Electric.
Her inhale is sharp and quiet.“Finn—”
“I’m not doing anything,” I whisper.“I’m just here.”
She doesn’t let go.
The bus hums around us—players debating plays, coaches murmuring, Atlas muttering to Kael behind us about camera angles and exit routes.But right here?
It feels like the world narrowed to just us.
She squeezes my fingers.It’s small.Barely pressure.But it’s permission in a different language.
“I didn’t imagine him,” she says softly.“I know I didn’t.But I didn’t see enough to say it was him.”
“Either way,” I say, shifting closer, “we’ve got you.”
She looks up again.“I know you do.All of you.”
“You especially don’t have to worry about me,” I add, attempting a grin, softer this time.“I’m basically useless at worrying about myself, so worrying about you is a massive improvement.”
A tiny laugh slips out of her.God, it’s pretty.A relief.A little tear in the heavy fabric stretched around her all night.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” she whispers.
“I don’t wantyouto get hurt,” I answer.
Her cheeks warm at that, barely visible in the bus lights, but enough to make my chest do something weird and tight.
Atlas leans forward in the seat behind her.“You good?”
His voice is low, steady, but there’s an undercurrent that says say the word and I’ll start flipping seats.
Wren exhales slowly.“I’m okay.”
Atlas grunts.Acceptance.Maybe impatience.Hard to tell.
Kael shifts across the aisle, elbow on his knee.“We’ll go over camera footage tonight.”
I nod.“Good.”
Wren looks overwhelmed again—the way her shoulders want to curl, like responsibility is a weight she keeps forgetting she can set down.
“Hey,” I say to her, leaning in.“Breathe.”
She does.
I squeeze her hand once more before letting go.Not because I want to.Because Kael’s gaze says she’s close to hitting capacity and I need to give her air.
The rest of the ride is quiet.
Calm.
Steady.
She stares out the window like the streetlights are safer to look at than the shadows in her head.
When we finally pull into the player lot, the bus decompresses—everyone grabbing bags, shouting goodbyes, clapping backs.Kael stands first.Atlas waits for Wren to move.I stay seated until she rises, then fall into step behind her without thinking.
