Unspoken Goals

You Don't Mean That

Age 17

The night air was crisp and filled with tension as the crowd watched the final minutes of the semi-final soccer match. The scoreboard showed 1-1, and the pressure was palpable. The stadium lights illuminated the field, casting long shadows on the players. Juliette could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes darting between the ball and the clock ticking down.

With only seconds left, Juliette saw her chance. She intercepted a pass and sprinted down the field, the world narrowing to the sound of her cleats against the turf and the goal ahead. She maneuvered around the two defenders, her focus unbroken. As the buzzer sounded, she struck the ball with all her strength. The ball sailed past the goalkeeper and into the net.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Juliette was immediately swarmed by her teammates, all clamoring to celebrate the winning goal. But as she scanned the field, she saw the one person she wanted to share this moment with.

Abigail was running towards her, a look of pure joy on her face. Breaking free from the swarm, Juliette met her halfway, and Abigail jumped up, wrapping her legs around Juliette's waist. Juliette spun them around, giggles escaping both girls' lips, the world narrowing down to just the two of them.

After the celebration on the field and the jubilant locker room talk, the girls headed out to meet their families. Abigail's boyfriend, Hayden, was waiting for her on the sidelines. She ran up and kissed him, her elation spilling over. Juliette watched them, her good mood souring. "Get a room," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Drew, now fourteen and growing into a cheeky teenager, laughed and gave her a playful shove. "I heard that, Julie, but I'll let it slide since you scored that killer goal."

"Shut up," Juliette said, pulling him into a hug.

Their parents then hugged and congratulated the girls, their pride evident. As they chatted, Abigail turned to Juliette. "Hayden invited us to a party at his house tonight. You coming?"

"Sure," Juliette replied, forcing a smile.

---

At the party, the girls from the team were celebrating their win together on the dance floor, their laughter and energy filling the room. After a while, Juliette excused herself to get some air. She stepped outside and immediately felt uneasy as she saw Hayden by the pool, clearly flirting with another girl.

Her blood boiled. She marched over to him, her fists clenched. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

Hayden, smirking, waved her off. "Relax, Juliette. You're always so delusional. Abby knows I'm just having fun."

Juliette's anger boiled over. "Fun? You're disrespecting her!"

Hayden leaned in, his voice low and mocking. "Why do you always have an issue with me? Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Of you? That's laughable," Juliette snapped.

"I think you're jealous because she's with me and not you," he sneered.

Without thinking, Juliette punched him square in the face. Hayden stumbled backward and fell into the pool with a splash. The partygoers turned to watch, their chatter hushed with shock.

Abigail emerged from the house, her eyes wide with confusion. "What the hell, Jules?"

"He had it coming," Juliette muttered, anger still simmering

Abigail grabbed Juliette's arm and dragged her to the front yard, away from the prying eyes. "You can't ever be happy for me, can you? You always have a problem with any guy I talk to!"

"That's not true!" Juliette protested.

"Oh really? What about Blake? And Jason? And now Hayden?"

"Blake was an arrogant asshole, Jason was talking to ten other girls, and Hayden is a self-centered jerk who thinks he can get away with running his mouth. I just want you to be happy with a nice guy who'll treat you right." Juliette argued, her voice rising.

"Who's to say they didn't make me happy, Jules! When I was talking to them, they all were these kind, caring guys!" Abigail shouted back.

Juliette's annoyance flared. "Because they all wanted one thing from you!"

"What are you trying to say, Juliette? That no guy can actually like me for me and instead will only ever want me for sex?" Abigail's voice cracked with emotion.

"What? No, Abs! I'm saying you need better taste in men," Juliette tried to explain, her frustration clear.

"Maybe I need to rethink who I call my best friend. Someone who can actually support and be happy for me." Abigail said, her voice trembling.

Juliette's heart sank. "You don't mean that Abs."

Abigail took a deep breath, tears welling in her eyes. "I need some space, Juliette." She turned and walked back inside, leaving Juliette standing alone in the cool night air, the weight of her words sinking in.

Juliette watched her go, feeling a profound sense of loss. She wanted to shout after her, to make her understand, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she stood there, alone and aching, the memory of their shared joy on the soccer field now tainted by the pain of their confrontation.

[A/N]: Nothing hurts more than a fight with your best friend.

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