Hailey's pov
The next morning dawned cold and crisp, frost glittering on the windshield of Roy’s truck as he drove me to school.
He had early practice again, so Ryan rode in the back seat, his hand resting on my shoulder the whole way, thumb tracing soothing circles. They both sensed something was off—I had barely slept, Coach Miller’s warning echoing in my head—but neither pushed me to talk about it yet.
Roy parked in his usual spot near the entrance and walked me to the doors, arm slung protectively around my waist. He pressed a slow, lingering kiss to my lips just before we parted.
“See you at lunch,” he murmured. “Text if you need me sooner.”
Ryan stole his own quick kiss on my cheek. “We’ve got your back, princess.”
I nodded, forcing a smile, and headed inside.
The atmosphere
