PLAYER ✩ Hailee Steinfeld (G!P)

1

{CHAPTER ONE - ASHES OF ROSES}
- small mentions of self harm -

HER LONG BLACK SOCKS COVERED HER SHINS, HER BASEBALL CAP HID HER MESSY HAIR, AND HER JERSEY FELT TIGHT AGAINST HER SWEATY BODY. Hailee could feel the sweat dripping down from her brow, her breath was shallow but there. She scanned the field: the catcher crouched down behind the batter, the bases were loaded and it was the ninth inning. Her hand juggled the ball behind her back, her eyes were focused on the bat. With the final seconds counting down in her head - Hailee reached up and in a quick motion, the ball rapidly glided past the batter's face, her swing too late too hit the ball - resolving in the win for Hailee's team.

"Good practice, girls!" Coach Reynolds blew his whistle with a proud smirk on his face as he glanced at their batter. "Might wanna step your game up, Flo." He suggested and the short-haired blonde took it into consideration. "Hailee, good arm as always, faster this time too. Oh, and Anna, I really need you to be faster when you're running from base to base. Don't be afraid to slide!" He directed, giving out his usual advice after each practice so each player got better. "And that's a wrap! To the locker room girls!"

Hailee met up with Flo, the two walking side by side in a comfortable silence as they reached the locker room. They walked inside and each girl began to talk to each other: they either traded advice or gossiped about the boys/girls around campus. Hailee usually partook in these silly convos but today she was not feeling it. Florence was obviously the only one to notice when Hailee is more quieter than usual. "You good, Steinfeld?" The blonde quickly checked in, her comforting hand resting just above Hailee's shoulder blade.

The brunette glanced at her, a short nod being sent her best friend's way. "I'm good. Just tired and ready to take a nap after studying." Hailee shrugged and just like that, she managed to shift the conversation to another, keeping her off the spotlight and Flo's worry radar.

"Me too, honestly." The blonde chuckled which made Hailee force a small smile. "There's a California Pizza Kitchen just a couple blocks away, wanna join me and a couple girls tomorrow?"

Hailee thought about it for a moment. "I can't tell for sure but I'll give you answer tomorrow." She nodded confidently which Flo was happy about nonetheless.

"Great. Get some rest, Haiz." With one last shoulder pat, Florence made her way out the locker room with Anna by her side. Hailee sighed as she rolled her shoulders back - her eyes shut for a millisecond before she snatched her duffel bag from the blue bench with gold highlights and shuffled her way out of the locker room.

The stadium lights cowered over Hailee as she walked through the field to get to her dorm room - it was the only light source around and they always shut off an hour after each practice. When Hailee reached her dorm, she entered and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She threw her keys in a small, ceramic glass that was made of marble. Her roommate, Billie, looked up at her from the Chinese food she was eating. "Sup, Steinfeld." She gave the older girl a nod, receiving a lazy wave in return.

Billie didn't further question anything as Hailee disappeared into her room. Because of how the dorms were built, Hailee's parents and Billie's parents made sure they got the best of the best room - that they happened to share together - where it allowed them to have separate rooms and a small kitchen and bathroom to share. The main room was mostly used for their storage and for a futon that Hailee brought in their first day of meeting each other. Hailee and Billie were an odd couple of friends: a duo no one expected, but a powerful one at that. Billie was captain of the basketball team while Hailee was captain of her baseball team - the two of them would run drills together or hit the gym together - they soon became a team that no one dared to mess with. That came in handy when it came down to Billie getting high off of weed and no one was brave enough to snitch on her and get her kicked out.