Page 17 of Rookie Rules

Rowan rewound. On screen, Luca left the wall early. The defense followed him. Finn's lane disappeared. Rowan's support angle narrowed.

"I don't care if you improvise," Rowan said. "I care if four people have to guess when you do."

The same idea Vale had offered in the morning, but Rowan's version did not sound like a lesson for the room. It sounded built for Luca.

Rowan advanced to the successful play.

Slow motion made the delay obvious. Mateo committing. Nolan leaning toward Finn. Rowan opening his shoulders left. Luca holding the right side until the seam appeared.

Rowan paused before the pass.

"What do you see?"

Luca looked at the screen.

"You lying to both defenders."

"I gave them a read."

"You sold it."

"Finn gave me time."

"And I stayed wide."

Rowan glanced at him. "You did."

There it was again. Not praise exactly. Recognition stripped of decoration.

Luca looked back at the frozen frame before Rowan could see how well it landed.

"What happens if I cut early?" Rowan asked.

"Mateo hands me to Nolan. You lose the seam."

"And if you hold?"

"You make them choose."

"We make them choose."

The correction was quiet.

We.

Luca rested his elbows on his knees. The screen showed three players arranged in a shape none of them could make alone.

He had spent years hearing that coaches wanted to refine him. Most meant they wanted fewer risks, cleaner interviews, a talent that arrived with less noise.

Rowan had watched the noise closely enough to find the signal inside it.

Dangerous.

Luca pointed at the screen. "Run it again."

Rowan did.

Not because Luca needed to see the structure.