Maya's POV
My phone buzzed so hard it knocked against the table.
I jolted awake with a sharp breath, my heart racing like I had been running. The room was dark. Quiet. Too quiet. I blinked and grabbed my phone, squinting at the bright screen.
2:03 AM.
A text message.
From Liam.
My chest tightened before I even opened it.
Liam: Can't sleep. Pain is bad tonight. Can we talk?
I sat up slowly, the blanket sliding off my shoulders. My first thought was no. My second thought was him, awake and hurting, alone with his thoughts.
I typed back before fear could stop me.
Maya: Are you okay?
Three dots appeared right away.
Liam: Not really.
I rubbed my face with my hands. This was exactly what I was afraid of.
Maya: Where are you?
Liam: Dorm. Everyone's asleep.
I stared at the message. My heart felt heavy.
Maya: Did you take anything for it?
Liam: Yeah. Didn't help much.
That scared me.
Maya: Do you want me to come there?
The dots paused.
Then came his reply.
Liam: I don't want to be alone right now.
I swung my legs off the bed.
Maya: Give me ten minutes.
I did not overthink it. If I did, I would talk myself out of going. I pulled on my shoes, grabbed my hoodie, and slipped out of the room as quietly as I could.
The night air was cool against my skin as I walked fast across campus. My thoughts were loud. What if someone saw us? What if this crossed a line? What if I made things worse?
What if I didn't go and he needed me?
That question pushed my feet forward.
When I reached his dorm, he was already waiting outside. He looked tired. Not just sleepy, but worn down.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hey," I replied. "You should be in bed."
"I tried," he said.
We stood there for a moment, unsure.
"Walk with me," he said. "I need to move."
I nodded.
We walked side by side, not touching. The silence was heavy but not awkward.
"It hurts when I lie still," he said. "And when I move. So I just… didn't know what to do."
"That sounds awful," I said.
He let out a slow breath. "I hate nights like this."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because everything gets louder," he said. "The pain. The thoughts."
I glanced at him. "What thoughts?"
"That I'm failing," he said. "That I'm letting people down."
"You're not," I said quickly.
He gave a small smile. "You're biased."
"Maybe," I said. "But I'm also honest."
We stopped near a bench and sat down. He rested his arm carefully, like he was scared of it.
"Does it hurt right now?" I asked.
"Yes," he admitted.
"How bad?" I asked.
He hesitated. "Bad enough that I thought about skipping practice tomorrow."
My heart jumped. "That's good."
"It feels wrong," he said. "Like I'm quitting."
"You're listening to your body," I said. "That's not quitting."
He looked down. "My dad wouldn't agree."
"I know," I said gently.
He went quiet.
"I keep thinking," he said after a moment, "if I can just get through this season, everything will be worth it."
"And if you can't?" I asked.
He did not answer.
I leaned forward. "Liam, I need you to hear me."
He looked at me.
"You matter," I said. "Not just as a player. As a person."
His eyes softened. "No one ever says that to me."
"That doesn't make it less true," I said.
He laughed quietly. "You're dangerous."
"How?" I asked.
"You make me think," he said. "That's risky."
I smiled a little. "Someone has to."
We sat there, the night wrapping around us.
"I'm scared," he said suddenly.
My chest tightened. "Of what?"
"Of losing basketball," he said. "And of keeping it."
I understood that too well.
"You don't have to decide everything tonight," I said.
"But the pain decided for me," he said. "It's getting worse."
I looked at his arm. "We need to do something."
He nodded slowly. "I know."
"Will you promise me something?" I asked.
"What?" he said.
"If it gets worse tomorrow, you tell someone," I said. "Not the coach if you're not ready. But a doctor. Trainer. Anyone."
He hesitated.
"Please," I said.
He closed his eyes for a second. "Okay. I promise."
Relief washed through me.
"Thank you," I said.
We stood up after a while. The night felt calmer, like it had exhaled.
"I'm glad you came," he said as we walked back.
"I am too," I admitted.
We stopped near his dorm.
"I should go," I said.
He nodded, then paused. "Maya?"
"Yes?"
"I don't know what I'd do without you right now," he said.
My heart skipped. "You don't have to figure that out."
He smiled softly. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," I said.
I turned to leave.
"Maya," he called again.
I turned back.
"If things change," he said, "if this gets out of control…"
My chest tightened. "What?"
"I need you to know," he said, "you didn't cause this."
I nodded, unsure why he was saying that now.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.
As I walked away, my phone buzzed again.
I stopped and checked it.
Liam: Thank you for answering.
I smiled sadly and typed back.
Maya: Always.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and kept walking.
But something felt off.
A strange feeling sat heavy in my chest.
Like tonight was not just about pain or fear.
Like something had shifted.
And whatever came next was going to change everything.