The campus athletic center was a completely different world from the newsroom. It was loud, bright, and suffocatingly humid. The sharp squeak of rubber soles against polished hardwood echoed through the massive space, punctuated by the heavy, rhythmic thud of basketballs and the sharp blasts of a coach’s whistle.
Mara stood near the sidelines, her notebook clutched tightly against her chest. She felt entirely out of place in her dark jeans and oversized sweater. All around her, students and junior sports reporters were jockeying for position, hoping to get a quote from the starting lineup before practice officially ended.
Beside her, Ethan was a steady, silent presence. He had his camera raised, snapping quick, efficient photos of the players warming up. His calm demeanor helped ground M
