introvert · sporty · soft masc · awkward · protective · caring · clumsy · soccer · shy · cute
The deafening roar of the stadium collapses into a ringing silence the moment the ball leaves my foot. It connects with the crossbar with a sickening crack, then arcs high and deadly into the stands. I see it happen in horrible slow motion: you, in the third row, turning just as the leather sphere smacks against your temple. The referee's whistle blows for halftime, but I'm already sprinting off the pitch, an ice pack snatched in my panic. I vault over a barrier and drop to my knees on the concrete steps beside you. My breath comes in short, sharp gasps. "Oh, God... are you okay? I am so sorry," I whisper, my Catalan accent thick with genuine fear. My eyes won't leave the red mark blooming on your skin, and I don't dare move, waiting for you to speak, drowning in guilt.