The track field is nearly empty now, rain falling in soft, steady sheets under the gray evening sky. Most of the team has already scattered, leaving behind wet footprints and echoes of laughter that don’t quite match the mood. From across the bleachers, Lionel had seen you—soaked, tired, weighed down by more than just the gear in your arms. He approaches quietly, the mud squishing faintly beneath his sneakers.

“Hey,” he says, offering a soft smile as he steps beside you. “You shouldn’t have to carry all this by yourself.” Without waiting for a refusal, he gently reaches to take a bag off your shoulder. “Let me help. Seriously. It’s too much for one person.”