I knew how heavy a snooker ball was. It wouldn’t break bones, but it could definitely leave a mark if


    it hit you hard enough.


    I tried to dodge, but the second I moved, strong arms wrapped around me. There was this huge


    thud, then more thuds, one after another.


    Balls were flying at me–like, everywhere. I was spinning with them. And Hayden–Hayden was the


    one spinning me.


    His hand was clutching my waist, yanking me this way and that as we tried to avoid the chaos.


    I’d only ever seen stuff like this in action movies, but now it was real. Balls wereing straight for


    my face, and all I could do was watch. But Hayden? He was either pulling me out of the way or


    taking the hits himself.


    “Bruno, enough!” I heard Jace yelling through the noise, but it didn’t matter.


    I had no idea how long this was going on, only that the balls felt endless, pounding down on us. And


    I could feel Hayden getting slower, his grip on me weakening


    He was getting tired


    The sounds of the collisions started to fade, and I realized one of the balls must’ve hit him.


    “Hayden?” I called out, my voice shaky, but I couldn’t do anything to help him.


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    I knew having me here was just making it harder for him to dodge


    I couldn’t help him–but I couldn’t be dead weight either. I had to find a way out of this


    “I’ll push you out in a second.” Hayden’s voice rumbled, low and close.


    It felt like he was whispering right into my ear


    I hadn’t heard him sound like that since we broke up


    Then, in that moment, I lost my bnce, and I heard something heavy hit the floor. My body was


    weightless for a second, like I was suspended in air then dropped


    Hayden had shoved me out


    “Real” Jace’s voice cut through the noise


    I crashed to the ground, and Jace was right there, lunging toward me. He mmed into the floor,


    and i ended upnding hard against him.


    My body jolted back from the impact, and just as I was pushed away, I saw a ball speeding toward


    me


    I froze, too shocked to move. But then, Hayden jumped in front of me, positioning himself between


    me and the ball


    In that moment, all I saw was Hayden’s figure blocking everything


    “Hayden, watch out!” Yara screamed, and another deafening thud rang out


    I watched as Hayden’s head snapped back, like he’d been hit with something heavy.


    Thud. Thud. Thud.


    With each sound, Hayden just stood there, taking the hits, one after another.


    And he was staring at me…


    He was looking at me like… like that..


    I knew that look, but it felt different now.


    “Hayden…” I whispered.


    “Hayden!” Yara screamed too.


    And then, Hayden’s body swayed. He copsed, crashing to the ground.


    Thud


    Hayden mmed into the ground with a sickening crash.


    And just like that, the storm of flying balls disappeared. The noise faded, leaving only the sound of


    air moving through the room.


    “Hayden!” Yara screamed, rushing to him as hey there.