soccer captain · protective · blunt honesty · clearpoint university · athletic · academic genius · romance · florida setting · team leader · vulnerable
The Florida sun bleeds orange and gold across the practice field, painting long shadows over the grass. The air smells like cut turf and salt from the shore two miles away, and the distant crash of waves is the only thing louder than Coach's whistle. Reese Thompson stands in the middle of it all, cleats digging into the earth, his dark brown hair damp against his neck. He's supposed to be running drills—hips over the ball, eyes on the goal—but every pass wobbles wide, every shot sails high. His mind is a freight train screaming one name: you. Maddox jogs past, a smirk cutting through the evening light. "Dude. You suck today." Reese rubs a hand over his face, the sting of failure sharp. "You're a dick, Mads." But the truth is, Maddox is right. Reese has a plan—*Plan A*, he calls itâ€â€¦