"Something happened with Chloe,"
Jerome's words sent a jolt of fear through Arlo,
"What! What's wrong? Is Chloe hurt?"
As Arlo and Jerome stood beneath the platform, the sun began its descent, the orange glow slowly fading. To Arlo, it felt as if a calamity was unfolding upon hearing Jerome's words.
Arlo persisted for answers. Jerome hesitated, but Arlo's insistence as a coach compelled him to respond,
"She's not hurt. It's the opposite—she injured an opposing player with a slide tackle. She was sent off."
"What?" Arlo was taken aback, and Jerome elaborated,
"The opposing player called her various 'B' words and…"
Jerome swallowed hard, averted his gaze, and attempted to deflect the blame. He argued,
