Let's Pretend It's Love

Hair plastered to her face by the rain and wind, Emma jogged across campus towards the football pitch. She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and sighed as it hit her: I forgot my lucky hair ties. Rummaging through her football bag as she weaved through scads of people, she finally closed her hand around her phone and quickly began scrolling through her contacts. She settled on Elise, the only one of her sisters she knew would definitely be awake at this hour on a Sunday morning.

“Hello?” Elise answered on the second to last ring. “Em? Aren't you at the pitch?”

“Going now,” Emma replied breathlessly. “I forgot my lucky hair ties. You're coming to the match right? Can you grab them and bring them down early?”

Elise chuckled. “Yeah, of course, they're the bright blue ones, right?”

The blonde nodded before realizing her friend couldn't see her. “Yes! They're right with my earrings. Thanks so much Lis, I owe you.”

“No problem, see you in a few.”

Emma clicked off her phone and dropped it back into her bag. She gave a little sigh as she reached the pitch, slowing her pace to a walk as she made her way to the locker room. There were few signs of life as she walked through the area, observing that the snack bar runners hadn't yet arrived and neither had the ticket booth workers. It was still early; an hour and a half 'til match time but with it being the varsity girls football team against the varsity boys, Emma was a little surprised.

Once in the locker room she relished in the warmth and smiled at her teammates before heading to her locker. Quickly peeling out of her clothes, Emma slipped into the black shorts and blue shirt with her last name and the number fourteen on the back. Just as she finished putting on her shin pads, socks and cleats her phone vibrated with a text from Elise.

I'm right outside was all it said.

“Be right back,” Emma muttered to her teammates as she stood up and headed for the door.

The cold gust that hit her when she pulled open the door sent a shiver racing down her spine. Elise was standing just outside like she said, her arms wrapped around herself.

“Lis! Oh my gosh, thank you so much,” Emma said as she pulled the girl into a tight hug.

“You should see the crowd out there,” Elise laughed as she handed over the bright blue hair ties. “There are so many people already. It's impressive.”

“Ivy?” Emma asked, knowing that it might be a little bit of a stretch for her roommate to make it to the match. They were playing the varsity boys and after her night with Louis she may not want to see him. “The others?”

“I think Rhianne was meeting Liam and they were going to come down together and I'm saving seats for Ivy and Lola. Everyone will be here, don't worry,” Elise chuckled as she wrapped her friend in another hug. “Good luck. I'll see you after.”

Emma nodded before heading back into the locker room. Dropping onto the bench in front of her locker, she quickly pulled a top section into a french braid before tying the rest together into a messy bun. Coach Erin entered the room as she was putting the finishing touches on her hair.

“Alright ladies,” the graying woman yelled over the dull hum of noise. “I know this match doesn't count for anything but I still expect you to play your best out there. We're going with Kate and Emma at striker, Beth, Olive, Sarah and Abby at mid, Jess, Christine, Meg and Cara on D and Alex is in goal. Let's go out there and show those boys who the fairer sex is!”

Cheers erupted through the locker room as the girls stood up and headed to the door and into the hallway between the two locker rooms. The girls team lined up by number on the right, each putting their hands on the shoulders of the girl in front of them while they waited for the referee to come by for checks.

The boys joined them a moment later, hooting and hollering like they were twelve, not eighteen and older. Emma glanced at their line, her eyes passing over the infamous Louis that she'd heard far too much about from Ivy before settling on the guy behind him. He was familiar, tall, dark and handsome with a peculiar blonde streak in his hair. The boy turned, his gaze easily finding Emma's. A slow blush worked its way to the girl's cheeks as the boy grinned.

The blonde quickly snapped her attention back to the head of the girl in front of her as her skin burned with embarrassment. Emma waited patiently as the ref first checked all of the boys' cleats and shin pads before coming over to assess the girls. She turned her head side to side to show that she wasn't wearing earrings and quickly lifted her feet when it was her turn.

“Ladies and gentleman,” the referee said once he was done with checks and standing back at the head of both lines, “I want a nice clean match. No slide tackling in this one and don't forget to have fun!”

Everyone nodded their agreement and the two coaches shook hands before leading their respective teams out onto the pitch. Emma smiled as the crowd cheered for the teams, her eyes scanning the rows upon rows of people for her friends. When they finally settled on the girls, she reached up at waved at Rhianne, Lola, Ivy and Elise. The four girls waved back but Ivy stopped abruptly and a scowl replaced the smile that had just been gracing her face. Turning, she noticed Louis was blowing her kisses rather cheekily.

