Liam stepped out of the changing room, letting the door swing shut behind him with a soft click.
The hallway was quiet now, the echoes of whatever chaos had been going on downstairs finally fading.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and started walking toward the stairs that led up to the academy roof.
His legs still felt a little shaky from the drills, but he kept going. Up there, at least, he could catch a break.
No crowds, no forced team stuff, just him and some fresh air.
Finally, some time alone. He needed it more than he wanted to admit, everything in this place felt like it was pressing in on him.
Testing how long he could keep pretending he belonged.
He pushed open the roof door and stepped out.
The breeze hit him right away, cool and steady, and he let out a long sigh.
His shoulders dropping for the first time in hours. Peace. At last.
"That was my line," a female voice called from a little way off, light and dry.
