The stadium lights turned on completely once the sky had finished darkening.
Vivian looked up for a second.
The orange of the sunset had almost completely disappeared, replaced by a deep blue cut through by bright white floodlights.
The noise was deafening.
Shouts.
Applause.
The echo of the ball hitting the field.
Vivian adjusted her pom-poms and took a deep breath.
"Formation!"
The team moved quickly into place.
She stood at the front, as captain.
Back straight.
Smile steady.
The whistle blew.
The choreography began.
Synchronized movements.
Precise jumps.
Rehearsed smiles, but genuine.
The energy was real.
When they finished the first routine, the crowd applauded loudly.
Vivian felt the rush of adrenaline run through her body.
She liked that.
It made her feel alive.
On the other side of the field, the rival team's cheerleaders stepped into formation.
Dark blue uniforms with silver details.
Perfectly styled hair.
Competitive smiles.
One of them, tall and blonde, looked at Vivian with a half-smile.
It wasn't hostile.
But it was challenging.
Vivian held her gaze.
Then she smiled back.
Let the game begin.
The rival team performed their routine.
It was good.
Very good.
Fast movements.
Impeccable coordination.
When they finished, their section of the crowd roared.
"They're going all out this year," Brittany murmured.
Vivian nodded.
"So are we."
The game continued.
Collisions on the field.
Long runs.
Failed attempts.
The energy rose and fell like a wave.
In the second quarter, Victor made an impressive play.
He dodged two defenders and pushed forward into the end zone.
The stadium exploded.
Vivian instinctively raised her pom-poms.
For a moment, everything was simple.
Team.
School.
Competition.
Nothing else.
During halftime, both teams crossed paths near the hydration area.
The blonde girl approached.
"Good routine," she said calmly.
"Yours too," Vivian replied.
They looked at each other.
Respect and challenge at the same time.
"See you in the second half," the rival added.
"Sure."
They returned to the field.
The music rose.
The lights seemed brighter.
In the stands, Madison, Chloe, and Ryan cheered loudly.
Ryan was calm, observing.
He summoned a red balloon floating above the stands.
Some people noticed it.
They smiled.
Probably a kid had let it go.
Nothing unusual.
Ryan followed it with his eyes as it slowly ascended.
He detected nothing.
No obvious presence.
The balloon kept rising until it disappeared into the dark sky.
The game continued.
On the final play, the score was tied.
The entire stadium was on its feet.
Victor received the ball.
He ran.
Dodged.
Threw himself forward just as he crossed the line.
Silence.
One eternal second.
The referee raised his arms.
Touchdown!
The stadium exploded in celebration.
Vivian jumped along with the rest of the team.
Shouts.
Laughter.
Hugs.
It had been a good game.
The players celebrated on the field.
The cheerleaders laughed, exhausted but happy.
After a few minutes, as the crowd began to disperse, Vivian once again found herself near the blonde girl from the rival team.
"Good game," the rival said.
"Likewise."
They stood off to one side of the field, not far from the others, but far enough to speak calmly.
Then it happened.
The sound of an engine approaching fast.
A white van burst through one of the side entrances.
A Ford Econoline.
Everything happened in seconds.
Four men jumped out of the vehicle.
Armed.
The screaming started immediately.
One of the boys nearby tried to intervene.
A gunshot.
The sound was sharp.
The boy fell to the ground, wounded in the leg.
Chaos erupted.
Vivian froze.
So did the blonde girl.
The men grabbed them forcefully.
Everything was fast.
Too fast.
They dragged them toward the van as people ran in every direction.
Parents shielding their children.
Screaming.
Crying.
Someone shouted to call 911.
The doors slammed shut.
The van sped away.
It disappeared.
And the silence it left behind was heavier than the gunshot.
From the stands, Ryan stood up.
Not because of the shot.
But because of the speed.
He hadn't seen it coming.
That was what bothered him most.
Immediately, he made the balloon from earlier follow the van.
His eyes tracked the balloon that only he could see.
Good.
The police arrived quickly.
Sirens.
Blue and red lights.
People crying.
Madison suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Ryan, what are you going to do? They're armed. It's dangerous."
He looked into her eyes.
Genuine concern.
For a moment, he thought that guns were no longer a real threat to him.
That was before.
Not now.
But he couldn't say that.
"Relax," he said calmly. "I'm not an idiot who runs toward gunfire."
Chloe was shaking.
She curled up against Madison.
Madison hugged her.
Ryan noticed something strange.
Chloe's father was a director at the police headquarters.
Even so, she was scared.
But that didn't matter now.
Every second counted.
He gently took both of them by the arm and guided them toward a safer area, near the officers who were beginning to cordon off the scene.
Madison blushed slightly at the contact.
Chloe also seemed nervous.
After a few minutes, the situation began to stabilize.
Paramedics treated the injured boy.
Officers questioned witnesses.
Many people were already leaving.
A police officer approached.
"Chloe, your father asked for you and Madison to come with us."
Ryan exhaled internally.
"Ryan, come with us," Madison said. "It's not safe for you to stay alone."
"Don't worry. I live nearby. I won't be alone. A lot of people are heading the same way."
"No. You're coming with us this time," Chloe insisted.
Ryan hesitated for only a second.
He couldn't waste too much time.
But he also couldn't draw attention.
"Alright."
As they walked toward the police area, his eyes discreetly lifted toward the sky.
The small red dot was still visible.
Moving.
Vivian…
Hold on.
Since you dragged me into this…
I'll save you.