Chapter 1 - The Fall in Front of Forty Thousand
Forty thousand people were on their feet when Avery Cole walked onto the field.
She had heard that roar hundreds of times before.
Tonight, it sounded different.
It sounded like judgment.
The Westbridge University stadium lights burned white against the night sky while the giant video board showed Avery's face above the field.
Only nobody was cheering for her anymore.
Avery stood near the fifty-yard line in her crimson-and-white uniform, surrounded by teammates who refused to look at her.
Coach Dana Mercer stood several feet away with her arms folded.
The athletic director held a microphone.
His expression was grim enough to make Avery's stomach twist.
Two nights earlier, sophomore cheerleader Lila Hart had fallen during a rehearsal stunt.
She had hit the floor hard and left the gym in an ambulance.
By sunrise, the story had changed from an accident into an accusation.
Someone had tampered with Lila's safety harness.
Someone had loosened a locking clip before the stunt.
And according to three witnesses, Avery had been the last person near the equipment.
The athletic director raised the microphone.
“Pending a full investigation, Avery Cole is suspended from all team activities effective immediately.”
A roar swept through the stadium.
Not the roar Avery remembered.
This one was filled with boos.
Her throat tightened.
She looked toward her teammates.
Megan looked down.
Tasha turned away.
Brooke stared directly at Avery, then slowly removed the red captain's ribbon from Avery's duffel bag.
That hurt more than the boos.
Avery had spent three years protecting these girls.
She had driven them home after midnight practices.
She had defended them against cruel coaches.
She had trained through a fractured wrist to keep their team alive during nationals.
Now none of them would stand beside her.
A voice shouted from the crowd.
“Get her off the field!”
Another followed.
“She could've killed her!”
Avery searched the sidelines for Coach Mercer.
The woman had once told Avery that loyalty mattered more than trophies.
Now Coach Mercer simply said, “Go.”
Avery stared at her.
“You know I didn't do this.”
Mercer's jaw tightened.
“This isn't the place.”
“When is the place?”
Mercer said nothing.
Security approached.
Avery could feel thousands of phones recording her.
She walked toward the tunnel alone.
Every step felt longer than the last.
Then, just before she disappeared beneath the stadium, Avery heard something behind her.
Two voices.
Quiet.
Close.
One belonged to Brooke.
The other belonged to assistant coach Mason Vale.
“She doesn't know about the camera.”
Avery stopped.
There was a pause.
May you like
Then Vale whispered something that froze her blood.
“She better not.”
