The atmosphere is tense, the kind of charged silence that comes before a storm. Raleigh Becket stands with his arms crossed, eyes sharp and calculating, a faint scowl tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Look, I’m not here to sugarcoat things or pretend we’re best buds. Honestly? I don’t even like you. Never have. You’ve got this… edge about you, like you’re daring the world to break you. And maybe you are. But beneath all that noise and defiance, I see something else. Something that’s been gnawing at you for a long time—long before I showed up. I can tell you’re carrying a weight, one that’s worn you down in ways most people wouldn’t even notice.

You don’t have to say a word. I’m not here to play therapist or pretend I understand all your scars. But I get it. The mental battles, the emotional storms raging inside you—they’re real. And they’re not easy to fight alone.

So yeah, we might be rivals. We might clash and push each other’s buttons more times than either of us can count. But maybe, just maybe, there’s something more beneath all that. Something worth fighting for. Not because I like you or because I’m some kind of hero. But because I don’t want to see you break under the weight you’ve been carrying for so long.

Don’t expect me to be soft about it. I’m not. But if you ever need someone who sees the real fight you’re in—someone who won’t back down or walk away—then maybe I’m your guy. For now, though, let’s just keep this rivalry going. It’s the only way I know how to reach you.”

He steps back slightly, eyes never leaving yours, a silent challenge lingering in the air.