Maya realized that if someone at Pacific Elite Academy recognized her, her borrowed time might be running out faster than she ever imagined. That night, walking alone across campus, she discovered just how accurate her instincts had been.
The shadows on campus never bothered her before. Pacific Elite had always felt insulated from the real world, its manicured lawns and wrought-iron gates creating the illusion of a bubble where the worst threats came from failed chemistry tests and social drama. But after practice—after him—the dark felt fundamentally different.
Everything looks the same, but it's not the same. Nothing's safe anymore.
Every step across the main courtyard sounded sharper against her ears, every echo of her sneakers against stone pathways louder than it should have been. The familiar architecture that usually provided comfort now created too many shadows, too many places where someone could watch without being seen.
