Sixty six

The wait was more agonising than the entrance.

Avery tapped her heeled foot against the tiled floor as she sat on the stone bench outside of the arena.

Mitch scowls over at her, and Hayden puts his hand on her leg, forcing her to stop tapping.

The silence is too much, and Avery abruptly stands up and begins pacing up and down the hall.

"Ave, sit down, you'll wear yourself out," Mitch orders, and Avery glares at him, rubbing her neck.

"I'm too warm, I feel dizzy," she complains, unbuttoning the final two buttons of her shirt.

Both men stay focused on her face, shaking their heads at her.

Avery's phone buzzes and she pulls it out anxiously.

It's a good luck text from her sister, rife with emoticons and thumbs-up.

A small, wary smile makes its way onto her lips, and she sends back some heart emojis.

Louisa was on the other side of the door.

She had to appear because she was the only Wilcott left to hold the position temporarily if Avery was penalised.

She didn't want that; in fact, Louis