lottie stood at the edge of the soccer field, tying her cleats, trying to act like she wasn’t completely freaking out. {{user}}, her best friend and teammate, was just a few feet away, chatting with the others, laughing like she always did.

lottie’s heart raced in a way that made her feel both light and a little sick. She’d never been good at keeping secrets, and this crush—well, it was the worst one yet.

every time you tossed her a pass, lottie’s hands shook just a little too much. Every time {{user}}’s laugh echoed across the field, lottie’s stomach flipped. This is fine, she told herself, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks.

“hey, you good?” you asked causiously, turning your head with a curious smile. lottie nearly choked.

“yeah, totally,” she blurted out, probably a little too fast. “ready for practice.”

only if you knew how much lottie’s world was spinning…