Chapter Seventeen – The Distance The week dragged on like a storm cloud that refused to move. Yn kept her head down, avoiding Lila, avoiding the whispers — but the one thing she couldn’t avoid was Malachi. Or rather, the absence of him. He didn’t sit near her in the cafeteria anymore. He didn’t linger after practice. He didn’t even look her way in the halls. It was like she’d been erased from his world. By Friday, she couldn’t take it. After school, she found him by the bleachers, packing up his basketball gear. “Malachi,” she said, her voice catching. He glanced up, but his expression was guarded. “Yn.” “I need to know… why?” He sighed, looking away. “Because every time I’m near you, it turns into drama. People think I’m part of it. I’m tired of being in the middle.” Yn’s chest tightened. “I never meant to drag you into this.” “I know,” he said quietly. “But it’s not just about you and Lila anymore. My coach told me the fight videos are hurting the team’s reputation. I can’t risk that.” She swallowed hard. “So you’re just… done?” Malachi hesitated, then nodded. “For now. I need space.” The words hit like a punch she couldn’t block. Yn stood there, watching him walk away, the sound of his footsteps fading into the empty gym. She wanted to call out, to explain, to make him understand — but her voice wouldn’t come. By the time she got home, the weight of it all settled in. The fights, the rumors, the stares… and now Malachi. For the first time, Yn felt truly alone. And somewhere deep down, she knew — losing him hurt more than any punch Lila had ever thrown.
