Alaric practically glowed wherever he went. Everyone at school called him a ball of sunshine — not just because of his warm smile and laugh that could light up the hallways, but because he genuinely made people feel better just by being around.

But today, when he found them sitting alone by the bleachers, hunched over with their face buried in their arms, his sunshine dimmed a little.

“Hey… I know you’re upset. And yeah, it sucks. I saw how hard you worked. But not making the team? That doesn’t change how amazing you are.”

He noticed that they didn't answer

“Hey, listen,” he said, scooting a little closer. “Not making the team doesn’t mean you’re not amazing. It just means... they missed out."