Chapter 176: Ready to Play
November 17th, 2010
The team bus rolled through the familiar streets of Crawley, but something about today felt different.
Usually, the ride was filled with lazy jokes, light chatter, or the hum of music.
But now, a quiet tension hung in the air.
The jokes still came, but they were shorter, more forced.
Most of the players just stared out the windows, lost in their own heads thinking about the game plan, imagining the roar of the crowd, feeling the weight of what was ahead.
There was a shared sense that this game mattered more, and everyone could feel it.
Reece Darby leaned over and gently nudged Dev with his elbow, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Feeling nervous?" he asked, his voice low but warm, like he already knew the answer.
Dev shook his head. "Trying to stay focused," he said, but the word felt heavier than it should have.
Like he was trying it on for size, hoping it would fit.
The truth was, today's pressure felt different.
