001 | the first meeting

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" you were the one that could finally fix me. "

- bad at love, halsey

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ALL I WANT IS YOU ᝰ.ᐟ

The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the grassy football pitch where a group of kids were scrambling to play. The air was filled with the sweet scent of freshly cut grass and the unmistakable hum of excited chatter. Among the players, a young Gianna Guiu was lacing up her cleats, her eyes scanning the field, trying to find her place among her older brother Marc and their friends.

She wasn't sure what she was doing there, not yet, but she knew one thing: football was in her blood. Even at a young age, Gianna felt the pull of the game, felt the excitement building in her chest as the other kids kicked the ball around.

"Gianna, come on!" Marc called to her from the sidelines. "We're playing! Get in the game!"

She nodded, quickly tying her laces and joining the group. It was the summer, the perfect time for kids to spend hours on the pitch, running, sweating, and, most importantly, having fun. Gianna looked over at Marc and saw his smile. He always had that confident, almost cocky smile, like he knew exactly what he was doing. It made her feel small in comparison, but she didn't mind. She admired him, after all.

She turned to Marc Bernal's twin sister, Cienna Bernal, who was standing nearby, holding the ball. Cienna was just as fiery as Marc, always ready to take on any challenge. She tossed the ball in the air and kicked it expertly towards Gianna, who instinctively ran to intercept.

The game was chaotic as always, with players darting all over the place. Gianna was trying to get the ball under control when she felt someone brush past her. Without warning, a football came flying straight at her head.

"Hey, watch it!" she yelled, turning just in time to see the culprit: Hector Fort.

Hector, the boy with the messy brown hair and mischievous grin, was already jogging toward her, looking completely unfazed. He had a reputation for being playful, always the one to push the boundaries, and right now, his grin was wide enough to tell her he thought the whole thing was hilarious.

"Sorry, Gianna," Hector said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Didn't see you there."

"You could've killed me!" she shot back, rubbing her forehead where the ball had hit her. She was trying to keep her composure, but the sting was still there.

"Aw, come on, you're tough," Hector said, winking at her. "Besides, you'll be fine. You've got the best header in the group."

Gianna frowned. She didn't like to admit it, but Hector was right. She had an uncanny ability to read the ball in the air and send it flying right back where she wanted. She was good at this game, better than most of the boys, but she wasn't about to let Hector know that. She shot him a glare and straightened her back.

"Next time, try aiming away from my face," she said.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Hector repeated, stepping closer as if to make sure she was okay. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of mischief and genuine concern.

She rolled her eyes, refusing to let him see that he'd gotten to her. "Don't think I didn't see that. You did it on purpose."

Hector raised his hands in mock surrender, still smiling. "Maybe I did. But you've got to admit, that was a pretty good shot. I should be a professional."

"I don't think they'd let you play if you keep hitting people with the ball," Gianna retorted, but despite her words, she felt a warmth growing inside her. The tension from the accidental blow to her head was already starting to fade, replaced by the strange sense of camaraderie she felt with Hector. They were both too competitive to stay mad for long.

"Fine, fine," Hector said, shrugging. "Maybe I'll stick to passing from now on. But, hey, at least you know you can trust me to give you a good assist, right?"

Gianna snorted, shaking her head. "If you can get the ball past me without hitting me in the face."

"Deal," Hector agreed quickly. And just like that, they were back to the game, the playful banter already fading into the background as they joined their teammates.

That was how it all started, Gianna thought as she glanced back at Hector now, years later. From that moment on, Hector Fort and Gianna Guiu became inseparable. They were the ones who always paired up in training, who knew exactly what the other was thinking without speaking a word. They were best friends, bound by football, by shared moments of laughter, and sometimes, a little bit of pain, like the memory of that first hit.

And somehow, despite the fact that they'd known each other for years, it always felt like there was more to their friendship—more than either of them were willing to admit. But that was a story for another time.

For now, Gianna could only smile as she remembered how the most unlikely of friendships had begun, with a football to the head.