Styles Triplets

The worst feeling before the first soccer game of the season was the pre-game anxiety. You know what doesn't help this pre-game anxiety but in fact makes it worse: your best friend ranting about your other best friend. This was the problem Ari was facing at the moment, and to say she was annoyed by the timing of this little fight was an understatement.

"So basically Kat ditched my game for a party with Harry and then she said that Marcel likes me?" Ari asked, rubbing her throbbing temples. This was going to be a long night.

"Exactly! How could she say that I don't pay enough attention to Marcel?" Nessa screeched over the phone.

Ari pulled the phone away from her ears as Nessa started another tirade about how Kat was the worst person in the world and that she has no idea what she was talking about. Ari buried her face in her hands and groaned.

"You okay?" A deep, raspy voice asked over her. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Ari lifted her head to see Edward standing with a concerned look on his face. She immediately noticed the lack of piercings and realized he is just as good looking without them.

Ari raised the phone to her ear in time to hear, "I just don't know what her problem is! Ever since she started hanging out with Harry, she's been just as big of a jerk as he is. I mean..." Ari removed the phone once again and put her mic on mute.

"No I'm not okay, but I am going to find my happy place and stay there long enough to kick this team's butt so I can treat myself to ice cream and Once Upon a Time reruns."

Edward rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile tugged on the corner of his lips, "Didn't realize you were the Once Upon a Time kind of person."

Ari shrugged, "First of all, Killian is my bae. Secondly, we've already established that we don't know much about each other."

Ari groaned again when she realized that Nessa was still talking. "Listen, Ness, I really have to go, but we can continue this tomorrow. Okay, bye," Ari rushed to hang up before Nessa could refuse.

"Ready for the game?" Ari asked focusing on Edward, looking for any nervous ticks.

"No. Why should I be? I'm probably better than everyone on that team," he said with a smirk.
Now it was Ari's turn to roll her eyes, "Cockiness must run in the family."

Edward shrugged before plopping down beside her on the bench. "Why are you nervous? I've seen you play and wipe the field with the other team."

Ari shook her head, "I doubt I'm even close to being that good, but whether I am or not, I guess the nervousness comes from wanting the game to end well. No injuries, no fights, no cards, and a win is a lot of pressure especially on the captain and coach for the first game."

"Well I have a remedy for that. Close your eyes."

Ari looked at Edward like he lost his mind.

"Trust me. Now close them. Okay now with your eyes remaining close, let your worst fears of everything that could possibly go wrong play out."

Ari did what she was told, and she didn't see how this was helping at all.

"Now, imagine the exact opposite happening. Everything you want to achieve in this game is achieved. No one is hurt, carded, fighting, and whatever else you listed. Okay so these are both the two extremes for this game. Everything could go perfectly, or everything can go to hell. 9 times out of 10 though, the possibilities in the middle of all this is what's most likely going to happen. Accept that and move on and a lot of your unnecessary nerves will go away."

Ari looked up at Edward like he told her the cure to cancer. "How did you even think of doing that?"

He shrugged like it was no big deal, "It was something my old man taught me when I was little. Works like a charm."

Edward stood up and stretched, successfully popping his back and showing a portion of his tattooed stomach. "Well I'm going to go to my 'team.' Catch you later."

Ari nodded her goodbye and smiled to herself. Look at Edward being nice and sociable. Maybe this experience is changing him for the better!

***
In Ari's mind, the night was a success. The girls' won their game 6-1, and the boys were currently in the lead with 4-2, the ball in their possession, with less than 2 minutes on the clock.
Freddie passed the ball up field to Edward, who took the shot 15 yards from the goal.

Apparently the rival team's, the Randolph's Rattlesnakes, goalie wasn't expecting the shot and was too slow to even touch the beautifully shot ball that hit the net's corner.

"Great shot, Edward! Yes!" Ari cheered from the sidelines, hopping up and down though her legs were aching their discontent with the decision.

The ball was put in the center again to reset, and the Rattlesnakes began their desperate attempt to catch up. Unfortunately for them, as soon as one of the strikers passed the ball, Freddie intercepted the pass and took off to their goal. Their mid-fielders attacked but Freddie passed it back to Simms, a senior on their team, who passed it over to Edward on the other side of the field. Edward dribbled passed two defenders, but before he could take the shot, he was slide tackled by a third defender.

While he crashed to the ground, the Rattlesnakes gained possession of the ball. Before they could take two steps, the whistle signaling the end of the game was sounded and it was all over just in time for the rain to start falling.

Ari rushed to Edward, who was still on the ground with a proud smile on his face. She grabbed his arm and yanked him up like he did her when they first met. She threw her arms around him yelling "you did amazing" on repeat before realizing who she was holding when she tensed.

"My bad. Got a little excited," Ari blushed in embarrassment.

Edward wiped his sweaty forehead, "It's cool."

The two stood in a kind of awkward yet comforting silence until Ari heard Nessa call for her. She grinned at Edward before walking to Nessa.

"You were amazing, Ari! And that save you did at the end when you almost broke the other girl's leg with your face was incredible!" Ari smiled at her excited friend.

"Yeah, this was a great way to start off the season!"

Ari noticed Nessa's focus on something behind her. Spoke too freaking soon. Marcel and Edward were in a heated argument, and based on Edward's fisted hands and Marcel's body language, it was escalating quickly. Ari ran to the brothers and made it in time to push Marcel away from Edward's fist.

"What the heck is going on here? We literally just started the season off with the win. Why are you two fighting?" Ari yelled at the two.

Marcel shook his head, told Edward to back off and stalked off in the other direction. Edward shot a bird at his back before leaving as well in the opposite direction.

Ari grabbed his arm before he could walk another step, "Why don't you ask him, Princess?" I don't think I've ever heard princess used like such a bad insult before.

Edward jerked his arm free of her grip and walked away just in time for a great clap of thunder to sound. Just great! Perfect timing, really. Ari shrugged at her thoughts before chasing after Marcel.

Notes