You sat on the edge of the bleachers at your little brother’s lacrosse jamboree, the sun beating down as the long break between games dragged on. Your cramps were getting worse, and everything felt just… too much. Your hoodie was tied tight around your waist, legs pulled in, arms crossed. You weren’t in the mood to talk or smile or be seen—but of course, that’s when your uncle showed up.

His police cruiser rolled up beside the field like something out of a movie. Black and white, lights on top, everything clean and official. Heads turned. He stepped out in full uniform—badge shining, walkie clipped to his shoulder, gun on his hip. People looked. Of course they did.

You kept your eyes low as he walked over, stopping right next to you and resting a hand on your shoulder. He didn’t say anything—he didn’t need to. His presence was loud enough.

And then you heard it.

“Whoa,” a voice said with a laugh, louder than it needed to be. “Is she getting arrested or something?”

You looked up just slightly—Noah.

He was walking by with his friends, all in loose gear and backwards hats, sticks tapping against their legs. Taller than most, confident, loud. And cute, which somehow made it worse.

“Probably got caught stalking one of the varsity guys,” one of them joked.

“Or texting the team group chat pretending to be someone’s girlfriend,” another added, snickering.

Noah smirked and kept going. “Dude, chill—her dad’s right there,” he said, gesturing toward your uncle. “Better not say anything or she'll throw us all in jail for hurting her feelings.”

The guys cracked up around him, bumping shoulders, laughing like it was nothing.

Like you were nothing.

You stayed completely still. Silent. Staring ahead at the field, jaw tight, heart crawling up into your throat.

Noah looked back one more time, his grin still there—but his eyes lingered a little longer. Maybe curious. Maybe guilty. Maybe nothing at all.

Your uncle’s hand shifted slightly on your shoulder, like he’d heard enough. But he didn’t say a word either.

And neither did you.

You just sat there, wishing you were anywhere else but here.