You don't choose who you fall in love with (gxg, txs)

*Alex's pov*

As we walk onto the soccer field, the cool afternoon breeze carries the sounds of cheering and chanting. Maddy squeezes my arm, her eyes shining with excitement. "Come on, Alex! Let's go support Jax!"

I grin, following her to the bleachers. We find a spot near the center, and Maddy immediately starts scanning the field for Jax's number. I join in, cheering along with her as the game begins.

As we watch the game, Maddy nudges me, grinning mischievously. "Hey, Alex, look who's here – Ms. Bach!"

I roll my eyes, trying to play it cool, but Maddy's teasing tone makes me blush. She knows about Amanda and me, but to her, Amanda's still "Ms. Bach," my teacher.

Maddy leans in, whispering, "I didn't know she was a soccer fan. Or maybe she's just here for the view... of you."

I shoot Maddy a mock glare, but she just giggles. "What? I'm just stating the obvious!"

I try to focus on the game, but my eyes keep drifting to Amanda, who's watching me with a hint of a smile. Jax scores a goal, and Maddy leaps up, cheering. As the crowd erupts, I take the opportunity to sneak a glance at Amanda, catching her eye for a brief moment.

Maddy notices and teases me again. "Oh, Alex, you're so caught up in the game... of love!"

I laugh, shaking my head, but my heart races at the thought of Amanda's gaze on me.

As the halftime whistle blows, Maddy grabs my arm. "Let's go get some snacks! I'm starving!"

I nod, but my eyes drift to Amanda, who's standing up, stretching. Maddy notices and winks. "Go say hi, Alex. I'll grab the snacks."

I make my way over to Amanda, trying to act casual. "Hey, Ms. Bach. Enjoying the game?"

Amanda smiles, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah, it's great. Jax is doing well out there."

We chat about the game, the school, and everything else except us. It's friendly, but I can sense the underlying tension, the unspoken connection between us.

As we talk, I'm aware of Maddy watching us from the snack stand, a knowing glint in her eye. I try to keep the conversation light, but my heart races at Amanda's proximity.

Halftime ends, and Amanda says, "I should get back to my seat. Nice talking to you, Alex."

I nod, feeling a pang of disappointment. "Yeah, you too, Ms. Bach."

As Amanda walks away, Maddy appears at my side, grinning. "So, how was that? Did you exchange sweet nothings?"

I roll my eyes, laughing. "Shut up, Maddy."

Maddy continues to tease me as we wait for Jax to finish his post-game wrap-up. "I'm sure Ms. Bach was just discussing the finer points of soccer strategy with you, Alex."

I play along, laughing. "Yeah, that's exactly it. She's a closet soccer fan."

As we wait, I glance over at the teachers' gathering, and my heart skips a beat. Amanda's chatting with a group of colleagues, but her eyes lock onto mine, and she gives me a subtle, secret look. It's a fleeting glance, but I recognize the signal – come to my house tonight.

My pulse quickens as I nod almost imperceptibly, acknowledging the invitation. Maddy notices my gaze and follows it to Amanda, but she doesn't seem to catch the hidden meaning.

Jax appears, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, babe! We won!"

Maddy leaps into his arms, and they share a celebratory kiss. I smile, happy for them, but my mind is already racing ahead to tonight.