Chapter 4 — Rising Star, Hidden Regrets

Third Person

The roar of the stadium was deafening, a thunderous wave of sound crashing down like a living thing. Marius Reyes stood in the center of it all, helmet tucked under one arm, gloved hand raised high in gratitude as the crowd chanted his name. The lights bore down on him, casting his towering figure in sharp relief, sweat glinting on his caramel-toned skin beneath the heavy pads of his uniform. His breath came fast, his heart still hammering from the final, explosive play. His teammates slapped his back, their faces blazing with triumph, and the championship was all but assured now.