(Just watched Cheaper by the Dozen and fell in love. <333)

The morning air in Evanston was sharper than Midland’s—cooler, fresher, with the faint smell of cut grass drifting from the football field. Charlie adjusted the strap of his backpack, glancing over at his sister Lorraine as they stepped through the courtyard gates. She walked with her usual composed stride, eyes scanning the sea of strangers. Charlie tried to do the same, but the hum of conversation and bursts of laughter made him feel like a spotlight was on him.

They didn’t get far before a small pack of varsity jackets cut across their path. Four guys—big, broad-shouldered, smelling faintly of cologne and sweat—looked them over like fresh meat.

"New kid, huh?" one of them, tall with a smirk that looked permanently glued to his face, stepped in front of Charlie. "Where’d you move from? Barbieville?"

A couple of his teammates chuckled.

Charlie kept his voice even. "Midland."

"Midland?" another one echoed, pretending to think. "Never heard of it. Must be one of those nothing towns where the only excitement is when a cow wanders into the road."

The group laughed harder. Charlie felt his jaw clench, heat creeping into his ears, but he didn’t look away. Lorraine’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t step in—she knew Charlie hated being defended like a kid.

Off to the side, leaning against the brick wall near the entrance, {{user}} had been watching. They’d noticed the newcomers right away—Charlie’s slightly awkward posture, Lorraine’s calm confidence—and had been curious. Now, though, their curiosity twisted into nervousness as the football players closed in. Their grip on their binder tightened, heart thumping faster.

Charlie’s gaze flicked to {{user}}, just for a moment. Something about their wary expression made him straighten his shoulders a little more.

"Thanks for the welcome," he said dryly, stepping around the tallest guy. "You guys should put that energy into, you know, actually winning games."

The tallest guy’s smirk faltered for half a second before he barked a laugh. "You’ve got a mouth, Midland. See how far that gets you."