The Night Before I Knew Him
"Your stance is weak. If she falls, you’ll unbalance the line. She’ll hit the ground."
Before Tobias can respond, He steps forward, smoothly, and moves into Tobias’s spot in the line, squaring his shoulders.
In a blink of an eye, I feel his hands at my waist, firmly and certain.
My lungs forget how to work.
Why is he touching me? Why does he have to be so close?
"This," he says loudly, his voice carrying like a lecture to the entire courtyard, "isn’t just about games. It’s about safety. If you lose focus, someone gets hurt. And I don’t accept that under my watch."