Chapter Text
It was Lucy Tara's first day at college, and as she walked across the campus, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. The sun was shining, and the campus was buzzing with students rushing to their classes, some new, some seasoned veterans, all trying to figure out their place in the sprawling new environment. As she walked through the busy quad, Lucy couldn’t help but notice the bustling energy of everything around her.
She had always been a bit nervous about starting something new, but this was different. College. A fresh start. Her new chapter. She had been a standout soccer player in high school, but she knew she had to prove herself here.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the building for her first class. Walking through the hallway, she glanced at the bulletin board and saw a flyer about the school’s soccer team tryouts. She smiled to herself, knowing that this was her chance. But as she passed the bulletin board, she noticed a group of seniors chatting, laughing loudly. One of them stood out, and it wasn’t just her striking features. It was the way everyone seemed to defer to her. She was Kate Whistler, the star player of the soccer team.
Kate was surrounded by her friends, and her girlfriend, Cara Anderson, was with her, her hand resting casually on Kate’s shoulder. Lucy couldn't help but feel intimidated. Cara, a senior, had a reputation for being one of the toughest – and most feared – students on campus, known for bullying new students.
"Hey, Lucy!" A voice called out, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Lucy turned to see Kai Holman, a friendly face she had met during orientation.
"Hey, Kai!" she smiled, relieved to see a familiar face.
Kai grinned, waving as he walked up to her. "You alright? First day jitters?"
"You could say that." Lucy chuckled, adjusting the strap on her backpack. "I’m just a little nervous about the soccer team tryouts. I haven’t played in a while."
Kai nodded understandingly. "Trust me, you’ll do great. I’ve heard you were pretty good back in high school."
"Thanks, Kai." Lucy gave him a shy smile.
Kai led her to her first class, and as they walked, they chatted more about soccer and college life. He mentioned that Ernie Malik, the soccer coach, was strict but fair, and that the team was a lot of fun. He also casually mentioned Kate Whistler again, and Lucy’s curiosity peaked.
"Kate is the best player on the team, hands down," Kai said. "And her girlfriend, Cara, is the team’s captain. They’ve been together for years."
Lucy’s thoughts drifted back to that brief moment in the hallway, her eyes briefly landing on the couple as they disappeared into the crowd. Kate Whistler. She was everything Lucy aspired to be on the field—confident, talented, and respected by everyone. Cara Anderson, though? Not so much.
Later that day, Lucy walked into her first soccer practice. The field was large, and the scent of fresh grass filled the air as she laced up her cleats. It felt like home.
Ernie Malik, the coach, called the team together. His voice was commanding yet friendly, his eyes scanning the new faces. "Alright, welcome to the team! We’ll start with some drills. Get to know each other and show me what you’ve got."
As they warmed up, Lucy couldn’t help but notice Kate on the far side of the field, effortlessly dominating the drills. Her movements were smooth, precise. And there was Cara, standing nearby, watching Kate with a proud smile on her face.
Kate’s eyes met Lucy’s for a moment, and there was something in the way she looked at her—measuring, assessing, but also acknowledging her presence. Lucy couldn’t help but feel a sense of competition building inside her. She had to prove herself. She was ready to show them who she was.
After the drills, it was time for a scrimmage. The competitive energy was palpable, but as the teams were divided, Lucy was placed on the opposite team from Kate and Cara. As they lined up, Ernie blew his whistle, and the game began.
Kate, being the star player, quickly took charge, showing off her agility and leadership. But Lucy wasn’t intimidated. She had always been competitive, always had a fire inside her. She was quick on her feet, matching Kate’s energy, and even getting a few good passes in.
The game ended with Lucy’s team winning, and while she felt accomplished, she couldn’t ignore the lingering presence of Kate’s eyes on her throughout the match.
After the game, as everyone gathered their things, Ernie pulled Lucy aside.
"Hey, good job out there," he said, smiling warmly. "You’ve got potential. I can see it."
"Thanks, Coach," Lucy replied, a little taken aback by the praise.
Ernie grinned. "Just keep it up, and you’ll be on the team for sure."
As Lucy made her way off the field, she couldn’t help but spot Kate again. This time, Kate approached her, her usual confidence still intact but with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"You were good out there," Kate said, her tone neutral but observant. "I’ll be watching."
Before Lucy could respond, Cara appeared at Kate’s side, giving Lucy a cold stare. "Better watch your back, Tara," she muttered, her tone dripping with malice.
