solitude → sam kerr

three → demoted

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

"much better, harper!" the coach's voice resonated across the field, a beam of approval directed at the girl who had just concluded the training session. "you seemed more part of the team today.

the commendation, meant as encouragement for the collective team effort, stirred a feeling of insecurity within evelyn. had she not been deemed worthy throughout the entire season? the weight of self-doubt lingered as the rest of the team dispersed, leaving evelyn alone on the field. she sat there, contemplating the words that had unsettled the fragile peace she had managed to carve out for herself.

idleness clung to her movements as she lingered on the field, the grass beneath her carrying the echoes of countless games and the weight of unspoken struggles. annoyance flickered in her eyes as she tied her worn sneakers, a manifestation of the unrest within.

"what's up with you?" a voice, familiar and expected, broke through the silence. this time, however, there was no surprise in evelyn's expression as she turned to face her companion.

"coach." evelyn acknowledged, her eyes reflecting a mixture of weariness and uncertainty.

evelyn hesitated, caught between vulnerability and the desire to protect the fragile cover she had built around her struggles. but as she met sam's gaze, there was something in those eyes that softened the walls she had carefully constructed.

"i'm just falling out of love with the sport now, i don't see myself continuing it for much longer," she admitted, almost feeling guilty for the string of words flowing off her tongue, "not with...yeah."

in the midst of the conversation, an unexpected proposition emerged—a pact on the pitch. sam, recognising the need for connection and understanding the coach's desire to see evelyn more engaged, suggested a deal. a deal that, on the surface, seemed simple but held the potential to reshape evelyn's relationship with soccer.

"look, evelyn," sam began, her tone earnest, "ms. schmitt asked you to help me with my academics, not that i particularly want it. but, if you help me, i'll do my best to assist you. we can bring back that love you have for the sport."

a pause lingered in the air, the weight of unspoken possibilities echoing in the dimming light of the field. evelyn, her gaze now fixed on sam, felt a flicker of hope—a spark that hinted at the possibility of rediscovering the passion that had been eclipsed by the shadows of doubt. the agreement made on that field held the promise of a connection that could be the catalyst for the renaissance of love evelyn had been yearning for.

as the after-school sessions unfolded, it became evident that sam was the one benefiting the most from their agreed pact, but evelyn thoroughly supported it. beyond the improvement in her grades, a subtle shift took place in sam's demeanour. in the serenity of their study sessions, away from the loud presence she exhibited among friends, sam revealed a more focused and subdued side—a side that surfaced only when the prying eyes of her mates were absent.

simultaneously, evelyn took on the role of an unassuming coach, imparting her football wisdom to sam. having transitioned from aussie rules just a couple of years prior, sam was still adapting to the nuances of soccer. evelyn recognised the untapped potential within the girl and dedicated herself to refining sam's skills, all while keeping these training sessions hidden from the team.

the coach, noting sam's remarkable progress, made a drastic decision that would alter the team's dynamics. shifting from the traditional 4-4-2 formation to a more dynamic 4-2-3-1, he placed sam as the lone striker. this strategic move, aimed at maximising sam's goal-scoring prowess, led to evelyn's departure from the starting eleven. her role as a midfield player, though valuable, could not stand out against the specialisation of others' skills required at the division one level.