Chuckling to herself, Emma turned to focus on the flag before God Save The Queen started to play. As the finishing bars of the song hit the air, she jumped up and down, bending her knees to get the blood flowing. After the coin toss both teams set up on the pitch and play began.

Emma let out a content sigh as she chased the ball into the boys' end of the pitch. This was where she truly felt at home. She loved the feel of the ball leaving her foot and sailing into the net, loved the camaraderie that came with being on a team and she really loved winning. Despite being quiet and sweet, she had a competitive streak a mile wide and football was her thing, it was where she really got to shine.

The first half ended without incident. It was tied, 0-0, with a fair handful of chances for both teams. The girls filed into their locker room and hydrated as Coach Erin talked about missed opportunities and exploiting weaknesses. Emma only half listened to the coach as Megan, one of the defensive players sidled up to her.

“You're faster than all of their defense combined,” she said, “just get behind the mids and I'll get you the ball so we can win.”

Emma nodded her agreement and turned back to the coach. She thought about running ahead, about getting past the strikers and mids and receiving the perfect pass so should could put it in the top right corner of the net.

Megan clapped her on the shoulder and laughed as the smaller girl jumped. “Think about the glory after it happens, yeah?” She said as she pulled Emma from her seat to head back out to the pitch.

The match started back up with a renewed energy. Neither the boys nor the girls wanted to concede the match and halfway through the second half the boys were looking like they wouldn't have to. Louis managed to squeak through the midfield and put one just over Alex's head and into the back of the goal.

Emma groaned as all of the men and girlfriends of the boys on the team cheered. After the reset, Kate dropped the ball back to Abby and the girls started up the field. Emma cut across, switching sides with her other striker and called for the ball. Abby looked up and frowned before hesitantly passing the ball over. The only obstacle between Emma and the goal was now Mr. tall, dark, and handsome with the blonde streak. Feeling the frustration and embarrassment from earlier, the girl dribbled right up to him, a smile on her face.

“Hey,” she said in her best flirtatious tone, pulling the ball back with her right foot and moving it over to her left to avoid his defending. This was why she loved the pitch, she wasn't quiet, considerate Emma. She was fierce and great. After a moment of grinning at him, she pulled a spin move and guarded the ball with her back to him before taking it to the goal.

Looking top right all the way, she knew the goalie would read her shot so at the last second she passed across the goal to Kate who headed the ball into the open net. The girls embraced to the cheers of the crowd. As they jumped up and down in their hug, Emma noticed the boy with the blonde streak over her shoulder. He was watching her with a grin on his face. This time she didn't look away in embarrassment; she winked before jogging back to the girls' side of the field with her team.

The rest of the match moved along uneventfully until there was a minute left. Still tied and both sides unwilling to lose, Kate and Emma found themselves on a break away after a little give and go. Blonde streak had already been subbed out so the blonde girl didn't even think about pulling another ostentatious move before she shot the ball as she reached the box. The boys' goalie knocked it away but Kate was there for the rebound and she sent it sailing back into the net.

The girls cheered as time ran out and they ended up victorious. After celebrating together in the middle of the pitch the girls were forced into a handshake line with the boys. Emma laughed with her teammates at the end of the line until she first reached Louis. He closed his hand around hers and grinned.

“Emma,” he said, his voice full of mirth.

“Louis,” she shot back.

The boy chuckled as the line moved on and Emma found herself face to face with the boy with the blonde streak.

“Hey,” he said, mimicking her stunt on the field.

Emma nodded. “Yeah, sorry about that,” she said, her voice shy and quiet. She was suddenly embarrassed by what she did and her cheeks reflected that by turning a deeper pink.

“It's quite alright,” the boy laughed. “I'm Zayn. I think I've seen you in the library.”

Emma nodded. “I volunteer there sometimes,” she replied softly as she began moving again.

Zayn didn't let her get too far – his hand closed around hers. “Wait,” he said, his voice as equally soft. It was a wonder she could even hear him over the dull hum of noise surrounding the pitch. “What's your name?”

“It's Emma,” she said, her eyes moving up to meet his for the first time. He was grinning and she couldn't help but return it. After a long moment of staring, the boy nodded and broke their spell, taking his hand from hers.

“See you, Emma,” he said before shaking hands with the two girls behind her and disappearing.

As Emma finished the handshake line and headed back to the locker room she couldn't help but wonder what just happened. Did that stare mean anything? She wasn't too good with boys and signals so she couldn't wait to talk to one of the other girls to figure out what that moment meant, if it meant anything.