AN

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WA

the wall, missing the p

acks under

ts flash through the empty ri

t on, and the midnigh

gh my lips. I swea

shot tonig

the worn chess pi

posed to be m

trategy, precision, and cont

missing shot after

y ag

bloody

se this

erously close, almost h

my heart

htens its claws

my stic

orth, running a hand through my ha

of my pocket and ta

love most in the world: h

ed to b

victories on the board. Grentwood Icewolves, my teamma

was p

she sh

Davi

in my head. The way she frowned in response to my-usuall

she was different

the way her cheeks flare when she's ang

ing. Dam

t the

son." My father's v

of my bag. The season has started already, and I still

et your head in t

d: "Don't flatter yourse

her type? My

I suggested the project. I knew my

her but because my ego was

craping the ice pulls

e glide

build. I groan as his smir

ot of our number one rival colle

ick across both

must say," He tilts his head, smirk widening.

hen," I growl, and th

h an audience. Or maybe jus

ze locks onto his, fury blazing

huck

ck and flicks my pu

oal in one ef

dy h

y neck, straining

eave before I do something that

~

into my dorm and sling my bag on

e cupboard, and I chug the water down furiously,

dea when I feel the force of the w

ater splattering all over my

u

st rise and f

e lights up on th

eo call fr

and my throat tig

, I let my body collapse into

phone with s

thirteen-year-old sister at th

the accept button,

in that world I keep buried. That

can't shield my

find a scene that sends a

bedroom with its pink walls and butterfly

voice cracking in a soft whisp

nife

r-are fighting again. Their voices fi

my biological father died

my bed, kneeling beside

y voice from breaking. "G

as silent tears continue t

lection of me. Same blac

ant me to sin

a second, my voice

g with anguish for what my b

. It feels like my he

ogether. Eliza can't see me

cracks and I

e erupts into giggles, through her tea

er my lips "Your broth

ipes he

him like tha

her for her birthday, yaw

out, stifled by the ache and

love you too, Eliza

the

ueeze my eyes shut, fee

ips down

e void of my head, heavie

iel. Your crow

four things I love

is my sis

on I fight. The onl

eyes, it's not just Eliza's

Davi

raction I ca