The image is frozen at first. There’s just the whispers of the reporters coming through the speakers. “Is that him? Are they coming out?” someone speculates.

Another voice adds “I hope this is the right side. Sometimes they send them to the other one.”

I watch as Ellie and Adam appear alongside a stretcher surrounded by paramedics.

“There he is!” One of the reporters whisper-shouts. The rapid click of a camera sounds nearby.

Suddenly, a new figure arrives on the scene in a flurry of strawberry blonde hair. I watch as Viv comes to a sudden halt next to my stretcher and looks down at me. The expression on her face collides forcefully against the wall I’ve carefully constructed around my heart. She looks gutted. Wrecked.

“Holy shit! Isn’t that the princess? The princess who was at school here? Joe, get out your phone!” The reporter’s commentary cuts into the dramatic scene.

Vivienne turns to speak to one of the paramedics, waving her hands urgently. I watch Ellie step forward and say something. Viv replies, and for the first time ever I see Ellie look a bit cowed. Two men in black suits arrive on the scene, and both stand behind Viv protectively while they scan the surroundings. I watch myself be rolled closer to the ambulance, and then disappear from view as I’m loaded inside. It’s bizarre.

Viv tries to follow me, but one of the suit-clad men steps in her way. The camera zooms in on her face. Terror and alarm are clearly displayed across her face. I watch her blue eyes flash as she says something to the man blocking her way that causes him to move to the side. Several more men in black suits arrive and watch as Viv climbs inside the ambulance. One of the new arrivals says something to the man who tried to stop her and then also climbs in the ambulance. To my surprise, I realize I recognize him. He was one of the agents with Viv at Lincoln. Her supposed stepfather.

The ambulance doors are closed, and the vehicle begins moving toward the gate.

“It was definitely her,” I hear a reporter say. “I can’t—” The audio and recording cut out at as the video ends.

I let myself think back to the heart-wrenching conversation in my hospital room for the first time. It’s difficult to muster the same rage I drew on then, especially after having just seen her fear-filled face. Her words come back to me. What was I supposed to do? Sit there and wait for the official statement? I wonder how it would feel if she had. If it had come out after the fact that the Marcedenian royal family had attended our first game. If I’d learned she was there but hadn’t reacted. Hadn’t cared.

It’s a long slog through the next week. I don’t leave the house aside from going to practice. The press is waiting every time I leave the gated neighborhood I live in. I’m sure my new neighbors love me. The press also loiters around the stadium. I’m grateful the season hasn’t officially started yet, so I don’t have to participate in any post-game interviews. I’m forced to sit out the next preseason game, but cleared for the first game of the regular season the following week.