It was Saturday afternoon.

My feet ached, and my back was incredibly sweaty. I pulled my socks down my shin pads and took in the reek of an hour and a half of running, sprinting, and dribbling. I tossed the dirty pads and cleats into my gray Nike duffel bag, yanking out my black Birkenstock sandals.

The sun was out and the air was chilly, my absolute favourite type of weather. The turf was brilliant and I hadn't thought that, that would matter so much to me, but it did. I didn't need to pick dirt out of my cleats, or be overly annoyed if I fell and my white shirt became grass stained. The ground lay even, bringing out the best of my fluid run.

The coach was nice enough, he clapped me on the back multiple times and acknowledged my above average ability. "Not many new girls make the senior team," Coach Dana began, "and honestly I was a little skeptical at first, every parent thinks their child is a superstar." Joelle must have been a noise in his ear. "But Scout, thank goodness! These ladies haven't seen speed and aggression since Winters shattered her knee cap."

The girls had mumbled their agreement, to which I knew nothing about a Winters or how she shattered her knee cap. I took the compliment with a small head nod, and the slightest of grins.

The balls were gathered and the cones assembled. Dana waved off the girls that lingered on the field as he made his escape.

"Where did you play before?" A girl with reddish-brown hair plopped herself beside me, I recalled her name being Haleigh. She had a nice smile, large and friendly.

"You wouldn't know the team," was my immediate response. I noticed she looked taken aback, so I forced a big grin, thinking I'd better save the conversation. "I'm from Smithers."

Her brown eyes were round saucers. "They have soccer teams there?"

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked down to my bag, taking out a clean shirt. "Well, yeah." Slowly, I turned away to peel my sweaty shirt off, replacing it with a less sweaty one. I met her gaze again, still full of wonder. "It's one of the cheapest sports. They 'ought to have it."

That made her laugh. A delicate thing, her laugh was. She was very feminine, I noticed. Her legs were long and clean shaven, not a bruise or scar to be found. Her soccer attire was well fit, nothing too baggy and nothing too tight. Her red hair was drawn into a high ponytail, the length reaching the middle of her back, thick and full.

"Your name is Scout?" she prodded; uncertainty wrapped her question.

"Yep," I said.

"Last name Sattler?"

"Yep."

"Well, Scout Sattler, it's a pleasure to meet you." I also decided it was a pleasure to meet her. "My name is Haleigh Whent, I wonder if you've met my mother..." And then I saw it. The reddish hair, bubbly personality, a thirty to forty-year difference. "Donna?"

I laughed, "I've met her."

"Oh good! Might I say, your brother Jack just drives me insane!" She grabbed my shoulder. "Honestly, he is so good looking. Those hazel eyes, the smoldering stares. Now that I think of it, Joseph is well off too." Haleigh nudged my shoulder playfully. "I guess that's why you're so pretty, huh?"

She was so friendly. Too friendly. It made me nervous.

I stood up, adjusting my shorts while doing so. I brushed hair out of my face, the baby strands being particularly irritating. Haleigh jumped up with me, she was taller, just slightly though.

"Going back to the dorms?" I nodded 'yes' and began walking. "Do you like your roommate?" she asked, keeping pace.

"Uhhh, not particularly," I said, honest. "Do you know a girl named Sedona? I think that's it."

Haleigh grabbed my arm tightly. "Oh my," she groaned, "that's terrible! I feel awfully bad for you. That girl is a nightmare, I swear."

I couldn't help but smile. "Do you like yours?"

"Love her!" Haleigh gushed, "She was actually my roommate in grade ten as well, so I'm quite fond of her." The way she talked had me invested, though she didn't say anything truly interesting. Words fell off her tongue effortlessly, even when she was mean she sounded endearing.

The conversation flowed easily, to my surprise. I hadn't talked with anyone about nothing for awhile, let alone actually keep track of what was being said. We made it to the girls' dorm, Haleigh having had about five people stop her to see if she could hang out later.

"Which floor?" I decided to ask as we neared the elevators.

"Two," she said, still smiling for some unknown reason. I was disappointed, I was enjoying her endless one-way conversation. "How about you give me your number." She was quick to it, and gave me an iPhone before I knew what was happening.

I paused, debating. "I actually just switched numbers yesterday so I don't know my - " Haleigh already thought ahead, though. She held out her hand, and I could only guess that she wanted my phone instead. I gave it to her hesitantly.

A second seemed an eternity. "There," she was pleased with herself.

I was given my phone, and by that time, we were at the second floor.

"A pleasure, Scout!" She touched my shoulder. "I will message you tonight!"

"Okay," I nodded, then shook my head, "what?"

Haleigh gave one last glance and grin, and the doors closed.

The fifth floor appeared, and I trudged out of the lift with determination to rid myself of my wretched stink. I walked straight, my eyes on the ground, counting my steps. One, two, three...

I heard voices down the hall and braced myself for courtesy smiles with strangers. I looked up to see the blonde-haired Sedona, her thin frame leaning casually back on our door, her head was turned and extremely close to a boy with blond hair that I took for Brook. He leaned down to her, whispered something in her ear, and she returned the gesture with a slap to the shoulder. "Gross!" she cried, a smile snaking across her lips.

I groaned inwardly, and to my dismay, my soccer bad slid off my shoulder and landed with a thud. I quickly snatched it up and looked at Sedona, who was already staring at me with hard eyes. She said something to the boy who definitely was not Brook, I realized, as she dismissed him.

He grinned at her, and took swift strides passed me, mumbling an inaudible, "hey," before he made his way to the elevator.

"You're back?" Sedona frowned.

I glared at her. "I live here."

She eyed me up and down, before rolling her eyes and pushing her shoulder into me, heading in the same direction the boy went.