Danielle asked. She claimed it was to showcase our strongest flyer for the alumni. Ava's laugh was hollow. But she put Brooke on your weak side. Brooke's still learning proper hand positioning.
Noah's voice cut in. Can you confirm Sierra specifically ordered someone to drop Danielle? Ava shook her head. I didn't hear her say those exact words. But I've been on the squad 3 years and I know what an accident looks like.
That wasn't one. Danielle shifted her arm in the sling. Why are the other girls staying quiet? Because we all saw what happened to Jess Martinez last year, Ava whispered. She got injured during a fundraiser event and complained about safety violations.
Two weeks later, her housing assignment got lost in the system. She slept in her car until her parents could drive 8 hours to get her. Jesus, Noah muttered. And Monica Chen lost her scholarship after she reported a football player for stalking her. The athletic department claimed there were budget adjustments.
She works two jobs now just to stay enrolled. Ava's eyes filled with tears. We're all one complaint away from losing everything. Danielle saw it clearly now. The perfect trap.
Women controlled by other women while men like Tyler never had to get their hands dirty directly. I need to go, Ava said suddenly standing. If Sierra finds out I came here, no one will know, Danielle promised. But Ava, at some point, we all have to decide what we're willing to accept. After Ava left, Noah remained on the line.
I'm pulling the practice logs first thing tomorrow. If they change the lineup last minute, there should be documentation. And if there's not, then that's evidence, too. Morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the newspaper office as Noah spread printouts across the table. The official lineup submitted to the athletic department shows you in the right base position, he said pointing to a form.
But the coaches clipboard photos from practice show you at top position. So, Sierra changed it without filing the revision, Danielle said. Exactly. And look at this. Noah handed her another paper.
Your medical report changed overnight. The first intake notes, possible trauma from fall, but the official report says minor strain from overexertion. Danielle's jaw tightened. Someone's sanitizing everything. "They're good at this," Noah admitted.
"They've had practice." That afternoon, Danielle spotted Tyler outside the athletic building laughing with Logan and Ethan. When he saw her watching, he whispered something that made the others laugh harder. Her phone was already recording in her pocket when she approached him. "We need to talk," she said. Tyler smirked.