Chapter 11. Be My Friend

Aurora’s POV

The air is thick with the scent of fresh grass and the distant tang of sweat, the usual atmosphere of a high school football game. The roar of the small crowd gathered at the field to watch the team is almost deafening, yet it fades into a dull hum in my ears as I sit at the back of the bleachers, my legs tucked up, arms wrapped loosely around my knees.

I shouldn’t be here. I know that. And yet, here I am, watching him. Caleb. The golden boy. The one who knows exactly how to command a game, his presence undeniable as he barks out plays, his eyes scanning the field with the sharpness of a predator.

Even from this distance, I can see the way he moves—so sure, so unshaken, as if nothing in the world could touch him. He throws a perfect pass to the receiver, and the crowd erupts in cheers. Mia and the others are at the front with their pompoms, chanting in unison, their synchronized movements a blur of red and white. I know I should look somewhere e