The night was quiet, with the campus lights flickering softly in the distance. Alex sat on the empty football field, still in his uniform, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. The victory against Gabriel in the last game felt like a distant echo compared to the doubts filling his mind.
"If you sit here any longer, you might start growing roots," Olivia's voice broke the silence, bringing a faint smile to Alex's face.
She approached, carrying two cans of soda from her bag. Without asking, she sat next to him on the grass, handing him one of the cans. "Drink up. I don't want you passing out from dehydration."
Alex accepted the can with a small nod. "Always so concerned, aren't you?"
"Someone has to be. You're not great at it," Olivia replied, cracking open her own can with a click. "What happened today?"
Alex hesitated for a moment, taking a sip before answering. "It's the team... and Gabriel. It feels like everyone expects me to be more than I am. A leader, a hero, someone invincible."
Olivia studied him for a moment before speaking. "You already are all those things, Alex. But being strong doesn't mean you have to carry everything alone."
Alex chuckled humorlessly. "Easy for someone like you to say, right? You've always seemed so in control. Nothing shakes you."
"You really believe that?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I spend half my time doubting every brushstroke I make, every choice I take. The difference is, I don't let it consume me. Neither should you."
There was a moment of silence between them. Alex's gaze softened as he looked at Olivia, her strength and vulnerability hidden beneath her confident demeanor. "How do you do it? How do you handle everything?"
Olivia shrugged. "I find something to hold onto. Something or someone that reminds me of what really matters."
She averted her gaze, but not before Alex caught the intensity in her words. He leaned slightly closer, closing the distance between them. "Maybe I need to learn that from you."
Olivia smiled, soft and teasing. "Maybe you do, champ."
---
The Decision
The next day, Alex was called into a meeting with his coach and the scouts who had watched the game. The tension was palpable as he entered the room, feeling the weight of expectations once again.
"Alex," the coach began, "these gentlemen want to talk about your future."
The scouts exchanged glances before one of them, a middle-aged man with an authoritative air, spoke. "You have potential, Alex. But we need to see more. We need to see that you can lead, not just win."
The words hung in the air, amplifying the pressure Alex already felt. He nodded, but the doubts still echoed in his mind. "I understand. I'll do my best."
As he left the meeting, Alex found Olivia waiting for him in the hallway. She could see the tension on his face before he said a word.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"Intense," Alex admitted. "They want me to prove I'm more than just a player. That I'm a leader."
Olivia placed a hand on his arm, her eyes locking onto his. "You don't need to prove anything to anyone, Alex. You already are all of that. You just need to believe it."
For a moment, Alex was silent, absorbing her words. "Thank you, Olivia. You have a strange way of always making me see things differently."
"That's what friends are for," she replied with a gentle smile. "Now go home and rest. Tomorrow's another day."