Fate's Playbook

Chapter 10 - Coincidence

"Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous." - Albert Einstein

Luca was disappointed as he ran to football practice at Grey College. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he had missed an opportunity to get to know Nora better. She was intriguing to him, unlike any other girl he had met before. But he knew that he couldn't force his way into her life if she wasn't interested. He was not your average jock, and he understood that no means no. So, he shook off his disappointment and focused on making it to practice on time.

As he sprinted across the campus, he replayed the scene with Nora in his head. He couldn't believe that he had let his clumsiness get the better of him. He wondered if he had hurt her badly and if he would ever get a chance to apologize to her.

When he finally made it to the football field, he was out of breath and his heart was racing. Coach gave him a stern look and asked him why he was late. "I accidentally threw someone in the face with a football and just took her to the infirmary," Luca explained, hoping that Coach would understand.

Coach's expression softened and he asked, "Is the girl okay?"

Luca nodded, relieved that Coach wasn't angry with him. "Yes, I think so. I made sure she got to the infirmary safely and I apologized to her."

Coach nodded, "Good. You know how important it is to be responsible and accountable for your actions, especially when it comes to the safety of others."

Luca nodded in agreement and ran over to join his teammates. He saw his long-time best friends: William, Stefan, and Noah, and walked over to them. He told them in more detail what had happened when he accidentally threw the football at Nora.

"Did you say Nora?" asked William, his eyes wide with surprise.

Luca nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Nora is my new friend that I was telling you guys about," William replied.

Luca raised his eyebrows, "Really? That's a coincidence."

William nodded, "Yeah, I met her in the library a few days ago. We started talking about books, and we hit it off. She's really smart and interesting."

Luca felt a pang of jealousy, but he tried to hide it. He didn't want to seem possessive or territorial. "That's cool," he said, trying to sound casual. "What kind of books does she like?"

William shrugged, "A bit of everything, I think. She mentioned that she was reading To Kill a Mockingbird the other day."

Luca's eyes widened, "That's one of my favorite books! I didn't know she was into that kind of stuff."

William chuckled, "You never know, man. People surprise you sometimes."

Luca felt a pang of excitement at the mention of Nora's name. He had only met her briefly, but there was something about her that captivated him. The fact that she was William's new friend and had been sitting under a tree, lost in a book, only added to her intrigue. Now, with the knowledge that Nora and her friend Lily would be attending the upcoming football game, Luca felt like he had a chance to make things right and maybe even get to know Nora better.

"I'll definitely try to talk to her and apologize," Luca said to William. "Thanks for letting me know they'll be there. Maybe we can all hang out after the game?"

William nodded eagerly. "That sounds great."

Luca grinned.

With a renewed sense of motivation, Luca threw himself into football practice. He ran drills, practiced his passes, and tackled his teammates with renewed vigor. Even the coach seemed to notice his newfound energy and complimented him on his performance.

Luca nodded, deep in thought. He wondered if he and Nora had more in common than he realized. He wondered if he had misjudged her based on her quiet demeanor and love for books.

As they continued to chat, Luca made a decision. He was going to apologize to Nora again and see if she wanted to hang out sometime. He didn't know if she would be interested, but he had to try. He didn't want to live with regret or wonder what could have been.

As he walked back to his dorm, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. He had wanted to make things right with Nora, to show her that he was more than just a jock.