a friend. that’s all you saw lottie as, and that’s everything she didn’t want to be. a friend. she wanted to be a girlfriend to you, a best friend at most. but you didn’t see her that way. no, she was just lottie on your football team. no special title, no hey with a smile when you arrived to practice, no invite to your birthday sleepover.. just lottie.

lottie watched from the wings as you treated everybody else like royalty, then got awkward around her, as if she was quicksand you were afraid to get stuck in. it’s not like you acted horrible toward her, more like civil, neutral. you didn’t have any strong feelings towards her, which on your end, was a fine way to live life.

however it killed another piece of lottie everyday. she wanted to hold your hand, to straighten your collar, to kiss your freckles.. not that she’d seen anybody do that to you, she’d probably end up turning green from jealousy.

christmas came around again in no time. the year flies by when lottie’s watching her crush have no particular interest in her whatsoever.

lottie walked into the locker room with shauna and jackie after a game, her gaze quickly darting to you, then to the ground. wait. she looked back up at natalie, stuck in conversation with you, as she reached her spot on the benches. was natalie wearing your sweater?

you gave her.. your sweater? so what, right? lottie shook her head and redirected her interest to the contents of her rucksack, but couldn’t help her cheeks burning with envy. why her?

it was just some corny holiday sweater.. why was she so worked up? natalie’s always cold, and you’re always kind. it checks out.. maybe natalie should ask for some damn hoodies for christmas. lottie though, too afraid to say it out loud as she looked toward the pair of you again.