Chapter 2 Delicate
Delicate
Ali
Magnolia Bluff lived for game days. Honestly, the whole town of Peach Cove lived for Saturdays in the fall.
By the time the sun started to set, the entire campus pulsed with energy— students spilling out of dorms, tailgates cranking up music and maroon and navy flags fluttering in the coastal breeze along Main Street
A charred scent from the tailgate grills mixed with the briny aroma of boiling peanuts, all carried on the salty tang of air that always rolled in from the bay.
Ali had grown up only 45 minutes away in Honeyshore, frequenting the campus every fall with her family for game days.
But experiencing it as a student just hit different. Saturdays felt electric.
She stood on the edge of the student section at Russell Stadium —Stowers Field stretching out before her like a stage.
The Reef, they called it. A perfect name for the sunken field surrounded by waves of seats and lights that shimmered like ocean spray.
Every inch of the stadium buzzed with pride and anticipation.
Her maroon athletic skort hugged her hips just right, soft and stretchy and perfect for blending in.
She’d paired it with an oversized navy MBU tee, tucked in casually at the front of her waist. Her blonde hair was twisted into a messy bun, wisps falling around her cheeks from the humidity.
The only makeup she wore was tinted lip balm, and her go-to white tennis shoes were already a little dusty from the gravel lot.
She didn’t dress up for games— she never had.
Athleisure was her comfort zone. Her armor.
Daisy, on the other hand, was a walking Pinterest board.
Her little maroon dress hugged her perfect curves and flared just slightly at the hem.
She’d paired it with white knee-high cowgirl boots and navy jewelry, her signature brunette, glossy waves bouncing as she flipped her hair.
If she was nervous about seeing her brother play tonight— the home opener in his last season as a Shark— she didn’t show it.
“I swear, every girl here wants to marry Dylan,” Daisy said with a laugh as they made their way to their seats, weaving through a group of girls already chanting the fight song.
Ali forced a laugh and tugged on her tee a little, feeling self-conscious. “He’s not even a player,” she said, and then mentally cringed. “I mean, not that kind of player.”
Daisy waved her off, too distracted to notice the flush rising in Ali’s cheeks.
“He’s just so… disciplined. It’s kind of intimidating, honestly.
But clearly it works. He crushed it at Pro Day, and now Coach Busby says the Tritons are seriously interested.
Mom’s already redecorating the guest room for his ‘future ESPN interviews,’” she added with an eye roll.
“Like Magnolia Bluff is known for producing pro athletes or something.”
Ali knew better. Dylan wasn’t just talented—he was focused, relentless, and painfully kind. He always held the door open. Always carried his own gear, even when other guys passed it off. He wasn’t flashy, not really. Just quietly magnetic.
And he had no idea how many times she’d watched him from the bleachers like this, heart pounding, pretending she wasn’t looking at all.
The Reef was packed and pulsing with electricity.
The crowd was already on their feet, chanting in unison, “The tide don’t break!
The tide don’t break!” It was a sound that could raise goosebumps — deep and thunderous, echoing through the night.
On a clear evening like this one, you could hear it carry all the way across Magnolia Bluff and down into Peach Cove.
It was magnetic. Unstoppable. The kind of feeling that lived in your bones.
Ali forced herself to watch the game, not him. Not the way he rolled his shoulders before the snap. Not the way his jaw clenched in concentration as he read the defense. And definitely not the way he pointed to the stands after a touchdown— probably for his parents, but her stomach flipped anyway.
“You want to walk over to Row with us afterwards?” Daisy asked, already texting on her phone.
“Maybe,” Ali hedged. She hated frat houses; hated Greek Row altogether. Too loud. Too cramped. Too many people pressing into each other in hallways that smelled like beer and regret.
But Dylan would be there tonight.
And sometimes… he looked at her like she belonged there.