Valerie's POV
I spent almost the entire day at Slither Ring.
Not because of training.
Not because of a match.
But because I didn't want to go home.
More specifically, I didn't want to see Leo.
Slither Ring felt different during the day. Not as loud as fight nights, not as brutal as the bell and the crowd. Just the soft clinking of metal, steady breathing, and low music from an old speaker in the corner.
I sat on the floor of Juno's workspace, my back against her desk, while Juno herself sat in her chair with three monitors lit up in front of her.
Her fingers moved fast across the keyboard.
Click. Click. Click.
"Val," she said without looking up. "If you're just going to sit there and stare into space, I'm filing an official request to kick you out."
I sighed and tilted my head toward her.
"You're mean."
"You're the one ruining someone's concentration," she replied flatly, still typing.
