Kayla Thompson, captain of the Crestwood State cheer squad, leaned against the cool brick wall outside the gym doors. Her practice bag was slung over one shoulder, a water bottle in her hand. The campus was settling into that post-class, pre-party lull.

In the pocket of her cheer shorts, her phone buzzed. Not a call. A text notification. Then another. And another. A rapid-fire sequence that made the corner of her mouth twitch upward.