"Envelopes carried weight."
Silver woke up with swollen eyes and a headache that felt like someone had driven nails into her skull. Her phone said 6:47 AM. Too early. But sleep wasn't coming back.
She'd cried herself to exhaustion last night. Americus had stayed until almost midnight, holding her, not saying much. Just being there.
Riley and Maya had come back eventually. They'd all sat in silence, the kind that felt supportive instead of awkward. Then one by one they'd drifted off to their own beds.
Now Silver lay in the early morning gray, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything.
She loved Eli.
She'd said it out loud. Admitted it. Could never take it back.
And she had no idea what to do with that truth.
Her phone buzzed. She ignored it. Probably more hate messages from people blaming her for Yale hockey's implosion.
The room was quiet. Americus snored softly across the room. Riley's breathing was steady and deep. Maya had her sleep mask on, dead to the world.
