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I knocked on the door and Evan opened it, grinning. “Our girl is here!” he called into the locker room. “Don’t worry, we’re all dressed.”

I blushed, that had been what I was worrying about
, was it written so plainly on my face?
“Coach told me to come for the pre-game speech.”

“You should’ve run the other way,” Brody said as he made room for me to sit down.

“Are they that bad?” I asked.

“Yeah,” all the boys chorused.

Well then.

“Is princess here?” Coach called from his office.

“The she-wolf has arrived!” Evan yelled back.

Coach emerged from his office and stood in front of us.

Oh God, he had the short shorts on again.

“I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth,” I said to no one in particular.

“Me too,” Cam said.

Coach smacked his hands together, completely unaware of his nausea inducing shorts.

“I want ya’ll to go out there and show that team what we’re made of! Show them that we’re not a bunch of pansies! We are Warriors!”

“Warriors!” The guys’ fist bumped the air and I joined in with much less enthusiasm.

“And this year we have a secret weapon! The she-wolf!” he pointed to me.

“Oh God, kill me now,” I whispered under my breath.

The boys began to howl.

The other guys had reluctantly accepted me as part of the team. They no longer gave me dirty looks but there was a particular iciness radiating from them. That was fine with me.

“We’re
gonna
win this year,” Coach rubbed his hands together, “I can feel it.” There was a bit of a manic gleam to his eye. “Win! Win! Win!” He fist bumped the air. “I want to
win
,” he said.

My eyes widened and I looked at Evan. He shrugged. “Normally it’s worse.”

“Now let’s get out there and show those pussies what real men are made of!” Coach pointed to his shirt.

“Red and black! Red and black! Red and black!” We all chanted.

The boys filed out of the locker room but Coach held me back, grabbing me by my jersey top. I eyed his hand and he let go. I smoothed out the red and black mesh material.

“Ready princess?” he asked.

“I’ve been ready.”

“Good,” he put his hands on his hips.

“Can I… uh… go now?” I pointed to the door.

“Yeah, course princess.” I was pushing the door open when he said, “I’m really sorry about the way I acted at tryouts. You deserve to be on this team.”

“Thanks Coach,” I said.

*
* *

I was nervous. So nervous, and I didn’t even know why. I was wiping my sweaty palms on mesh shorts when Shane walked up to me.

“Don’t be nervous she-wolf,” he clapped me on the back. “You’re going to ro
ck this.”

As if to back up his words a chorus of, “She will, she will, rock you!” I turned to see my pack, Gram, and Amy in the stands. Bryce had obviously been the culprit to start the chant. His face was painted with our team colors, red and black.

“Do I look that nervous?” I asked him.

“You look like you’re going to throw up.”

“
Great
.”

He chuckled and sat down on the bleachers. There was a sizable enough crowd but nothing compared to football nights. This town made a big deal out of football games.

Before I knew what was happening the game was starting. A guy from the other team looked me over. “But you’re a girl,” he yelled and looked over at his coach. “She’s a girl!”

Bryce stood up in the stands. “No dip dumb shit! Of course she’s a girl! She has boobies and
a
-” Caeden tackled Bryce before anything else could slip out of his mouth.

“Just play the game!” the other team’s coach yelled back.

The boy in front of me looked me up and down. “I can’t believe they let you on the boy’s team. Do you even know what a soccer ball looks like?”

“Apparently you don’t,” I said as the soccer ball flew in his
direction from one of his team
mates.

“Huh?” he said but it was too late, I had control of the ball.

I ran down the field, I could hear howls and chants of ‘she-wolf’, but it didn’t faze me, not when I was in the zone.

The goalie seemed confused to see me so I used that advantage and sent the ball soaring straight into the net.

“Goal!”

My team ran to me. “Guys it’s just one point,” I said.

Evan stopped in front of me. “Who cares? That was fucking awesome! Did you see that dude’s face?”

I ignored them and stole the ball from one of the other team’s players, who was almost to our goal.

“I don’t think so bud,” I said as I swiped it out from under him.

“She-wolf! She-wolf! She-wolf!” the people in the bleachers chanted.

