(Jackson)
I could feel my hands turning into fists as we walked down the hall. The whispers weren’t quiet. They weren’t even trying to hide what they were saying about Avery.
I looked at her walking between us, trying to pretend she couldn’t hear them. But I knew she could. Her shoulders were getting smaller with every step, like she was trying to disappear.
Luca and Elias were pissed, just as I was. We promised to protect her and that’s exactly what we were going to do. I nodded at Elias and Luca, and they seemed to understand what I meant.
***
Hockey practice was brutal. Coach had us running drills until my legs felt like they might give out. My legs ached and my lungs burned, but I couldn’t get the whispers out of my head. The way Avery looked when she heard them. The way she trie
