Forbidden Ties

Chapter 16: Secret Mind Games.

Jax's P.O.V.

It had been a long week of feeling like I was stuck in neutral. Something about Sam had changed—something I couldn’t put my finger on—and every time I tried to reach out, she pulled away. I wasn’t used to this. I’d never had to chase someone before, not like this. But it was more than that. It was the fact that I felt like she didn’t want me anymore, and that hit harder than I cared to admit.

I spent the day pretending it didn’t bother me, but the fact was, I was frustrated as hell. The guys could tell. I wasn’t the same lately. I hadn’t been hanging out with them like I used to. No parties, no late nights, just... silence. Something was off, and I couldn’t seem to shake it.

As I leaned against the lockers, Aaron and Ryan came up beside me, looking like they had something to say. Aaron, always the one to speak his mind, didn’t waste any time.

“You’ve been acting weird lately, man,” he said, crossing his arms. “Missing out on everything. You’re not setting up parties, you’re not hanging with us—what’s up with you?”

I shrugged. “Just been busy.”

“Busy?” Aaron repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Come on, dude. You used to be the life of the party. We’d be hitting up every event, throwing the best parties, meeting new girls. Now? You’re a ghost. I know something’s up.”

I felt a knot tighten in my chest. Was I that obvious? I knew I’d been distracted lately, but I didn’t realize I’d been that transparent.

Aaron wasn’t done. “You need to get your groove back, man. You’re slacking. You’ve been staring at the same four walls for weeks. Come on, snap out of it. There’s this girl, Madison...”

Madison.

I already knew where he was going with this, but I let him keep talking, my mind running through the words without really listening.

“She’s into you, dude,” Aaron said with a grin. “And I’m not saying you need to fall in love with her or anything. But you’re clearly not going to get anywhere sitting in your own head. She’s fun, she’s easy, and she’s the kind of girl you can just... have a good time with. She’d be perfect for you right now.”

I didn’t answer right away. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. The last thing I wanted was to be told to move on from Sam, but here I was, stuck in a cycle where I had no choice but to push forward. I was tired of being in limbo.

Ryan added in, “Yeah, man, if you don’t make a move soon, someone else will. You know how it goes.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, I get it,” I muttered, not feeling like putting up much of a fight. “Maybe it’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines.”

They clapped me on the back, laughing and egging me on as if it were the easiest decision I’d ever made. But I couldn’t stop thinking about Sam. Was I really going to just move on? Was I really ready to let her go, especially when all I could do was think about her?

But what else could I do? The more I thought about it, the more Madison seemed like an easy out. Maybe she’d be the distraction I needed to stop spinning in circles. Maybe it would get Sam’s attention again—maybe even make her realize what she was walking away from.

It was a risk, but if I didn’t take it, I’d keep losing. So I gave a tight nod.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll make a move.”

Sam's P.O.V.

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, applying a dab of lipstick, careful not to smudge it. It had been days since things ended with Jax, and the air between us had settled, but the weight of it still lingered. I was learning to move on, or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. Some days it felt easier than others.

The bathroom door creaked open, and I turned my head slightly, surprised to see Madison standing there. She hesitated before speaking.

"Hey, Sam," she said, her voice unsure.

I met her eyes in the mirror and gave a polite, albeit curious, nod. "Hey, Madison. What’s up?"

She shifted awkwardly, clearly hesitant. "I… uh, I need your help with something."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but maintaining my composure. "What’s going on?"

Madison bit her lip, as if deciding how best to approach the topic. “Well, I… I like Jax. And I thought maybe, since you’re his sister, you could help me figure out how to, you know, get his attention.”

I blinked, a flicker of amusement passing through me. I couldn’t help it. Madison, the girl who’d practically floated through high school as a queen bee, was asking me for advice on how to get my brother’s attention? That was a new one. But I kept my face neutral.

“You like Jax?” I repeated, letting a little bit of amusement leak into my voice, just enough for her to hear but not enough to make her uncomfortable. “Well, that’s… interesting.”

She nodded quickly, clearly eager for my approval. "Yeah. I thought you’d be the best person to help me out. You know him, right? I just thought maybe you could tell me how to approach him. Maybe give me some advice?"

I leaned against the sink, considering her request. On the one hand, I was tempted to tell her to back off. But I wasn’t about to cause a scene in the bathroom over this. I had to play it cool.

“Well, if you’re serious about it,” I said, taking a beat, “I guess I’d say just be honest with him. Jax doesn’t really go for games.”

Madison nodded eagerly, hanging on to every word. “Right. So, no games. Just be myself?”

I shrugged lightly, forcing myself to stay composed, though there was a slight edge to my tone. “One bit of advice, though: Jax doesn’t date. You’re probably better off without him... You deserve better.”

She blinked, looking disappointed, but quickly recovered. "Oh, okay. I get it. Thanks for your time anyway."

As she walked out of the bathroom, I let out a small, humorless laugh. I had no idea if I was being helpful or not, but I wasn’t about to encourage her.

I stayed there for a moment longer, staring at my reflection. It was getting harder to pretend that this didn’t bother me. Jax wasn’t mine to claim anymore. I had to accept that. But every time someone else showed interest, it felt like I was losing him all over again.

After the conversation with Madison, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—jealousy, frustration, confusion. I leaned against the bathroom sink, staring at my reflection, trying to keep the rising tide of feelings under control. She didn’t know it, but the words I’d said to her—“You deserve better”—were really just me trying to convince myself.

I knew I had no right to feel this way. Jax and I were over. We’d ended things weeks ago, and he was free to do whatever he wanted. But the idea of her—Madison—chasing after him, trying to win him over… it made my chest tighten in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

It was pathetic. Why did I care? Why couldn’t I just move on like I was supposed to?

I stepped out of the bathroom, taking a deep breath. The hallway felt colder than it should’ve been, my mind racing as I tried to push away the irrational thoughts that kept circling back to Madison.

And then I saw him. Jax. He was leaning against the lockers, talking with some of his friends, laughing in that carefree way that used to make my heart flutter. He noticed me and immediately straightened up, his eyes locking onto mine.

For a moment, I thought I saw something in his gaze—something that mirrored the confusion and tension I’d been feeling. But he didn’t say anything. He just offered a half-smile, one that felt a little too distant for comfort.

“Hey,” he said, his tone light but almost guarded.

I fought the urge to say something snarky, to let my jealousy and anger spill out, but I kept it in check.

“Hey,” I replied coolly, offering a small smile in return.

He nodded and turned back to his friends. And just like that, the moment passed, leaving me standing there, heart racing, wondering what these secret mind games between us were really about.