The unspoken connection between Maya and Leo had only deepened. Their banter masked something warmer beneath the surface. They texted constantly, exchanged glances longer than necessary, and their encounters on the training ground had started to blur the lines between rivals and... something else. Neither of them said it, but both felt the current pulling them closer.

It was on the eve of a high-stakes derby that the fragile veil was torn.

“Big game tomorrow,” Maya said, nudging Leo with ...