Ximena's POV
Electric anticipation coursed through every hallway as Friday's game day fever reached its peak. This wasn't just any ordinary match night. Tonight would determine whether our team advanced, and the entire school pulsed with that raw, untamed energy that came before something big.
Students swarmed the corridors like excited bees, their faces streaked with blue and gold paint, clutching homemade banners and shakers. The cheerleading squad rushed past me in a blur of sequins and pom-poms, their voices echoing off the lockers as they practiced their chants for the upcoming rally.
I pressed my textbooks closer against my ribs and attempted my usual disappearing act, melting into the wall like I always did. These moments belonged to people like Anton and Ezekiel, the ones who commanded attention effortlessly. People like me just watched from the sidelines.
