hands are to their career."

"I admit I pay a little more attention to her, but it's only because she reminds me of how you used to be. Alone, struggling in a strange team. I kept thinking that if I helped her, maybe someone out there would show you the same kindness."

He placed a beautifully wrapped cake box on the table. "If you're still upset, I can apologize. Is this explanation enough for you?"

My heart gave a faint, painful flutter.

I stared at the logo on the cake box. It was from my favorite patisserie in the city.

Looking at the familiar box, my mind drifted back to our days in the academy. I had been the only female player in the entire program, naturally looked down upon by the coaches and players alike.

I was blamed for losses, mocked during practice, and stressed to the point of severe insomnia and loss of appetite.

Gavin was with a different club back then and couldn't protect me directly. But despite his brutal training schedule, he would sneak out of his base at midnight, scale the high wall of my academy, and bring me small cakes, gently coaxing me to eat them bite by bite.

In those quiet nights, huddled in his arms, I would let all my armor down and cry, absorbing his warmth to face another day.

The lofty dreams I started with had been chipped away by the harsh reality of the pro scene. I had followed Gavin blindly into this chaotic world, only to end up on different teams.

There was no one to help me. The pressure of evaluations, the isolation from my teammatesit all accumulated until I felt completely suffocated.

I had wanted to scream, to let all the venom out, but when I finally looked at him, all my misery had condensed into a soft whisper.

It's so hard, Gavin.

Gavin had pressed his forehead against mine, his voice a steady murmur. Once I secure my place, I'll have the team buy out your contract. We'll play together, and we'll never be apart.

I took a deep breath, pushing the memory away.

Forget it, I thought. Maybe I'm just overthinking. I'll trust him one last time.

I stood up to go to the restroom to wash my face. But as I approached the door of the booth on my way back, I heard Gavins voice. He was on the phone.

A girl's playful whine filtered through the receiver.

"Gavin, aren't you back yet? I've been waiting for my strawberry cake for thirty minutes!"

My steps halted, and my body went entirely rigid.

By the time I managed to compose myself and push the door open, Gavin was already slipping his phone into his pocket. He looked up at me.

"Great, you're back. I need you to help Piper draft a statement to clear her name. Its not fair that shes being dragged online as a homewrecker."

So this was his real motive for bringing the cake tonight.

"Why should I do that?" I asked, a bitter smile touching my lips.

Gavin stared at me. "If you have a problem with me, take it out on me. Don't ruin a young girl's career over some jealousy."

"Did I force her to climb onto your shoulders at the arena? If you want to protect her, thats your business. Keep me out of it."

"Nadia!" Gavin snapped, his temper finally exploding. "Are you really going to make a scene over this?"

"Ive spent the whole night trying to soothe your temper. How much longer are you going to act like a spoiled child?"

"Piper is my teammate. You are my girlfriend. Can't you see the difference? Do you have to throw a tantrum over some harmless jealousy?"

I let out a harsh laugh.

"Your idea of 'girlfriend' is making me wait alone for six hours without a single word?"

"And your idea of 'teammate' is rushing back the second she whines about waiting thirty minutes for a cake?"

Gavin froze, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. "No, Nadia, thats not"

But I had run out of patience for his excuses.

"Gavin, I don't think I can handle being your girlfriend anymore. Let's break up."

Gavin's face went completely cold. "I'm going to give you one chance to take that back. I'll pretend I didn't hear it."

"If there are things you're unhappy with, I can change. We can both take a step back. You write the statement, I'll keep my distance from Piper, and we can go back to how we were."

My only response was the loud, solid slam of the heavy wooden door.

"Nadia! You're going to regret this!"

Through the thick wood, I could hear the faint, sharp sound of glass shattering against the floor.

It was past midnight when I returned to the Scythe Gaming base.

As I walked up the stairs to my dorm, a tall figure stepped out of the shadows.

Marcus, our manager, checked his watch. "Curfew was at midnight."

"I took official leave, Marcus," I said, my voice tight.

He ignored me, adjusting his glasses. "Starting tomorrow, your daily training schedule is increased by an hour."

Knowing there was no point in arguing, I reached for my doorknob.

But Marcus's oily voice stopped me. "Also, there's a dinner with our primary sponsor in a few days. You're coming with me."

I paused, my fingers tightening on the handle, before slipping into my room and locking the door.

When I opened my phone, Gavin and Piper were trending once again.

This time, it was because of a simple, public statement Gavin had posted:

I am currently single.

It was a clean, powerful defense that immediately cleared Piper of any homewrecking accusations, but it threw all the mud straight at me.

If Gavin was single, what were all those rumors about him and Nadia? I thought they were practically married.

Nadia was obviously just clout-chasing. Gavin didn't care enough to address it before, but now that he has someone he actually wants to protect, he had to set the record straight. Talk about an embarrassing reality check.

Honestly, I feel bad for Gavin. He let that benchwarmer use his name for years.

Wishing our favorite bot-lane duo all the best!

Gavin, who had always hated public events, suddenly began appearing at every brand exhibition and promotional stream, always with Piper by his side. And around his wrist, he always wore a different colored hair scrunchie.

He was doing everything in his power to build her up. Since I had refused to write the statement, he had taken matters into his own hands.

Two years of devotion, erased in a single sentence.

But maybe it was for the best. Relationships that had never been allowed to see the light of day were better off dissolving in the shadows.

On the night of the sponsor dinner, Marcus looked at my worn Scythe Gaming jersey with clear disgust. "You look ridiculous. Go put on something decent."

I shoved my hands into my pockets, keeping my voice firm. "I'm a pro player. This is my uniform. Why do I need a dress to have dinner?"

Marcus sneered but didn't push it further, leading me into the private dining club with a sour face.

