Finn's POV

Summer has finally come to an end, and I made sure to spend every single moment with Lily, making up for the two weeks we were apart. She refers to it as a breakup; I saw it as a minor bump in the road.

After our 'minor bump,' I wanted to give her something to show how serious I am about her and how much I love her. I've been waiting for the right moment to give her this necklace I bought. It's a silver necklace with a butterfly pendant. But every time, I try to give it to her, I chicken out of it. However, I'll plan on giving her tonight, booking our favourite restaurant ... hopefully she loves it.

Now it's September, signalling the start of a new school year. While Lily is in her second year, I'm entering my final year, with my focus squarely on my football career. Coach mentioned that I've received a few offers from clubs, but they're not the mainstream ones. I turned them down because, even though it might seem foolish, I know my worth and my skills, and those offers just won't cut it.

"Okay boys," Coach's voice slices through my thoughts in the locker room.

"Time to hit the field. Remember, this season is crucial for all of you, especially the seniors. Some of you have gotten offers already and some have not. Scouts will be watching, and you need to bring your A-game every single time. Finn, I need you and the other seniors to lead by example," Coach continues, his eyes locking onto mine with a determined glare.

I nod, feeling the weight of his words and the responsibility on my shoulders. I glance over at my teammates, seeing a mix of anticipation and anxiety on their faces.

"This is just a training session but treat it like it's the real thing. It's the first session of the season, and you seniors need to set the standard," Coach yells.

"Alright, you heard him," the assistant coach shouts. "Get your asses up!"

We file out of the locker room, the intensity of the moment palpable. As we step onto the field, the familiar scent of freshly cut grass fills the air. The afternoon sun shines brightly, and there's a warm breeze that carries the promise of early autumn.

I take a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. The training session might not be a real match, but the effort and determination we put in today will set the tone for the entire season.

I look over at Lily, who's watching from the stands. She often comes to my training sessions during her breaks, and her presence is a constant source of motivation.

"Positions!" Coach yells, and we quickly take our places. The whistle blows, and the drills begin. We start with warm-ups, running laps and doing stretches to get our muscles ready. Then come the technical drills—passing, dribbling, and shooting.

"Let's keep it sharp, boys!" the assistant coach calls out. "Finn, I want to see you pressing hard up front! Charlie, control the midfield and keep the ball moving! Talk to each other out there!"

As the session progresses, I push myself harder with each drill, feeling the burn in my legs and the sweat on my brow. I can see the same determination in my teammates. We know that how we train today will reflect in our performance throughout the season.

*****

As the training session ends, we walk off the field, muscles aching and sweat sticking to our skins. I spot Lily standing near the edge of the field and walk towards her, her eyes lighting up when she sees me.

"Hi Lovebug" Lily says wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me in for a kiss.

Her kiss is sweet and warm, grounding me in the moment. I wrap my arms around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground.

We pull apart and I look at her my eyebrows raised, "You kissed me while I'm sweaty." I remind her.

She laughs, her eyes twinkling. "I don't care," she says, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

"Seeing you all intense is incredibly hot. I can't help myself" she smirks.

I grin, holding her tighter. "If you think this is hot, just wait until you see what I can do off the field."

She smirks, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, I can't wait. But you better make sure you have enough energy left after your games, because I have high expectations, Mr. Star Striker."

She leans up, her lips meeting mine in a short sweet before stepping back.

"Alright, I'm gonna head off to my class now. I decided to pick Jurisprudence and Legal Theory as a module," she says, fake gagging. "...and I need to leave now before I change my mind and miss that boring-ass lecture."

Just then, Charlie and Kai come over, grinning. "Hey, Lily!" Kai calls out. "Don't just leave without saying hi, Finn's not the only one on the field"

Lily laughs, turning to them. "Hey, Charlie! Hi, Kai!" she says, giving them a wave. "You two keeping him out of trouble?"

"Trying to," Kai replies with a chuckle. "But he's a handful."

"Well, you guys are doing a great job," she says, then turns back to me. "I'll see you later, love you." She gives me one last kiss on the lips, making my heart skip a beat, before heading off to her lecture.

"Love you too butterfly!" I say and give her a wave.

"Ooo, 'Love you too, butterfly!'" Charlie mimics causing Kai to laugh.

"Shut up Charlie" I say, rolling my eyes at him before turning to Kai.

"I just know you are not mimicking me, Jen's mentioned to Lily about your multiple cosplay sessions, talk about whipped" I say my lips tugging up into a wicked smirk and Kai's face reddened slightly.

"Point taken," He smiles before looking up at me, "But, it's amazing ... you've got to try it sometime" he grinned causing Charlie to furrow his eyebrows in annoyance.

"My two wingmen, in relationships? How the fuck am I meant to pull anyone now?" He frowns.

I chuckle at Charlie's dramatic outburst. "Maybe you should start with working on your charm, mate, stealing the bullhorn and announcing for a party after every match might not be it" I tease, giving him a playful shove.

Charlie grumbles, but a smile tugs at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, yeah. Easy for you to say, Mr. Perfect Relationship."

Kai laughs, patting Charlie on the back. "You'll find someone, Charlie or you might die a lonely bachelor"

Charlie huffs, shaking his head. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Parker," he says, but the good-natured smile on his face shows he's not really upset. "You two are still my official wingmen. I demand your full support."

"We've got your back," I assure him, nodding. "Just no more weird pick-up lines, alright?"

"Just the three, I was looking for" we hear another voice and turn around to see coach.

"I just got off the phone with one of the scouts," he starts "You three have been offered a spot on the sub team of Atlético Madrid after you graduate, but first they need you at a winter training camp in Spain next week ..." he trails off, "...for a month," he finishes with a smile.

Atlético Madrid—the Spanish La Liga team, It's not in the Premier League in the UK, but it's a fantastic start.

My heart races with excitement, and I glance at Charlie and Kai, who look equally stunned.

"No way," Charlie breathes, his eyes wide. "Atlético Madrid? This is huge!"

Kai's face breaks into a wide grin. "I can't believe it. This is the opportunity of a lifetime!" He fist-bumps Charlie in excitement.

I feel a surge of adrenaline, the reality of the news sinking in. "We're really doing this," I say, my voice barely containing my excitement. "We're going to Spain."

Coach nods, his expression proud. "You boys have earned this. Now, go home, rest up, and get ready for the hard work ahead. Congratulations!"

We head back to the locker room, buzzing with excitement though my thoughts drift to telling Lily about the offer, but a pang of sadness hits me—a month away from her. As I take a deep breath, Coach's words echo in my mind,

"You three have been offered spots on the sub team of Atlético Madrid. But first, they need you at a winter training camp in Spain for a month, starting next month."

Moving to Spain after graduation, that's going to be fucking tough.