Friday came fast.
Match day.
An away game.
They weren't just facing another opponent. They were stepping into a battlefield against a team known for playing dirty, for clawing, for provoking. Even inside the bus, no one spoke much.
Silence wrapped around the Lincoln players, each of them bracing, steadying their nerves for what was coming.
When the bus finally screeched to a stop, one by one they filed out.
East Valley's grounds loomed ahead—bleak, harsh, like the shadow of a castle built for war. The air itself seemed heavier.
"Hey, don't be so tense," Leo's voice broke the silence, a calm edge as he tried to lighten the mood.
Cael, as always, took it further. He slapped his own cheeks, left, right, harder each time.
"Arghhhhhh!" His scream echoed across the lot.
Even Julian glanced sideways at him, while a few students nearby stopped to stare.
"Idiot," Riku muttered, before giving Cael a love-punch square on the back.