“Goal!” someone called.

Before I knew it, the game was over. I didn’t need to look at the scoreboard. I was well aware of the outcome.

“We won!” Coach screamed, throwing his arms out. “We won! Oh my God we won!” He took his baseball cap off and threw it on the ground before jumping up and down like an ecstatic
five year old
girl. “Yes! We won! In your face Franklin! In.
Your.
Face.” He pointed at the other team’s coach.

Evan bumped me with his shoulder. “You were incredible, she-wolf. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

I smiled. “That was so much fun!”

Evan laughed. “Most fun we’ve had on the field in a long time.”

“I’m glad I could be a part of it.”

Brody jogged over. “Hey Sophie, are you going to come get pizza with us?”

“Pizza?”

“Yeah,” he said, “the team always goes out for pizza after a game. Did no one invite you?”

“I was getting to it,” Evan bit out.

I laughed. “I’d love to come. Is it okay if my friends come too?” I pointed to the stands.

“Of course,” Kyle
came up to us, rubbing a towel over his sweat-drenched face. “Friends, family, the more the merrier,” he grinned.

“Great,” I smiled, “Let me go tell them.”

I ran up to the bleachers and into Caeden’s waiting arms.

“Babe, you were great,” he said and kissed me. “Absolutely fantastic.”

“And
covered in sweat,” Bryce said, giving me an icky face.

I turned towards Caeden’s younger brother, “That’s what the showers in the locker room are for.
Water comes out and then you’re clean.
”

“I always wondered what those nozzle things were
for
,” Bryce grinned.
“Showering? Who would’ve ever guessed?”

“I’ll meet you in the parking lot?” I asked Caeden.

“I’ll be in the Jeep.”

I waved over my shoulder to the others before running back onto the field.

Riley caught me in his arms when I reached the field and threw me over his shoulders.

“Put me down,” I giggled, beating his back.

“No can do, she-wolf,” he said.

“Help me!” I implored
Brody and Evan.

They just laughed.

Riley carried me into the school and didn’t let me go until we reached the girls locker room. “I hate you,” I stuck my tongue out him.

He laughed. “No you don’t, s
he-wolf.”

He sauntered off towards the boy’s locker rooms. Shaking my head I pushed the door open.

The girl’s locker room was nothing special. Gray floor tiles and cement walls. At least it didn’t smell too bad.

I showered and piled my wet hair on top of my head, securing it with a ponytail holder and a couple of bobby pins. I had brought a pair of shorts and plain t-shirt to change into. Nothing fancy since I thought I’d be going home right after the game. I dropped my dirty jersey and shorts into my duffel bag and then tossed it over my shoulder.

I jumped back three steps when I opened the door.

“Caeden!” I put my hand to my heart. “You scared the crap out of me. I thought you were waiting in the parking lot.”

“Sorry,” he pulled away from the wall, where he was leaning, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine,” I said as my heart began to slow to its normal pace.

He took my hand and we headed out the side entrance.

“Why aren’t you waiting in the car?” I asked, a bit confused.

Caeden scratched the back of his head and I knew he was purposefully stalling for time.
“No particular reason.” He pushed the door open and we greeted by the cool night air. He scanned the parking lot before leading me to his Jeep. “That game was epic by the way,” he grinned. “You were incredible.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I had so much fun out there. I felt-”

“Normal?” he smiled again and I knew he was trying to sidetrack me from my previous questioning. I’d just let him think he succeeded and then I’d hit him with it again later. He was just being far to weird.

“Yeah,” I shrugged.
“It’s nice to pretend to be normal. Even if it is only for a little bit.”

* * *

Ledo’s
pizza was crowded between my teammates and my pack.

It was a cozy place with golden walls and brown leather booths.

Caeden and slid into two empty seat between Bryce and Evan. Evan clapped me on the back and said, “
Boys! Our
she-wolf is here!” And then they all howled in the middle of the restaurant making strangers look at me funny. I bowed my head and blushed, praying for them to stop.
Why, oh why, did Caeden have to suggest that nickname? I think I’d prefer Sassy Sophie.

“We already ordered the pizzas,” Bryce said.