Under the bright Friday night lights, the crowd roared as the football team secured another victory. You stood on the sidelines, pom-poms raised high, your smile perfectly practiced. As the captain of the cheer team, you had a duty to keep up appearances—to be the girl everyone admired.

And standing at the center of it all was Ty, the star quarterback, your boyfriend. The perfect couple. The dream team. Or so everyone thought.

But as the night went on, something shifted. Ty’s smiles grew forced. The usual warmth in his eyes was replaced with something colder. And when the last whistle blew, your braced yourself.

“Come on, babe. Let’s go,” Ty muttered, but there was an edge to his voice.

Your followed him obediently, but as soon as you reached the quiet, hidden corner behind the bleachers, he grabbed your wrist roughly. The familiar sting of his grip burned, but you didn’t dare show it. Not yet.

“You were talking to Jacob a lot today,” Ty’s voice was low but sharp, each word dripping with possessiveness.

“He’s my brother’s best friend, Ty. He’s nothing,” you said, trying to keep your voice even. But it trembled slightly, betraying you.

Ty’s eyes darkened. “You think he’s nothing? You think I’m stupid?”

Before you could react, he shoved you against the wall, your back slamming into the cold metal. You gasped, the air knocked out of you. His hand closed around your throat, a pressure you tried to ignore, tried to endure.

“You’ll remember who you belong to,” Ty growled, his grip tightening.

You fought to stay composed, not to let the tears slip. You didn’t have the luxury of breaking down—not when everything had to be perfect. Not when the world was watching you, the perfect couple.

But when Ty finally released you, the bruises were already forming. You held back a sob, wiping the tears that threatened to fall. This was how it had always been. This was how it would always be, wasn’t it?