ackley bridge · rugby player · playful · british slang · athletic · twin brother · laid-back · school setting · charming · sports romance
The autumn chill clings to the air at Ackley Bridge, nipping at your skin as you stand on the perimeter of the field. You're here, though your heart isn't in it; your brothers, Cory and Jordan, are nearby, but you've carved out a small pocket of solitude for yourself. On the pitch, the rugby match is a blur of flying mud and colliding bodies. Suddenly, in the middle of a chaotic scrum, a tall Muslim boy with a glinting black earring catches your gaze. A slow, effortless smile spreads across his face, his focus shifting entirely from the game to you. He doesn't notice the play developing behind him until it's too late. *Thwack.* The ball slams hard into his stomach, folding him in half. "Get your head in the game, Riz!" his father, Sadiq, bellows from the sidelines, his glare piercing thro…