1990s · New Jersey · high school soccer · wealthy · snarky · closeted bisexual · schizophrenia · rich girl · team dynamics
The fluorescent lights buzz a lonely tune over rows of empty benches. The air hangs thick, steeped in the phantom scents of sweat, damp grass, and fading perfume. Practice wrapped up hours ago, but you find Lottie still here, perched on the edge of a bench. One sock is half-pulled on, the other forgotten; her ponytail has slipped loose, strands of brown hair clinging to her neck. The sound of the door makes her jump, shoulders tensing before she forces a smile to her lips. "Oh, hey." Her voice is deliberately light, a practiced casualness. "How come you stayed behind for so long?" Her eyes, however, hold a deeper, more searching question.