Welcome back to Kieran's journey, here's a quick recap, feel free to skip it:
After arriving at his new school, Kieran made fast friends with a few girls. Brooke, April, Harper, and Eliza. After doing their first group project, their teacher Ms. Smith, introduced a new project designed by the government: The Nudist Project. Since then Kieran has met Mia and Grace, as well as a prospective new friend Annie. At the end of the last chapter we learned that his stepmom Cate is struggling with her mental health and Kieran is wanting to try out for the school's football team. Prom is also coming up in a few weeks!
-------------------------------------------------
Kieran's alarm goes off before the sun is even up, that awful metallic buzz that always sounds way too confident for five-thirty in the morning. He lets it go for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling, trying to remember why he set it that early. Then it hits him. Tryouts.
He pushes himself out of bed, feet sinking into the carpet. The room is still dim, just a thin line of light from the street cutting across his wall. His phone buzzes on the nightstand. A reminder from Annie about tryouts, followed by a quick good luck text. He smiles a little, then tosses the phone onto the bed and stretches.
Downstairs, the house is silent. Cate is still asleep, and the only sound is the hum of the fridge in the kitchen. He pours a bowl of cereal and eats standing up, checking the time every couple of minutes. The place always feels a little too big in the mornings.
Outside, the air has that faint chill that comes right before sunrise. Kieran unlocks his yellow Mercedes and climbs in, tossing his bag onto the passenger seat. Music fills the car, low and steady, just enough to keep him awake.
The drive to school is quiet. Streets are mostly empty, and the sky fades from black to a dull gray-blue. By the time he turns into the parking lot, a few cars are already there. The field lights glow in the distance.
Kieran hoists his bag over his shoulder and jogs toward the field. The early fog drifts across the grass, and he notices a woman standing near the center. Even from a distance, she looks striking. Her brown hair is pulled into a braid that swings slightly as she shifts her weight, and her warm smile lights up her face. She carries herself with confidence and grace, every movement precise and athletic. It is clear instantly that she is the coach.
He walks up, a little nervous. "Hi, I'm Kieran," he says.
She looks up and studies him for a moment. "Kieran? I don't think you're on my list for tryouts. Who are you?"
"I just transferred here," he says. "I wanted to try out for the team."
She tilts her head and smiles. "Alright. We can always use more players. Come on, you can try out anyway."
Kieran nods, feeling a little relieved, and moves toward the sideline to wait for quarterback tryouts. Kieran sets his bag down on the sideline and stretches his shoulders, scanning the field. He feels confident. He was the star quarterback at his old school, and he knows how to handle drills under pressure.
Coach Maya claps her hands to get everyone's attention. Players turn toward her, shifting their weight and stretching. She begins calling names, checking them off her list as each player steps forward. "Dylan," she says, and a kid jogs to the center. "Marcus." Another steps up. "Jordan." She goes through several players, her voice crisp and steady.
Finally she calls, "Eli Carter."
A tall, confident kid jogs forward, chest out and shoulders squared. Kieran watches carefully as Eli executes the drill perfectly, making fast, accurate passes to the targets. His footwork is sharp and precise, each throw landing where it needs to.
Then Coach Maya calls, "Kieran."
Kieran jogs to the center with ease, spinning the ball in his hands. Focus takes over. He moves quickly through the drill, reading imaginary defenders, throwing with precision, and keeping his timing sharp. Each pass is calculated and accurate.
By the time he finishes, the other players are quiet, watching him. Eli clenches his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he watches Kieran finish. He forces a tight-lipped smile, but the flicker of irritation in his gaze doesn't go unnoticed. Coach Maya scribbles something on her clipboard and nods. "That was impressive," she says. "Very impressive."
Kieran allows himself a small smirk, feeling that familiar rush of confidence. He belongs here.
----
Kieran slouches in his seat, trying not to yawn as Ms. Smith drones on about the latest assignment. Her brown hair is neatly pulled back and her glasses that make her look smart and approachable, but no amount of charm or hot memories can make the lecture feel exciting this early in the day. His mind keeps drifting to thoughts of her naked, their bodies pressed together. But he pushes them away, knowing right now isn't the time. Kieran doodles on the edge of his notebook, half-listening and half-lost in his own thoughts.
As the class is ending Ms. Smith calls for attention. "I'm not feeling very well today and Grace had a conflict, so we'll be cancelling The Nudist Project session and resuming tomorrow, Tuesday. Have a nice rest of your day everyone."
