Marco
For a heartbeat, nothing. Just silence and the glow of our phone screens.
Then the notifications started.
One. Five. Twenty. A hundred. The numbers climbed so fast I couldn’t track them. My phone buzzed continuously in my hand, vibrating against my palm like a living thing. Likes, shares, comments flooding in faster than I could process.
“Holy shit,” Étienne breathed beside me, staring at his own screen. “Marco, we’re?—”
“Trending,” I finished, watching the hashtag appear. Worldwide. Within two minutes of posting.
I stared at the post on my screen. Five hundred likes, a thousand, two thousand.
Comments poured in. Despite Wesley’s warning, I read them.
So brave. Thank you for sharing your truth.
Love is love!
Proud of you guys!
But also:
Disgusting. Keep that shit private.
There goes the Glaciers’ season.
This is what’s wrong with sports today.
My phone buzzed with texts, cutting through the notifications.
Kinnunen
Proud of you guys.
Jensen
Got your back, teammates.
Griffin
Welcome to the club. You’re not alone.
Wesley
You did it. So proud. Call if you need anything.
Gia
I LOVE YOU. Crying. So brave. Mama’s crying too, but in a good way, I think. Call me later.
My chest tightened. Hopefully it was a good way.
Another text came through.
Mama
I saw. I don’t understand this, but I love you. Always.
