Donald couldn't shake the feeling that Mike was getting too close to Bella, and it made his stomach twist.
One afternoon, Donald was at home, trying to focus on his homework. But all he could think about was Bella and Mike. "Why is he always around her?" he muttered, frustrated. He needed to talk to Bella.
Later, he met Bella at their favorite smoothie shop. As soon as she walked in, Donald felt a rush of happiness. But then he saw Mike sitting at a nearby table, laughing with some friends. Donald's mood dropped.
"Hey, you!" Bella said, smiling brightly. "I got your favorite!"
"Thanks!" Donald replied, trying to sound cheerful. But his eyes kept drifting to Mike.
"Everything okay?" Bella asked, noticing his distraction.
"Yeah, fine. Just… you and Mike seem really close lately," Donald said, trying to keep it casual.
Bella frowned. "He's just a friend, Donald. We're working on some drills together. It's no big deal."
"Right, just a friend," Donald said, feeling jealousy bubble up. "But it kinda feels like he's trying to take your attention away from me."
"Come on! You know that's not true!" Bella replied, looking hurt. "I like spending time with you!"
"Then why is he always around?" Donald shot back, feeling bad but unable to stop himself.
"Maybe because he's a teammate and we all hang out together!" Bella said, raising her voice slightly. "You're being silly!"
Donald sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just don't trust him, okay? I don't want to lose you."
"Lose me?" Bella looked shocked. "You're not gonna lose me! Just trust me."
"Trust is hard when I see you laughing and joking with him," Donald said, frustration spilling out.
"Maybe you need to talk to Mike instead of getting mad at me," Bella suggested, crossing her arms.
"Talk to him? Why would I do that?" Donald replied, frowning.
"Because you're jumping to conclusions," Bella said, her voice softening. "Just give him a chance."
Donald didn't respond. He felt stuck between jealousy and his feelings for Bella. "I'll think about it," he mumbled, but inside he was still unsure.
After their talk, Donald decided to clear his head and went to training. As the team warmed up, he saw Mike joking with Ryan and some other players. Donald's heart raced with anger. "Focus, man!" he whispered to himself.
During training, Coach Harris split them into teams for a scrimmage. Donald was on one side, and Mike was on the other. As the game started, Donald pushed himself to play harder. He needed to show everyone, especially Bella, that he was the better player.
Midway through the scrimmage, Donald intercepted a pass and dashed down the field. He could hear the cheers from the sidelines. "Go, Donald!" Bella shouted.
But then, Mike came charging at him. "You think you can show off?" he yelled, trying to block him.
Donald dodged, but Mike lunged again, shoving him hard. Donald stumbled but kept his balance. "Not today!" he shouted back, determination filling him. He took a shot at the goal and scored. "YES!" he yelled, feeling the rush of victory.
As the game ended, Donald felt pumped. But when he turned to celebrate, he saw Mike glaring at him from across the field. "Nice goal, Smith. But this isn't over," Mike said, his voice low and cold.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Donald asked, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"Just watch your back," Mike replied, a smirk creeping onto his face as he walked away.
Later, as the team gathered to cool down, Bella approached Donald. "You played great! That goal was awesome!" she said, beaming.
"Thanks! But I don't know what's up with Mike. He's acting weird," Donald replied, feeling uneasy.
"Maybe he's just competitive," Bella suggested. "You know how it is."
"Yeah, but it feels personal," Donald said, crossing his arms. "Like he's trying to get to me."
"Just talk to him. Clear the air," Bella encouraged. "I don't want this to mess with our team."
"I'll think about it," Donald said again, but he wasn't sure he wanted to.
As they walked off practice together, Donald felt the weight of the tension. "I just want to know you trust me," he said quietly.
"I do, Donald. But you need to trust me too," Bella replied, looking into his eyes. "We're a team, remember?"
"Yeah, a team," Donald said, but doubt lingered in his mind.
That night, he lay in bed, unable to sleep. He kept replaying the day in his head. Could Mike really be trying to come between him and Bella? Was he just being paranoid?
The next day, he decided to face Mike. "We need to talk," Donald said, approaching him at training.
Mike raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"About you hanging out with Bella," Donald said, trying to sound tough but feeling nervous inside. "I don't like it."
Mike smirked. "Why, you jealous? She's just a friend."
"Just a friend? It feels like more!" Donald shot back.
"Look, man, if you can't handle it, maybe you shouldn't be dating her," Mike said, crossing his arms.
"Maybe I should be the one to decide that!" Donald snapped, feeling the anger rise.
"Then prove you can trust her," Mike challenged. "Stop worrying about me."
Donald clenched his fists. "I will. But if you try anything...."
"Try anything? Come on, man! You're being ridiculous!" Mike interrupted.
As they glared at each other, Donald felt unsure. Maybe he was overreacting. But he didn't want to lose Bella.
As training ended, Donald noticed Bella waiting for him. "How'd it go?" she asked, looking hopeful.
"Not great," Donald admitted. "We had a fight."
"About what?" she asked, concern in her eyes.
"About you," he said, feeling defeated.
"Donald, you need to trust me," she said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I want to trust you," he replied, looking into her eyes. "But it's hard with Mike around."
"Let's just keep talking, okay? We can figure this out together," she said, taking his hand.
As they walked off the field, Donald felt a little better. But deep down, he knew the trust issues weren't over. He had to figure out how to deal with Mike and his jealousy before it tore them apart. The next chapter was just beginning, and he wasn't sure how it would end.