Kieran is almost a little thankful, he himself not really feeling up for any cardio that day. He drives home in silence and turns on the TV, checking his phone from time to time waiting for a text or email about tryouts.
Kieran's phone buzzes on the couch, and he grins when he sees Annie's name on the notification.
"Hey, how did tryouts go today?" she texts.
"Pretty well, I think. Coach Maya seems intense but fair," he replies.
"That sounds promising. Do you think you have a shot at making the team?"
"I hope so. I did my best, but it's tough not knowing if it's enough," he types.
"Don't worry. You've got the skills. Just keep showing what you can do tomorrow," she answers.
"Yeah. I'll need to," he responds, smiling as he sets the phone down. He grabs the charger and plugs it in for the night, feeling a little more at ease before heading to bed.
-----------------
Kieran wakes up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through his blinds. He lies there for a moment, thinking about yesterday's tryouts and how hot Coach Maya looked in the middle of the field. Her confidence, her athleticism, the way she moved; it sticks in his mind, and he wonders, not for the first time, if there could ever be something more than just a coaching relationship between them.
He swings his legs over the side of the bed and heads downstairs. The kitchen smells faintly of coffee and toast. Cate is already at the table, quietly scrolling through her phone, a mug of coffee in front of her. She's wearing nothing but a pink fuzzy bathrobe. Kieran clearly sees her breasts as he passes by, choosing not to comment. Nothing he hasn't seen before, but still, hot nevertheless. He eats a bagel and then drives to school. He's earlier than most of the other players to the field so he walks up to Coach Maya.
She smiles at him kindly, "Hey Kieran, we'll get started shortly with the roster announcements once the other guys show up."
"Okay, cool. How long have you been coaching here?"
"Oh, I just started this year. There wasn't really much for me to do with my career after the Olympics, so I came back to my roots."
Kieran does a double take, "Olympics?!"
Maya laughs, the Lulu Lemon Quarter zip making her look great, "Yeah, silver medal in Tokyo in the 200m. I hurt my ankle a year after that and haven't really been the same. I'm fast, but I'm not as good as I was. And before you ask, yes, I played football in highschool so I know the game pretty well."
"That's awesome, you'll have to show me the medal some time."
She nods, smiling. She glances over at the sidelines and whistles for the students to huddle up.
"Alright, I'm sure you all have been worried about this, but I have the roster here." She pulls out a clip board. "Starting defense..." Kids celebrate as their names are called. "Offensive Line... Running backs... Wide outs... And lastly, starting at Quarterback, Eli Carter."
---------------
There's a pause as Eli and his friends erupt into congratulations. Kieran holds back his indignation and applauds silently, forcing a smile. Maya places a hand on Kieran's back, her touch soft.
"Why don't you come to my office and we'll discuss this." It's phrased as a statement and Kieran glances at her but she just smiles.
Kieran walks behind Maya, the khaki pants she's wearing tightly hugging her butt only improve his mood by a fraction. Maya's office is a separate building from the school, specifically for the football team. She walks past locker rooms and gym and to an ornate oak door at the end of the hall. Just more evidence of the wealthy parents who keep the school looking superb.
She sits behind a neat desk, looking expectantly at the chair in front of it. Kieran sits down and sets his backpack to the side.
She takes a deep breath. "You deserve it more than him. You're faster, better, stronger, more handsome." Her words trail off at the last bit, then she continues, "Anyway, you're wondering why I didn't choose you, right?"
Kieran rolls his eyes. "Yeah?"
"He's been here for two years now, and the team is behind him. After Alex graduated last year, you wouldn't know him, but he was a star. They're looking to Eli. Eli was just a backup, and I know he's not very good. But the rest of the team doesn't know that. They need to see just how much he doesn't deserve the role of starter, so that you can earn it. Got me?"
Kieran sits there stunned for a second. The plan is smart, and he grudgingly agrees it's the best course of action. The team would have no chemistry if he were to take over without a fight.
"Yeah, I got it," he says, sighing. "It just sucks."
Maya smiles. "I know. But in the meantime, we can do one-on-one coaching sessions to keep you up to date. Sound good?"
Kieran perks up, his heart racing a little. "Yeah, actually. I just can't have it conflict with my school project, the government one."
"Oh, yes. Ms. Smith was actually telling me about that. She skimmed over a lot of the details, but I'm sure it's very important. How about Thursday?"
"Yeah, Thursday should work."
"Good, good. I'll see you then, Kieran."
"Thanks, Coach!"
Kieran stands and grabs his backpack, walking out of the football facility with more confidence than before. He heads to class, feeling good about the day to come.