Ruby's POV

That night, I went to the stadium to watch the hockey match. The air around the stadium pulsed with noise and tension.

Though the protests outside had thinned, the signs and chants still echoed faintly in the distance. Inside, under the bright floodlights, Austin’s team played hard and won. The crowd roared.

When it was over, I made my way toward the bench, clutching a bottle of water. Austin stood there, sweat glistening along his temple, his chest rising and falling from ...