The Foxes should have left. They really should have. But when Neil caught sight of Andrew still on the court—still playing—none of them could bring themselves to walk away.

Instead, they stayed in the upper level of the gym, watching in stunned silence.

Down below, Andrew stood in goal, sharp-eyed and focused. Someone they didn’t recognize was at the striker’s mark, lining up another shot.

Kevin whispered, “Who the hell is that?”

Aaron, arms crossed, scowled. “Why is Andrew letting this happen?”

Dan, just as baffled, muttered, “Better question—why does he actually look invested?”

The stranger fired, fast and precise. Andrew lunged, deflecting it with ease. The ball ricocheted off his stick and hit the floor with a dull thud. Instead of stopping, the stranger just grinned, retrieving the ball like they expected him to block it.

Like this was something they did regularly.

Nicky turned to Renee, eyes wide. “Are we in a parallel universe?”

Allison smirked. “Either that, or Andrew has a secret training partner.”

Kevin looked personally offended. “He won’t even run drills with us.”

The Foxes watched as the stranger lined up another shot. Andrew was already set, reading them, moving before they even swung. He blocked the shot again, the impact loud in the empty gym.

Instead of getting frustrated, the stranger laughed.

Andrew—Andrew—huffed a quiet, almost amused breath.

Neil barely heard Nicky whisper, “Holy shit.”

None of them moved. None of them spoke. They just kept watching, caught between shock, confusion, and the undeniable realization that Andrew had let this happen.

And whatever this was? It wasn’t the first time.