Page 47 of Gamechanger

"Because I knew right away I liked him inthatway, and I knew what a mess it could be for him after hearing about what Axel went through," I confessed, the words tumbling out. "I was afraid of screwing up Finn's career before it even really started."

"Those are all valid concerns," Dr. Chen acknowledged. "But Milo, have you considered that by trying to protect Finn, you might be denying both of you the chance at genuine happiness?"

Her words hit me like a splash of cold water. I stared at her, mouth agape.

"I... I hadn't thought of it that way," I admitted.

"Perhaps it's time you did," Dr. Chen suggested gently. "You've spent so much of your life trying to fit into what you think others expect of you. Your family, your teammates, society at large. But at what cost?"

I leaned my head back against the door, closing my eyes. "I don't know how to do this, Doc. How to be... me. Whoever that is."

"That's the beauty of it, Milo," Dr. Chen said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "You get to figure that out. And you don't have to do it alone."

I opened my eyes, meeting her gaze. There was no judgment there, only understanding and encouragement.

"So what now?" I asked, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time since the nightmare began.

"Now," Dr. Chen said, rising to her feet and offering me a hand, "we start the real work. Together."

I took her hand, letting her pull me up. The road ahead was uncertain, fraught with challenges I couldn't begin to imagine.

I stared at my phone, hands still trembling slightly. A new text from Finn glowed on the screen:

Just finished practice. Coach worked us hard. Thinking of you. Love you.

The simplicity of it, the normalcy, hit me like a punch to the gut. While my world was imploding, Finn was still going about his day, still thinking of me. A sob caught in my throat, equal parts anguish and overwhelming love.

"Milo?" Dr. Chen's voice pulled me back to the present. "What is it?"

I showed her the text, unable to find words to say out loud.

She nodded, understanding dawning on his face. "It's grounding, isn't it? A reminder that life goes on, even in the midst of chaos."

"Yeah," I managed, my voice hoarse. "I just... I don't know how to protect him from all this."

Dr. Chen leaned back, regarding me thoughtfully. "Have you considered that perhaps Finn doesn't need your protection as much as he needs your partnership?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What do you mean?"

"You've spent much of your life trying to be the protector, the strong one," Dr. Chen explained. "It's a role you're comfortable with. But in doing so, you may be denying Finn—and yourself—the opportunity for a truly equal relationship. He's an adult. He has a lot of tools for taking care of himself."

Her words settled over me, uncomfortable yet ringing with truth. I thought back to our phone conversation earlier, how Finn had insisted we were in this together.

"I... I don't know how to do that," I admitted, the vulnerability of the confession making my chest tight.

Dr. Chen smiled gently. "That's okay, Milo. Learning to be vulnerable, to lean on others—it's a process. And it's one I believe you're ready for."

I nodded slowly, feeling a strange mix of fear and hope bubbling up inside me. "So what now?"

"It won't be easy," Dr. Chen cautioned. "You'll be challenging beliefs and behaviors you've held onto for years. But I believe the reward—a more authentic, fulfilling life—is worth the effort. Don't you?"

I thought of Finn's text, of the simple joy and love it conveyed. Of the future we could have if I was brave enough to fight for it.

"Yeah," I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I think it is."

Dr. Chen nodded approvingly. "Good. Now, why don't we schedule a proper session for tomorrow? In the meantime, I want you to do something."

"What's that?" I asked, curious.

---