Shooting star

Adeline's POV Slide into DM

After a long first day of school, Adeline was grateful to retreat to the comfort of her room, where Hadley was already sprawled on the bed, flipping through Tiktok. They had been inseparable since birth, and Hadley's bubbly presence was exactly what Adeline needed to unwind.

"Ugh, today was a lot," Adeline said, dropping her backpack on the floor and collapsing beside Hadley.

"Tell me about it," Hadley replied, not looking up from her Phone. "But hey, at least we survived. Plus, we've got soccer season to look forward to."

"Yeah," Adeline said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "There's that."

Hadley finally looked up, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "So, spill. What's got you so distracted today? I saw you talking to Beau Kennedy at lunch."

Adeline rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the small smile that crept onto her face. "It was nothing. She just wanted to talk about setting up a scrimmage between the basketball and soccer teams."

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Hadley exclaimed, sitting up with sudden interest. "Beau's really nice. This could be a great way to mix things up."

"Yeah," Adeline said, her mind drifting back to lunch. "She's different. Genuine, I guess."

Their conversation was interrupted by the buzzing of Adeline's phone. She glanced at the screen and saw an Instagram notification—Beau had sent her a direct message.

"Speak of the devil," Hadley said with a grin, noticing the notification. "What's she saying?"

Adeline opened the message, her heart beating a little faster.

Beau: Hey Sinclair  Got a minute to talk about the scrimmage? 

"She wants to talk about the scrimmage," Adeline said, reading the message out loud.

"Well, don't keep her waiting! Reply!" Hadley urged, nudging Adeline's shoulder.

Adeline sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips as she typed back.

Adeline: Hey Beau. Sure, what's up?

"See? That wasn't so hard," Hadley teased, watching over Adeline's shoulder.

A few seconds later, Beau's response came through.

Beau: Awesome! I was thinking we could set a date for the scrimmage. It'd be cool to get our teams together. What's your schedule like?

Adeline felt a flutter of excitement. She wasn't used to someone taking such a genuine interest in her outside of soccer. She typed back quickly.

Adeline: I'm free after practice most days. What about you?

Beau: Same here. How about this Friday after school?

Adeline glanced at Hadley, who gave her an enthusiastic nod. She replied with a hint of anticipation.

Adeline: Friday works. Can you send me the details?

Beau: For sure any chance, I get your number? It'll just be easier

"Wow, she's really into making this happen," Hadley said, impressed.

Adeline hesitated for a moment, then decided there was no harm in sharing her number. She quickly typed it out.

Adeline: Sure. It's 555-123-4567.

Beau: Got it. Thanks! I'll text you the details tomorrow. Really looking forward to this. 😁

Adeline: Same. Should be fun. Goodnight, Beau.

Beau: Goodnight, Adeline.

Adeline put her phone down, a strange sense of excitement bubbling up inside her. She saved Beau's number and looked over at Hadley, who was beaming.

"Looks like you made a new friend," Hadley said, her tone teasing but supportive.

"Maybe," Adeline said, trying to sound nonchalant. "We'll see how it goes."

"You know, it wouldn't be the worst thing to let someone new in," Hadley said gently. "Beau seems like she genuinely wants to get to know you."

"Yeah," Adeline admitted, her defenses lowering slightly. "She does seem different."

As they settled back into their conversation, Adeline felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe this year would be different. Maybe, with a little bit of courage, she could open up to someone new and see where it led. For the first time in a long time, the future felt full of potential.