It was strange–despite the whole field stretching between them, both could feel the other’s gaze resting on them, unmistakable and maic.


    “Got it, thanks.” Alessia pulled a baseball cap over her hair–the same one she’d left. in the car earlier, retrieved by Larkin at her request.


    Once his errand was done, Larkin didn’t linger. He made his way back to Cole, just as the race was about to begin.


    Ste lined up inne three, Lucy inne five. The crack of the starter’s pistol echoed, and Steunched forward with textbook form. Her explosive speed put her on par with the track team’s best, and in a heart–pounding finish, she snatched first ce by a hair’s breadth.


    But most eyes weren’t on the winner–they were fixed on Lucy, who had stumbled and fallen right at the starting line.


    While Ste and the two other qualifiers waited for the cheers, they were met instead with a collective gasp.


    “Great job, Ste!” Alessia’s voice rang out from the stands just as Ste, still catching her breath, nced back at Lucy. Ste managed a triumphant grin and punched the air.


    Up in the bleachers, Justin scrolled through his camera roll, but he wasn’t satisfied with any of his shots.


    “Hey, want my number? I got a few good ones. I’ll send them to youter,” Liam offered. Justin didn’t hesitate.


    “Thanks.” He pulled out his phone and brought up his contact code.


    Liam quietly scanned it, adding him as a friend without another word.


    Down on the track, Ste approached Lucy. After all, they were ssmates–no matter how prickly things got between them, she couldn’t just leave Lucy behind, especially in front of the other sses.


    “Lucy, can you stand?” Ste asked.


    Lucy’s forehead was slick with sweat. She managed a tiny shake of her head.


    “Where’s the nurse?” someone muttered.


    “Lessie, can youe here?” Ste didn’t wait for the school nurse; her first instinct


    12.03


    was to call for Alessia.


    Hearing Ste, Alessia finally made her way down. The crowd parted on its own, giving her space as she knelt beside Lucy, not immediately inspecting the injury.


    “Everyone, give her some air. It’s too crowded here. Can someone check if the nurse ising?”


    On a normal day, the school nurse had little to do, but sports day was a different story. The school typically brought in extra doctors from a nearby clinic, with an ambnce on standby. No one expected it to take this long for help to arrive.


    “I checked–they said there was a case of food poisoning over at the West Field. A whole ss got sick, so all the doctors went to help. I barely got an answer before running back,” Pierce reported, breathless and sweating.


    Before the race, he’d already gged the issue to a teacher, who tried to talk Lucy out of running. Lucy, stubborn as ever, insisted onpeting. No one could persuade her otherwise.


    Now, with dread creeping in, Pierce had rushed to find the nurse as soon as he saw Lucy fall. Though he came back empty–handed, he immediately ryed the situation.


    “Sorry for the trouble, captain,” Lucy murmured, lips pressed tight, eyes filled with frustration.


    She’d only raced to prove herself–prove to her father that she was worth more than his illegitimate daughter, to make him regret skipping herst sports day. Now, she’d only ended up causing problems for everyone else.


    “Don’t apologize! You did it for the ss. What’s a little trouble? It’s senior year, wanting to give it your all ispletely normal,” Pierce said, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead, not a trace of me in his voice.


    “Where does it hurt?” Alessia’s tone was calm and clinical, giving nothing away.


    “My ankle… twisted it,” Lucy replied, ncing at Alessia.


    “Anywhere else?”


    “My stomach…”


    Alessia understood and asked no more. She carefully examined Lucy’s ankle with gentle hands.


    <b>12.03 </b>