The festival had been a blur of adrenaline and focus, but pulling off first place in Boundary Breach felt like a quiet triumph. My muscles still ached from the strain, and my mind buzzed with the rush of it all as I slumped onto my bed, the late afternoon sun spilling through the window. I was replaying the moment I'd crossed the finish line—cheers ringing in my ears—when a soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts.
The door creaked open, and there was Rose, leaning against the frame with a grin that lit up her sharp features. Her dark hair was still tousled from the event, a streak of dirt smudged across her cheek, but she looked alive, radiant even. She was the last of the four girls to come by, and somehow that felt fitting.
"First place, huh?" she said, stepping inside and kicking the door shut behind her. "Not bad, Arthur. Congrats."
"Thanks," I replied, sitting up a little straighter. "You weren't far behind. I saw you out there—you're relentless."
