𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖 - spencer hastings

- 𝐨𝐧𝐞

ᵉᵖⁱˢᵒᵈᵉ ᵒⁿᵉ

BREATHING HEAVILY, KAI WINTERS WIPED the sweat from her forehead fiercely, sprinting towards the ball. Her feet moved like lightning and her technique was beyond extraordinary, as she tackled the ball and claimed her victory. She was quick to run with it, sliding it between her two feet, whilst dodging the girls from the other team. Within a moment, she was in line with the goal. She took a step back to breathe, then kicked it with all her strength. She watched the goalie try and save it, but Kai was too fast, scoring her team the final goal.

Everyone cheered, running towards her and clapping her on the back. It was the last game of the tournament, and Kai had successfully scored over 26 goals in their season, the most out of any other girls competing. There was a reason she was team captain, after all.

"We did it! We won!" one of her team mates screamed with a bright smile.

Kai nodded, her breathing rough after running around for the last ninety minutes. She sighed, bending down and holding her knees. "We won," she said, grinning.

While most teenagers spend their summer either working part time jobs or getting wasted on abandoned property, this was how Kai spent hers. Soccer was her life, her main source of happiness. Her only friends were her team members, and her only achievements came from this sport. She knew she'd have to go back to school tomorrow, but for now she could take this win.

Announcers spoke loudly on the stage and the crowds of parents and friends cheered wildly for the winning team: the Rosewood Blues. Kai and her team sat down at the front of the bleachers, raising their tournament trophy in the air proudly. Her blonde hair was greasy with sweat and tied back into a scalp plait; her face hot and her body exhausted. But nothing could bring her mood down now. She won.

"one year ago today, our town took a major loss..."

As the announcer continued speaking, Kai's face went flat. She knew what he was talking about, who he was referring to. Alison. She'd been missing for an entire year today.

Curiously, she turned to glance at the crowd behind her, searching for any classmates of hers, who knew Alison as well as she once did.

There was Lucas Gottesman, who was hired by the venue to take photographs of the girls. Kai smiled at him when he caught her looking, but she knew he wasn't very fond of her. After all, Alison did torture him in her final year here.

Then, amongst a crowd of people, there was Mona Vanderaal and Hanna Marin, who were probably just there to obsess over the male coaches. Hanna had changed a lot over the year, after losing all the weight and gaining popularity. She seemed a lot happier. Without Alison in her life, there was nobody to pick at her appearance. That must've been good for her. Kai had spoke to her a few times at parties they'd both been invited to through mutual friends, but they weren't close or anything. Not like they used to be.