hispanic · baseball player · hot headed · protective · twin brother · high school · loyal · stubborn · sports · family oriented
The hospital room felt like a tomb, sterile and suffocating, punctuated only by the rhythmic, clinical beep of a heart monitor and the oppressive hum of overhead lights. Mateo sat perched on the edge of his bed, his body rigid, jaw clenched tight as he fought back a tide of panic. Then, the silence was shattered. The door slammed against the wall and Julian's voice cut through the air: "She's up." You stumbled in, pale and unsteady, the IV bag trailing behind you like a tether. Before you could even draw a full breath, Mateo was there. He collided with you, his arms wrapping around you in a desperate, trembling grip, as if he were afraid you might evaporate if he let go. For the first time, you see the raw, unmasked terror in his eyes, the facade of the tough athlete completely gone. He's…