Lucy, feeling the weight of Cara’s warning, stood her ground. "I’ll be fine."
As she walked off the field, she found herself more determined than ever. This was only the beginning of her journey at college. And while there was tension in the air, especially with Cara, Lucy was ready to prove that she belonged here. No matter what it took.
The next day, during the interval between classes, Lucy was heading to the cafeteria, her mind still buzzing from the previous day’s practice. She was feeling a little more confident, having received praise from Coach Ernie, but the tension with Cara lingered in the back of her mind.
As she made her way across the quad, she was stopped by a voice calling her name.
"Hey, Lucy!" Cara’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
Lucy turned, already knowing who it was before she even saw her. Cara, with her usual confident smirk, was standing with a girl Lucy hadn’t seen before—tall, with a tough-looking demeanor. The girl had an almost intimidating air about her, as if she was just waiting for something to happen.
"Yeah?" Lucy responded, trying to stay calm.
Cara stepped closer, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So, you think you can just come onto this campus and get away with not showing respect to seniors, huh?"
Lucy blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"
The other girl—whose name Lucy now noticed was Jasmine—crossed her arms and looked Lucy up and down. "You know, being disrespectful. Acting like you’re too good to follow the rules here."
Lucy shook her head, confusion mixing with annoyance. "I haven’t done anything like that."
Cara smirked, stepping forward. "Oh, but we heard some things. People are talking, and we don’t like it when new students come in thinking they can just walk over everyone else."
The tension in the air thickened, and Lucy could feel the weight of their eyes on her. Cara had a way of making everything feel like an accusation, even when it wasn’t clear what exactly she was accusing Lucy of.
"You’re a soccer player, right?" Cara continued, her voice dripping with a false sweetness. "How about you prove your worth?"
Jasmine stepped in, her tone no less harsh. "Yeah. We’ve got a little task for you, Lucy. Something that’ll show us if you’re really ready to be here."
Lucy tried to keep her posture steady. "I’m not here to play games, Cara."
Cara laughed softly, her smirk widening. "Oh, we’re not playing games, Tara. We’re just making sure you know your place." She flicked her wrist, signaling Jasmine to step forward.
Jasmine handed Lucy a piece of paper, a list of seemingly random instructions. "You’ve got until the end of the day. Get it done, and we’ll let you slide. Don’t, and... well, you’ll see."
Lucy glanced at the paper, her heart sinking. It was a set of increasingly strange and humiliating tasks—things like delivering coffee to random students, running errands, and worse, making her perform a silly stunt in front of the campus crowd. It was all designed to make her look foolish, to remind her that she wasn’t a senior and didn’t have the right to step out of line.
"I don’t do that kind of stuff," Lucy replied, her voice firm but her pulse quickening. "I’m here to learn, not to be anyone’s punching bag."
Cara’s expression darkened. "You’ll learn quickly, won’t you?" she said, stepping even closer. "You’ve got 24 hours, Lucy. Don’t make this harder on yourself."
Jasmine added, her tone mocking, "We’ll be watching."
Lucy stood there, fists clenched at her sides, trying to keep her composure. She could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of their expectations, but something inside her refused to back down. This wasn’t high school, and she wasn’t going to let anyone push her around.
Without saying another word, she turned and walked away, the paper still clutched tightly in her hand. Her mind raced as she thought about what to do next. She couldn’t just let them walk all over her, but she also didn’t want to make things worse.
But then, just as she was about to head toward the cafeteria, she heard another voice. "Hey, Lucy! Wait up."
It was Kai, jogging up to her with a concerned look on his face.
"What happened? You look pissed."
Lucy didn’t even hesitate as she handed him the piece of paper. "Cara and her friend gave me this. They want me to do these ridiculous tasks by the end of the day, or else..."
Kai frowned as he read through the list, his jaw tightening. "That’s... messed up. You shouldn’t have to deal with this."
"I’m not going to let them walk all over me," Lucy said, her voice steady but filled with frustration. "I’ll figure something out."
Kai nodded. "Well, if you need help, let me know. You’re not alone in this."
Lucy smiled slightly, feeling a little relieved. "Thanks, Kai."
As she walked away, she felt a bit of the weight lift from her shoulders. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she wasn’t going to let Cara and Jasmine get the better of her. She had a team now. And no matter what they threw at her, she’d rise to the challenge.