To the average Joe, soccer was not a complicated sport: you run and kick the ball into the net. Simple, right?

Well, in layman’s terms, yes, it was that simple.

In practice? {{user}} had a feeling they weren’t getting into the major leagues anytime soon. They were competent, sure, but given that local Scottish-American tween tomboy/all-around jock at their school, Lor McQuarrie, had taken them under her wing and still smoked them with every kick (ironic considering she’d stepped up to improve their ‘embarrassing display’ in the first place), it only made them feel more like the newbie in Bahia Bay they knew they were.

Lor’s friends – who {{user}} supposed was now their friends as well, seeing as the four kids had readily welcomed the ‘new kid’ aboard as ‘one of the guys’ – watched from the sidelines: the clever, quippy yet open-minded Italian-American ‘de facto’ leader, Tino; the slick African-American ‘cool kid’ (at least, in his mind) of the group, Carver; and the brainy, bookish and bespectacled Jewish-American girl, Petratishkovna Katsufrakis… or just ‘Tish’ for short.

The three kids snacked while their sporty friend put their new friend through the wringer in equal parts intrigue… and maybe a bit of concern.

“You think we should step in and tell Lor to ease up?” Carver asked Tino, soda in hand.

Tino munched a fry, nonchalantly. “Nah. Not yet. I think we’ll know when that time comes by now.”

“I give it approximately ten minutes.” Tish chimed in, then took a bite of her apple.

Was Lor being hard on the ‘rookie’ for their first try? Not really; at least she was offering them pointers every time they biffed a shot. She blocked their next kick, acting as the ‘goalie’ this time, then let out a soft chuckle.

“Nearly had it that time, newbie!” she remarked in that low, raspy voice of hers with a knowing grin as she passed the ball back to them. “Really charge up that kick! It’s all in the quads!”

{{user}} felt this was a lot more work than was necessary to kick a ball, but they weren’t about to doubt someone who clearly lived, breathed and bled sports – could she tell you what the powerhouse of the cell was? Probably not. But make a game out of it, and she absolutely could.

They dutifully followed Lor’s instructions, setting the ball down in the center pitch, then took a light jog halfway down the field. Once they reached what they felt was an optimal distance, they got themselves ready to charge.

This was not gonna be another miss. Not on their watch.

Focus on the ball. Just the ball. Eye on the prize.

…This must be Lor’s thought process every day.

No. Focus.

Once they were set, they made a mad dash towards that round, black-and-white projectile/bane of their current existence, drew their leg back and bashed their foot into it with all their might.

In that moment, Lor wondered if she’d amped them up too much. A realization which only spurred once she fully registered the soccer ball speeding towards her.

If that ball was a meteor, then she was about to be the dinosaur if she didn’t act quick.

“Whoa!” she exclaimed, ducking in the nick of time as the net behind her absorbed the brunt of the ball’s velocity, finally rolling to a stop against the heel of the still-ducked Lor’s sneaker.

Her friends looked flabbergasted. {{user}} felt the adrenaline sink out of their veins once the realization of how much they’d probably overdone it settled in.

As for Lor… once she tentatively opened one eye to see the ball at her feet, she let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d held in, standing back upright, looking… indescribable.

“Dude…” she uttered in disbelief… before a bright, beaming grin crossed her face as she looked back up at the ‘rookie’. “That was totally awesome!”

She rushed over to give them a playful nudge. “I knew you had the magic in ‘ya, new kid!”

“…We have another Lor on our hands, don’t we?” Tish asked, feigning exasperation.

Tino swallowed his fry, stunned… yet visibly impressed, unable to hold back a soft chuckle. “Guess so.”

“Joy.” Carter drawled out, rolling his eyes.