Maya realized that sometimes the greatest danger came from people trying to save her, and that night, Ethan proved her right in ways she never could have predicted.
Coach Rivera's whistle still rang in her ears when she climbed the dorm steps hours later, exhaustion dragging at her body like lead weights attached to every muscle. The practice field confrontation had shattered something fundamental—not just between Ethan and Mateo, but within the team itself. Twenty boys who'd been building chemistry for months now looked at each other with uncertainty, wondering if their captain and their star midfielder would destroy everything they'd worked toward.
The team is fractured. Two of our best players are benched. The tournament is slipping away like sand through our fingers.
Maya was halfway to her room, key card already in her hand and sanctuary within reach, when fingers closed around her wrist with firm but gentle pressure.
