Sweet Charlotte

「 sixteen: gentle warmth 」

Needing to be at football practice solidified why Willow hated football.

The high school had been using a small football field behind the school for practice. Really, the green patch wasn't meant to be turned into a field, they just wanted to utilize the space as much as possible, so the city had tossed in the cheapest football posts and bleachers they could find.

However, much to Willow's dismay, it meant she would be sitting outside for the entirety of their practice exposed to the evening's wind.

Since it was spring, it wasn't going to be as bad as it could've been, but that did mean that it got cooler in the evening. Seeing as Willow felt like she her body fat ratio was well into the negatives, she didn't have a lot to keep her warm.

But she would make it work. For Charlotte, she had to. For Seth, she had to.

Taking a seat on one of the dingy metal benches, Willow felt a surge of pride. It was going to be weird watching a football game while knowing one of the players. Knowing that she liked one of the players. In a way, she felt proud. Seth playing football was far from anything new, but now she felt as if she could cheer him on by merely being there.

For Seth, that was part of the reason he was so excited that she actually came. For the first time in a long time, it felt like he had a supporter — literally and figuratively. She was literally on the sidelines, but he also knew that, in every other aspect of his life, she was cheering him on too.

Maybe that was why it felt different seeing Willow there than any other person who'd supported him in the past. Willow was different. Willow wasn't supporting his technique — hell, she probably didn't even know what football techniques were — she was there purely for him.

She wasn't there for the sport. She wasn't there for the school spirit. She was a supporter not just in his sport, but in every aspect of his life. She was actually his supporter. Genuinely and earnestly, she was his fan.

The partners and families of other players began to fill the stands. The giggly girlfriend and beaming boyfriend, the eager Moms and proud Dads, and all the while Willow felt horribly out of place.

That was, until Mara, Sunni, and Carter showed up. Then, she felt comfortably out of place.

Their arrival made her feel less strange for sitting alone — after all, seeing how tense she felt around their suspects, she felt like it was better that she was sitting alone as she wouldn't make a fool of herself. Regardless, she still felt isolated.

The girls and Carter sat down with a handful of others, merging their groups for a larger display of moral support. As Willow studied more people finding seats, she'd noticed that even the partners of the players came with clusters of companions.

Having Seth has her only close friend and being alone, Willow felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb. After today, she might hate football more than previously, if that was even possible.

The stand's position was awkward in connection with the field. Maybe it was why they only ever used this one for practice. The actual games were held in one of the downtown parks with actual stands, bathrooms, and lights.

Their stands were elevated from the ground and wrapped with metal fencing. The entire area felt as if it was on stilts, and Willow hated how rickety it felt. They were safe, and Willow knew that, but the nervous voice in the back of her head was amplified whenever someone sat down a few rows behind her and jostled the entire contraption.

"Hey,"

Snapping her gaze down, Willow spotted Seth, looking earnestly up at her through the metal barrier. Crouching, she raised a brow. "What's up?" She could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't just checking in; he wanted something.