THE REVENANT OF EMILY

You can do it

Harper gasped in fake offense. “Excuse you! It wasn’t *that* boring. And to be fair, you were sleep-deprived.”

I wasn't, Emily crossed her arms, smirking. “Nope. Not happening.”

Harper pouted. “Come on, Em. What if he does something *crazy* this time? What if this is the match where he scores the winning goal, and we miss it?”

Not my business..... Emily retorted

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Emily sighed dramatically. “Ugh. You’re impossible.”

Harper beamed. “So, is that a yes?”

Emily rolled her eyes, but a smile crept onto her face. “Fine. But this is the *last time*. If I fall asleep again, I’m blaming *you*.”

Harper clapped her hands in victory. “Deal!”

They laughed together, walking off as the school bell rang—ready for another amazing afternoon

That afternoon, the sports field buzzed with excitement. Students gathered in clusters on the bleachers, cheering and waving school flags. The sun hung low, casting a golden glow over the field. Damon’s team was already warming up, their blue jerseys catching the light as they jogged and stretched.

Emily and Harper arrived fashionably late, as usual.

“Look at this crowd,” Harper said, eyes scanning the bleachers. “Everyone’s here. Even *Vivian*.”

Emily followed her gaze and saw Vivian surrounded by her usual entourage, wearing way too much perfume and pretending to care about the game.

“Of course she’s here,” Emily muttered. “Anything to be near attention.”

Harper snorted. “She probably doesn’t even know what sport they’re playing.”

They found seats near the middle row, close enough to see the field but far from the rowdy crowd near the front.

“I brought snacks,” Harper whispered, pulling out a small bag of chips and a bottle of soda from her bag.

Emily grinned. “You really came prepared for a *boring match*.”

“Hey, we’ve got to survive somehow

Emily was discussing some things with harper but she was barely listening. Her eyes were fixed on the field, and more specifically—on *him*.

There he was. Damon.

Tall, athletic, focused.

His dark curls were slightly messy, sweat already glistening on his brow as he jogged across the pitch in warm-up drills. Harper had liked him for as long as Emily could remember. Not that Harper ever admitted it with her whole chest—but Emily knew. It was in the way Harper went quiet whenever Damon passed by in the hall, or how she randomly brought him up in conversations, acting like she didn’t care when she clearly did.

And now, Harper looked completely enchanted.Emily laughed, clapping along, watching her best friend glow with happiness. Damon was swarmed by teammates, lifted on their shoulders in celebration.

And Harper? She couldn’t stop smiling.

“You know,” Emily said, nudging her. “If you like him *that* much, maybe you should just tell him.”

Harper turned pink. “What? No. I mean—I just… admire his skill.”

“Right. His *skill*,” Emily said teasingly.

Harper bit her lip, then sighed, eyes still locked on Damon. “Okay. Maybe I *do* still like him.”

Emily smirked. “Still? You never *stopped*.”

They both laughed, lost in the cheers and noise of the crowd, as the sun dipped behind the stadium light.

“You’re staring,” Emily whispered.

“Shut up,” Harper mumbled, not even breaking her gaze. “I’m just… appreciating the game.”

“Sure you are,” Emily said with a grin.

The whistle blew. The match began.

Damon took his position as midfielder, sharp and composed. Every time he touched the ball, the crowd reacted. He was easily the best player on the field—and Harper noticed every detail.

“Did you see that pass?” she whispered excitedly.

Emily chuckled. “Yes. I have eyes.”

“He’s gotten better… like, *way* better.”

“You’ve been tracking his stats now?”

Harper shoved her playfully, blushing. “Shut up.”

The match was intense. Both teams were aggressive, and the score stayed tied 1–1 deep into the second half. Harper barely blinked, completely absorbed. Her fingers gripped the edge of the bench, and every time Damon moved toward the goal, her breath caught.

Then, with less than a minute to go, Damon broke away.

He sprinted past one defender, then another, and with the last bit of energy, launched the ball into the air.

Time slowed.

The crowd stood.

The ball curved—beautifully—and hit the back of the net.

GOAL.

The crowd exploded. Screams, cheers, chants—chaos.

Harper leaped to her feet, yelling louder than anyone. “YES! OH MY GOD.

The game continued and obviously the darkness match ended in triumph, and the crowd slowly began to thin out. Students poured off the bleachers, still buzzing about Damon’s last-minute goal. The sky was turning a deep amber, and the field was now quiet—just a few players chatting, some staff packing up gear, and Damon still on the pitch, towel slung over his neck.

Harper stood near the edge of the field, chewing on her bottom lip, clearly battling her nerves.

Emily was beside her, arms crossed, watching her friend fidget. “You’ve come this far,” she said gently. “Now’s your chance.”,Emily said nonchalantly

Harper hesitated. “What if I say something stupid? What if he laughs?”

“He *won’t*, Harper. Just talk to him,” Emily encouraged. “You’ve liked him for ages. Don’t let the moment pass again.”

Harper sighed deeply, then gave a shaky nod. “Okay. I’m doing this.”mm

Emily smiled. “I’ll be right here.”

With that, Harper took a deep breath and walked toward Damon, her heart thudding in her chest. She approached slowly, rehearsing the words in her head—but nothing could have prepared her for what was about to come.

“Hey,” she said, her voice soft.

Damon turned, his face lighting up with recognition. “Oh hey! Harper, right?”