The Goals of Love

Relationship Advice

The next morning, Kassandra shoots her team's assistant coach a text, asking to meet up at the field for some 'advice.' Coach Banes promptly responds, saying that he'll 'be there in 10.' Kassandra arrives at the field to find her coach playing 'keepie uppie' with himself, bouncing the ball effortlessly without letting it fall. Kassandra walks up to him, greeting him with a "Good morning Coach Banes." He kicks the ball up one last time before catching it in his hands and turning around to greet the young girl. "Hey, Kass. So, what did you so urgently need my help with?" Banes could tell it wasn't about soccer. It wasn't uncommon for the kids he coached to come to him looking for advice. He was a nice guy and effortlessly earned the trust of the kids he coached and the people he coached with. He was the assistant coach for both team Capulet and Montague, but the coaches of both teams trusted him enough to allow him to still coach for both, despite their feud with each other.
Kassandra motioned for Coach Banes to follow her as she walked over to a bench, designated for fans to sit to watch the game. They both sat down before Kassandra spoke, "Have you ever been in love with someone you know you aren't allowed to be with?" She spoke so softly that he almost missed what she had said. "Is this about Scarlet? Because if someone is saying that you two can't be together because you're both girls, they're wrong, not you." Kassandra laughed. She had actually forgotten about Scarlet for a while. She was too distracted by Delilah recently. "No, no. That's over. She quit on me." Banes looked at her with sadness and understanding in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sor-" he started before getting cut off. "No, don't be. It's not bothering me anymore so don't let it bother you." Coach Banes was admittedly very confused. If not Scarlet, then who?
"So, who are they then?" He couldn't hide the curiosity in his tone as he asked. "Do you know Delilah? Delilah Redwood?" she asked, leaving her coach's mouth agape in shock. "Redwood? As in daughter of the Capulet's Head Coaches Redwood?" Kassandra just nodded her head. "How long ago did Scarlet dump you?" he asked, finally getting her to look him in the eyes again. "I mean, 5 days ago, I think, but why does that matter?" Now it was Kassandra's turn to be confused. Why would that matter at all. She liked Delilah now, not Scarlet, so why was he bringing her up again? "Well, don't you think that's a little fast to move on from a relationship that lasted, what? A year and a half? Maybe give yourself some time to adjust from your last relationship before diving head first into another one." Kassandra didn't like what he was implying. "Why should I give up on someone who makes me happy and actually seems to want to be around me, just to mope around, crying over someone who could barely make time to have a study date with me for thirty minutes? I really like Delilah and she seems to like me too, so why should I not only sacrifice my own feelings, but her's as well for seemingly no reason?"
Her speech left her Coach speechless. Not once, in all the time they talked about her relationship with Scarlet, had she ever seemed so infatuated. So determined to try, even though they both knew that this relationship was most likely destined to fail. But before he could say anything, she spoke again, so quietly that she had practically whispered it. "I really, really like her. Maybe even love her. I just want to try." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears, so Banes decided to do what he had come here to do: give advice. "So what do you need help with then? You seem to have this whole 'feelings' thing figured out, so what am I here for?" Kassandra looked at him, with a smile back on her face as she began asking for help on what to do for their date later.
They continued to converse back and forth until Kassandra got a text from her cousin, telling her to get into town for a 'team meeting.' Kassandra waved goodbye to her coach, grateful for their conversation.