12. Hide and Seek

In the whirlwind of emotions following the revelation that I'd made the team, a mix of elation and suspicion swirled within me. Why was my name there? Incredibly close to the top?

It felt like a setup, a piece in a game I had yet to learn to play. Determined to uncover the truth, I mustered the courage to confront the coach directly, hoping to learn his intentions. If I understood his reasons, I could plan my next moves better.

Surprisingly, the coach's office door was open. Pushing it, I stepped inside, immediately noticing a cell phone vibrating on the desk. I walked over to the desk in total disbelief, thinking it had to be an alarm that needed to be silenced or something. My heart jumped into my throat when I realized it was actually ringing.

It was a direct line to the outside world, a rarity in this place. And what's more, this place seemed to operate on its own rules. It wasn't that cell phones didn't work here; it was they were blocked from working. This showed how deliber