Mom runs every charity gala within a hundred-mile radius.
And she wants Tristan.
Correction—wanted him.
He dumped her last month.
Publicly.
And now there’s me.
The rumor.
The hallway whispers.
The scholarship girl he lingers too close to after class.
Coach pulls me aside before warmups.
“Don’t worry, Stella,” he says quietly. “You’re going to be something. I’ve got my eye on you.”
My heart thuds.
“But you gotta earn your keep around here,” he adds. “You know what I’m saying. I can’t start a freshman over her.”
We both glance toward Melody, laughing with her friends near the bench. Blonde ponytail. Diamond studs. Confidence like it’s inherited.
I nod, knowing how this works.
Talent matters. But pedigree matters more. The playoff match starts.
We’re tight. Tied. Back and forth.
If we lose, we have to wait another year for a shot at a state championship game.
I stay ready on the bench, palms sweating, knees bouncing.
Melody’s playing fine.
Not great.
But fine.
Then it happens.
She jumps for a set and comes down wrong.
Ankle folds.
She screams.
The gym goes silent.
Coach swears under his breath.
Trainer rushes out.
Melody’s crying now. Dramatic. Shaking her head.
