"Another game, another loss."
Silver didn't go to the game. Couldn't face it. Couldn't sit in those stands and watch Eli play after everything that had happened.
But she heard about it anyway. Everyone heard about it.
Yale lost to Brown 5-2. Their fourth straight loss. Their worst streak in three seasons.
The campus was buzzing with it by Sunday morning. Silver heard snippets of conversation as she walked to the dining hall with Riley. Students clustered in groups, phones out, reading articles and box scores.
"Hayes was a mess out there—"
"Three turnovers in the first period alone—"
"Scouts left at halftime. Didn't even stay for the whole game—"
Silver kept her head down and walked faster.
In the dining hall, it was worse. The hockey team sat at their usual table, subdued and tense. Liam had his head in his hands. A few other players looked shell-shocked. No sign of Eli.
"Don't look," Riley said quietly, steering Silver toward a different section.
