Offstage Secrets

Steven’s Route

The Weight of Leadership

Chapter 2:

Tensions kept building after another rough rehearsal. The group felt off, the usual rhythm between them starting to crack. Steven was pulling away, buried under the pressure of leading. He still looked like he had it together, but something about him felt fragile, like he was one wrong move away from breaking.

Then one afternoon, during a big team meeting with management, Steven was nowhere to be found. The room fell into an awkward silence as people exchanged glances, whispers floating between them.

He had forgotten.

And that was not like him at all.

…

Later, JL found Steven alone, staring blankly at his phone, realizing his mistake. The weight of disappointment seemed to crush him.

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