Earlier this year, our parent company had appointed a new executive director, Mr. Davenport. During his first inspection of the facility, his eyes had lingered on me a bit too long, and he had been trying to corner me ever since.

I had managed to dodge his invitations, but he had recently ordered all the locks on our dorm doors to be replaced with electronic locks that could be bypassed from the master console, claiming it was a "safety measure."

Several times, I had walked into my room after a long training session only to find Mr. Davenport sitting on my bed, offering a sickeningly warm smile. "Tired? You've been working so hard. Come sit down and let's have a chat."

I had used the excuse of needing to call my boyfriend to escape. But Davenport, skeptical, had insisted I call him right then and there.

With a racing heart, I had dialed Gavin's number.

It was the only time the call went through, but the voice that answered was Piper's.

"Nadia? Gavin is sleeping right now. Is there something you need?"

That single sentence had shattered my safety net.

It proved that Gavin was comfortable letting another woman handle his personal phone, and it exposed my lie to the predatory man sitting in my room.

I still remembered the slow, knowing smile that had spread across Davenport's face. "It seems our little Nadia isn't being entirely honest."

I knew he wouldn't let me go easily. But when his hand slid onto my thigh under the dining table, my body reacted before my brain could. I bolted upright, my chair scraping loudly against the floor.

"Excuse me. I have to get back to training."

Davenport didn't get angry. He simply smiled, swirling his wine. "Leaving so soon, Nadia? We were just getting to the good part."

"I have to train," I repeated, my body trembling as I walked out.

His easy compliance only made me more uneasy.

Two weeks later, the transfer window opened.

Every player on Scythe Gaming signed their contract renewalsexcept me.

I was listed on the transfer market, but the buyout fee Scythe had attached to my name was astronomically high, a price no mid-tier team could ever afford for a support player.

I tried contacting several managers myself.

They were always impressed with my mechanical skills during tryouts, but the moment they saw the buyout clause, they would shake their heads with regret.

One sympathetic coach pulled me aside. "Nadia, your management is intentionally blocking you. You need to resolve whatever personal dispute you have with your owner, or you're going to be benched indefinitely."

I could only offer a bitter smile. This was a dispute that could never be resolved.

Just when I felt like I had hit a dead end, a message from Gavin popped up on my screen.

I can have Vanguard buy out your contract.

Vanguard Gaming was one of the few legacy clubs that could easily afford the fee.

Gavin was their star ADC, and the support was his lane partner. His opinion carried immense weight in their roster decisions. Their starting support had just retired due to a chronic wrist injury, and Piper was only a temporary substitute from the academy team. They desperately needed a proven, high-tier support.

With Gavin's approval, my career could be saved.

I wrestled with the decision for days. But when Marcus tried to push me into Davenports private car after a promotional event, the sheer terror drove me straight to Gavin.

When I showed up at his training facility, a smug, victorious grin spread across his face.

"Done throwing your little tantrums?"

I swallowed my pride and lowered my head. "Yes."

Gavin reached out, patting my head with a gentle, patronizing hand. "I told you Id bring you to my team to protect you. What were you so scared of, Nadia?"

And just like that, we fell into a quiet, tentative reconciliation.

He didn't hide me as strictly as before. During a dinner with some of his childhood friends who weren't in the esports scene, one of them noticed the colorful band around Gavin's wrist.

"Man, you guys are adorable," the friend laughed. "Gavin, you're still wearing your girl's hair tie?"

Gavin froze, his brow furrowing. "It's just a hair tie. What's the big deal?"

The friend looked surprised. "You don't know? A guy wearing a girl's hair tie on his wrist is a universal sign that he's taken."

Before Gavin could reply, his phone buzzed on the table.

He slid the key to answer, and Piper's playful voice echoed clearly through the quiet room. "Babe, where did my blue hair tie go? Did you happen to"

Gavin slammed the phone face down, cutting the call off instantly.

The color drained from his face. He let out a dry, awkward cough, quickly placing some food into my bowl. "Eat. The food is getting cold."

The atmosphere at the table turned suffocatingly awkward.

Everyone at that table knew the hair tie around his wrist didn't belong to me.

By the end of the night, his friends had made quick excuses to leave.

Gavin sat quietly, twirling the silver band on his fingera matching ring we had bought when we first started dating, which he had recently started wearing again.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked, pointing to the hair tie. "If you had told me, I would have taken it off."

I let out a soft sigh. "If I had said something, you would have just told me I was overthinking things."

Gavin looked like he wanted to argue, but he restrained himself, keeping his voice gentle. "Piper is just careless. Shes always losing her things, and she asked me to keep a spare for her."

Why did she have to leave her spare with Gavin, of all people?

But thinking of the transfer contract that was still entirely in his hands, I swallowed my resentment. "I see."

My quiet acceptance seemed to frustrate him. "Aren't you even going to be a little jealous?"

"You explained it, didn't you?" I replied, placing my chopsticks down.

I honestly didn't understand what he wanted from me anymore.

In the past, whenever he gave me an explanation, the conversation was over. I was expected to either swallow my feelings and move on, or deal with his annoyance if I pressed further. In his mind, an explanation was a resolution. If I refused to let it go, I was the one being difficult.

But now that I was playing by his rules, he seemed miserable.

Ultimately, Gavin left the restaurant in a quiet, dark mood, without saying another word.

And after that night, he stopped answering my calls.

As the days of the transfer window bled away, a deep, cold dread settled in my chest.

Why hadn't Vanguard sent over the contract?

I tried reaching out to Gavin, but my messages went completely unanswered.

On the final day of the transfer window, Vanguard Gaming released their official roster for the upcoming season.

VGD-Piper was listed at the very top of the starting lineup.

The letters burned into my eyes, and my mind went entirely blank.

How could he do this to me?