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× Horan


It had been agonizingly hard to keep my distance from Lynn.

There always seemed to be that invisible pull between us; like a molecular bond. And first learning about chemical bonds in secondary school, I know that once two covalent bonding atoms attach, there's no hope of breaking the molecules apart. Which is why I had managed all week to keep my distance from her.

When I saw her fall on the field by the opposing team player twice her size, it took everything in me to stay away and let someone else go to her. And then when that same player was trying to push the punishment to Lynn instead of himself, I wanted nothing more than to stand up for her, but I knew better than to do that.

Besides, it wasn't like she didn't have it under control.

"Yellow to Bangor player number twenty three!" the referee shouted and held up a yellow card toward the player. "And a yellow to Roehampton player number thirteen!"

"What!?" I shouted, walking up to the referee. "That's not fair! That tosser had it coming!"

"Listen, kid," he said as he started writing down the caution in his notebook. "I agree with you, but she is guilty of misconduct just as much as he is. I have to play fair."

I looked back at the bench to see Lynn's reaction, but she wasn't paying any attention. She was looking down at the ground with her water bottle in her hands. Her furrowed brow, however, was enough of an indicator that she was pissed.

"Horan," Coach said, grabbing my attention. "Leave before you get carded as well."

There I was defending Lynn when not only three minutes ago I told myself I wouldn't.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I followed Coach as he steered the team back to the field to continue the game.

The opposing team managed to score a goal by the time Lynn joined us back onto the field, making it 5-4. I knew we had it in the bag. As much as I hated losing my limelight by her, Lynn was good and we were unstoppable together.

There was a minute left when I managed to get the ball from under the opponent's feet. I spun around to go back the other direction toward our goal when I was quickly swarmed by navy blue and black. I kicked the ball up and struck it through the air right in front of Lynn who didn't hesitate to get to it. I tried to find an opening again as I watched Lynn spin around a player and dodge a defender.

The mental clock in my head was ticking down, and even though we were still ahead by one, I've learned that anything can happen in a span of sixty seconds. I found myself holding my breath as I watched Lynn. She stopped the ball and rounded back again, looking around to see if anyone was open to take a better shot. When she saw no one was, she took the chance and kicked it, the ball gliding right past the goalies fingertips and into the net just as the timer ticked down to zero.

The crowd erupted in cheers and I couldn't help but smile by the sound.

Lynn's hands went into the air and she shouted with victory. Jace was the first one to reach her and picked her up, flinging her body over his shoulder and spun her around as the rest of the team joined her.

It was her first game with us, and she took the final shot.

"That was a damn good game," Coach was telling us once the excitement died down and the team gathered around him on the sidelines.

People had started to leave the arena and I saw Lynn's friends start down the steps to the pitch.

"There was a little difficulty there, but I assumed something like that would happen. But I'm pretty sure Mercury got her point across," he continued, smiling down at Lynn who was drinking out of her water bottle. "Alright, no practice this weekend, but there is one on Monday. And don't forget about the annual dinner next week, too. You're required to go. Now get out of here."

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