MELISSA'S POV

The next morning arrived faster than I expected.

I had gone to bed early the night before, knowing how important today was. Still, sleep had been patchy, my mind running in circles—about the tournament, about Xavier, about everything that could go wrong. My alarm buzzed at 6:00 a.m., and I shot up from bed, determined not to let nerves get the better of me.

After a quick shower, I pulled on my base layers and tied my hair into a tight bun. My duffel bag was already packed ...