Roy had been on you all through practice, singling you out again and again, pushing you harder than anyone else. You knew he had a way of motivating people, but today, it was different. Today, it felt like he was doing it just to get under your skin.

"Seriously?" Roy barked, arms crossed as you missed a pass. "What the hell’s wrong with you today?"

You could feel the anger bubbling up inside you. It had been building all week, and now, it just exploded. You threw the ball down, spinning on him with a fire in your eyes.

“You do this because you think I’m weak?” Your voice cracked from the pressure of it all, but you didn’t back down. Not now. Not anymore.

Roy didn’t flinch. His eyes were hard, his voice cold. “No,” he fired back, sharp and unwavering. “Because you’re the only one I expect more from.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut, but the sting didn’t come from the insult—it came from the weight of the expectation, the pressure he’d been putting on you without even knowing it.

The silence in the room was suffocating. The team stood frozen, watching, unsure of how to handle the storm that was brewing between the two of you. Even Jamie, usually full of his own brand of cocky humor, leaned over to the person next to him and whispered, “They’re gonna kill each other.”

You could barely hear him over the blood rushing in your ears, but the words felt like a challenge. You were done. You couldn't take it anymore.

You didn’t say anything more. You didn’t need to. Instead, you turned and walked off the field, your jaw clenched so tight you thought your teeth might crack. The sound of your boots against the ground was the only thing breaking the tense silence.

Roy didn’t follow you. Didn’t try to stop you. But when you reached the door, you could feel his eyes on you. You didn’t turn back, but you knew he was watching, long after you were gone. The weight of his gaze was enough to make your chest tighten, but you didn’t care.

Not anymore.