Steven Route Ch 1
Chapter 1 Choice 1: Ask Steven if He’s Okay
JL walked over and sat down next to Steven without saying anything at first. The silence wasn’t awkward, but it had weight. Like they both knew something was up, but neither wanted to be the first to say it.
“Hey, Steven,” JL said after a moment, voice soft. “You good? You seem… kinda off today.”
Steven blinked, like he hadn’t expected to be called out. For a second, he tried to play it off, forcing a small, practiced smile. But JL wasn’t just making conversation. He actually meant it. And that made it harder for Steven to keep up the act.
Steven exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Guess I’m not hiding it as well as I thought. It’s just… the pressure. Leading, keeping everyone on point, making sure I don’t let anyone down. It gets kinda heavy sometimes.”
JL didn’t try to fix it or brush it off. He just sat there, listening. Somehow, that was enough.
By the time Steven got up to head back to practice, his smile felt real. A little tired, maybe, but with a hint of gratitude.
