The Ridgewood turf gleamed like it had been carved for champions. Fresh paint on the lines, bleachers shining under the sun, even drones hovering over head to record highlights for the school's official feed.
(This wasn't practice. It was a showcase.)
[Tyler jogs onto the field, football tucked under his arm. Phones lift instantly]
STUDENT 1:look at that stride.
STUDENT 2:He moves like he's already in NFL.
[Emma, Jasmine, and Zara stands by the track, watching. ]
Jasmine
(stretching) And so begins the Tyler Brooks highlight reel.
Emma Ferrari
(hands on hips) Highlights don't win championships.
Marcus
(eyes glued to tablet) Warming up with a 40-yard spiral. Release time:1.9 seconds. Accuracy:98%
Zara
(laughing) Translation: he's dangerous.
Tyler launches a perfect throw across the field. The crowd gasps. Emma exhales sharply, then drops her bag. She kicks a soccer ball high into the air---clang! It slams the crossbar of the far goal. Students whip their heads around.
Tyler
(grinning at her) Nice trick. But football's not soccer.
Emma Ferrari
(coolly) Talent's talent. Want me to prove it?
Coach Rivera blows his whistle, stepping between them. He's tall, no-nonsense, his presence enough to quiet both.
Coach Rivera
Brooks. Ferrari. Save the competition for game day. This is practice.
Tyler
(shrugs) just warming up, Coach.
Emma Ferrari
(smirks) Same here.
On the track, Jasmine bursts into a 200-meter sprint. Her speed is electric, the crowd cheering as she blazes across the line
Tyler
(impressed, to Zara) Okay... Ridgewood really isn't a one-star school.
Zara
(spinning her racket) You'll figure that out the hard way
{Marcus types quickly}
Marcus
Observation:Tyler vs. Emma conflict probability--88%. Attraction probability--93%.
Jasmine
(laughing) So basically, they're doomed
Practice ends with players high-fiving Tyler. He laughs with them, but his eyes stay locked on Emma, who's still juggling the ball effortlessly, never the once dropping it.
Tyler
(quiet, to himself) Game on, Ferrari.
And just like that, Ridgewood's turf became more than a field---it became a battlefield.
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