TESSA
The white ceiling of the clinic wasn’t much help to my racing thoughts. It was too plain, leaving my mind at the mercy of the unwanted memories I wanted to forget. Somewhere in the background, the soft tapping of the nurse’s footsteps echoed as she moved between the beds, her shoes clicking against the sterile tiles.
I knew it should have felt comforting to have someone nearby, yet all I craved in that moment was silence.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the noise of my mind to quiet.
Why was I still feeling this way?
I came to Elite fully aware that there was no chance left for me. That door had closed long before I ever considered applying. I had made my peace with it—or so I thought.
And yet, here I was, lying on a damn clinic bed, my chest tightening because the man I
