The noise hit before anything else.
Loud.
Chaotic.
Alive.
The kind of energy that made everything feel bigger than it actually was.
Tessa hesitated at the entrance to the field.
Students filled the stands, voices overlapping, music blasting somewhere in the background. The air buzzed with excitement.
It felt like too much.
"You're overthinking it," Lily said beside her, nudging her forward.
"I'm not," Tessa replied.
But she was.
Her eyes scanned the crowd without meaning to.
Too many faces.
Too many people.
Too many chances of running into him.
Her chest tightened slightly at the thought.
"Come on," Lily said, grabbing her hand. "We're going to miss everything."
Tessa let herself be pulled along.
Step by step
Until they found seats.
Somewhere in the middle.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Safe.
Tessa sat down, pulling her sleeves over her hands slightly as she looked out at the field.
The game had already started.
Players moved quickly across the field, the crowd reacting to every pass, every near miss.
Westbridge colors everywhere.
Pride.
Excitement.
Energy.
Tessa tried to focus on that.
Not on anything else.
Not on who might be down there.
But
Her eyes drifted anyway.
Just once.
And there he was.
Adrian.
On the field.
Focused.
Sharp.
Moving like everything came naturally to him.
Like this was where he belonged.
Tessa swallowed, quickly looking away.
"Don't start," Lily muttered under her breath.
"I'm not," Tessa said quietly.
But her voice didn't sound convincing.
Because something in her chest had already shifted.
Not hope.
Not anymore.
But something else.
Something she didn't want to name.
—
The crowd erupted suddenly.
A near goal.
People jumped to their feet.
Shouting.
Laughing.
Tessa flinched slightly at the sudden noise, then let out a small breath.
It was easier to focus on this.
The game.
The movement.
The distraction.
Anything but her thoughts.
—
Across the field
Adrian slowed for a moment.
Just enough to catch his breath.
His gaze flickered toward the stands.
Not intentionally.
Just a habit.
But then
He saw her.
Tessa.
Sitting beside Lily.
He stilled for half a second.
Not long enough for anyone to notice.
But long enough for it to matter.
She wasn't looking at him.
Not even close.
Her attention was on the game.
Or at least
That's what it looked like.
Something about that felt…
Off.
He looked away first.
Shaking it off.
Refocusing.
Because it didn't matter.
It wasn't supposed to matter.
—
By the time the final whistle blew
The crowd was already on their feet.
Westbridge had won.
Of course they had.
Cheers echoed through the field, people celebrating, rushing down toward the exits, voices louder than before.
"Party time," Lily said, standing up.
Tessa didn't move immediately.
Her eyes stayed on the field for a second longer.
Then
She stood too.
—
The walk there felt different.
Quieter.
Even with people around them.
Lily kept glancing at her.
"You're still coming," she said.
It wasn't a question.
Tessa hesitated.
Her steps slowed slightly.
"I don't know," she admitted.
Lily stopped walking.
"Tessa."
That tone again.
Firm.
Serious.
Tessa looked at her.
"I don't feel like pretending tonight," she said quietly.
Lily's expression softened.
"Then don't."
A pause.
"Just… don't let them decide how you feel either."
That hit.
Because that's exactly what it felt like.
Like everything had already been decided for her.
What she was.
What she meant.
What she deserved.
Tessa exhaled slowly.
Her shoulders straightened just a little.
"…Okay."
Lily studied her for a second
Then smiled.
"Okay."
—
The house was already packed by the time they got there.
Music spilled out through the walls.
Lights flickering through the windows.
Tessa stopped just outside the entrance.
Her heart picked up again.
Fast.
Unsteady.
"I can't do this," she said under her breath.
Lily turned to her.
"Yes, you can."
Tessa shook her head slightly.
"I'm serious."
Lily stepped closer.
"Look at me."
Tessa did.
"You're not the girl they were talking about."
Silence.
"You're not what they think."
Another pause.
"You're you."
Something in Tessa's chest shifted again.
Not fully.
Not completely.
But enough.
She nodded.
"…Okay."
Lily smiled.
"Good."
She reached for the door.
And this time
Tessa didn't stop her.