THE POSITION
CHAPTER ONE
The Position
The scoreboard read 87–84.
Three points.
That was all that stood between us and victory.
I tightened my grip on the ball and glanced at the clock.
Thirty seconds remained.
“Lena!”
Coach's voice cut through the deafening roar of the stadium.
I looked up.
He pointed toward the left side of the field.
I knew exactly what he wanted.
One final play.
I took a deep breath and ran.
The stadium blurred around me—the screaming crowd, the flashing cameras, the pounding music. None of it mattered.
Not tonight.
For the past three years, I'd trained for moments like this.
Every early morning.
Every exhausting practice.
Every time I wanted to quit but forced myself to keep going.
It was all for one thing.
My scholarship.
My future.
I pushed harder as a defender moved toward me.
I feinted left, cut right, and heard the crowd erupt.
Then I saw it.
An opening.
Perfect.
I kicked.
The ball flew toward the goal.
GOAL!
The stadium exploded.
My teammates rushed toward me, shouting and laughing as they pulled me into a hug.
We had won.
I couldn't stop smiling.
For the first time in months, I allowed myself to believe that everything might finally work out.
College.
A football scholarship.
A chance to prove that every sacrifice had been worth it.
I looked toward the stands.
My mother was there, clapping with tears in her eyes.
I smiled at her.
I had done it.
Or at least, I thought I had.
---
The next morning, I arrived at the training facility earlier than usual.
The scholarship scouts would be watching our team soon, and Coach had made it clear that this season could determine my future.
I wasn't going to waste my chance.
I dropped my bag beside the bench and started tying my shoes.
“You're early.”
I looked up.
Maya, my best friend and teammate, was standing behind me.
“I'm always early.”
She laughed.
“No. You're ridiculously early.”
“What's the difference?”
She shook her head and sat beside me.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“Coach is bringing someone new.”
I frowned.
“Someone new?”
“A transfer student.”
I shrugged.
“So?”
Maya gave me a look.
“Apparently, he's really good.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Everyone is apparently really good until they step onto the field.”
She laughed.
“That sounds exactly like something you'd say.”
Before I could answer, the doors opened.
Coach walked into the room.
The conversation immediately stopped.
He wasn't alone.
A boy followed him.
Tall.
Calm.
Confident.
He carried a sports bag over one shoulder and looked around the room like he already knew he belonged there.
Then his eyes met mine.
For a second, neither of us looked away.
Coach cleared his throat.
“Everyone, this is Ethan Hayes. He's transferring here this semester, and he'll be joining the team immediately.”
I looked at Ethan.
Then at Coach.
Something about the word immediately made my stomach tighten.
“Ethan,” Coach continued, “you'll be taking the left position.”
My heart dropped.
The left position.
My position.
I slowly stood.
“Coach?”
He looked at me.
“We'll talk later, Lena.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
Three years.
Three years of training.
Three years of fighting for that position.
And now a transfer student had walked in and taken it before he'd even stepped onto the field.
Ethan walked toward the team.
When he reached me, he stopped.
“Lena, right?”
I crossed my arms.
“Yes.”
He smiled politely.
“Nice to meet you.”
I didn't return the smile.
“Can't say the same.”
His eyebrow lifted.
For the first time, his confident expression disappeared.
Then that irritating smile returned.
Interesting.
I already hated that smile.
Coach blew his whistle.
“Positions!”
Everyone moved.
I stayed where I was for a moment, staring at Ethan.
He had been here for less than five minutes.
Yet somehow, he'd already managed to take the one thing I'd spent years fighting for.
I picked up my bag.
If Ethan Hayes wanted my position...
He was going to have to fight me for it.
