Archive of Our Own ^beta

The rush into the locker room is as chaotic as it usually is, even with the win.

Or maybe especially because of the win.

Josie just kind of tries to do her best not to get toppled over. 

“Fuck yeah!” PJ screams upon entering the room, a sentiment that is echoed by the majority of the girls with stomping feet and various cheering and even a few howls. PJ pumps her fist at the sound, stomping her own feet even as she makes her way further into the locker room and shoves Josie good naturedly in the shoulder. Despite herself, Josie finds herself smiling so hard it kind of hurts. “We fucking destroyed those prep school bitches!” 

“Hell fucking yeah we did.” Brittany agrees as she slips past PJ. Somehow, despite all the physical activity and running, Brittany still kind of looks put together even with the sweat on her brow. Like maybe she was just lightly misted with a spray bottle or something. It’s honestly, kind of a bit uncanny in Josie’s opinion, but she knows that PJ would be quick to refute her if she brought it up. As it is, Brittany’s smile almost edges on a smirk as she turns around to smoothly walk backwards and face Isabel. “Was there ever any doubt?” 

Josie tries to focus on slipping out of her sweaty uniform shirt rather than look at Isabel but it’s — difficult to say the least. 

Isabel is absolutely beaming as she looks at Brittany. Her sweat has made the hair at her hairline damp, and she’s flushed pink with all the exertion, and she’s beaming so wide that it’s almost too big and—

Josie’s heart is racing as Isabel bounces on her toes to give Brittany a fierce high five. The clap of their hands echoes in the room. 

Sylvie starts barking like a dog in all of the excitement, and after shooting her a brief broad grin, Hazel starts whooping with her. 

“Okay, okay, you weirdos, calm the fuck down—” PJ starts with a wrinkle of her nose from the locker at Josie’s side, and Josie tries to rip her eyes away from Isabel long enough to finish changing. “It was your first win actually playing, Callahan, so don’t get too excited.” PJ points Hazel’s way with an arch of her brow. “You’re still on thin ice and I still, frankly, think you’re better at grabbing the fucking punch and pumping air in our balls—” 

“Oh, come on, PJ.” Josie replies with a huff in reply, and when PJ gives her an innocent look she turns to Hazel herself to say, “You did good, Hazel.” Hazel, whose gaze was ping ponging between them both in bewilderment, now beams. Josie smiles at her in response, nodding as she says, “Great save, by the way.” 

“Thank you, captain.” Hazel says with a — full on salute, which really isn’t necessary. She does the same to PJ. “And I’ll do better, captain.” Hazel rocks back on her heels with a grin then, looking between both of them before adding, “I definitely won’t take this opportunity for granted—” 

“What opportunity?” PJ asks, and Josie does her best to stifle a sigh as she briefly closes her eyes. “Crystal is at the dentist getting her wisdom teeth removed. That’s literally the only reason that you were out there today—” 

“You’re welcome, Hazel.” Josie rushes to reply then, before PJ can finish, smiling probably a bit too widely at Hazel to compensate. “Uh, thanks for stepping up to the plate.” 

Sylvie reaches over the grasp Hazel’s shoulders at that, shaking her friend excitedly as Hazel smiles sheepishly back at her and begins to back up from them both to get changed. There’s a spattering of other encouragement from the team, and even some scattered applause, and Hazel blushes a bit under the attention. 

“Thanks guys. I, uh, I won’t let you down.” Hazel says as her spine straightens a bit in pride, and then she pretty much floats over to where her stuff is laying on one of the benches considering that, as an equipment manager until this point, she didn’t exactly have a locker. But that doesn’t seem to bother Hazel in the slightest as she moves to change too. 

Josie turns back to PJ to find her squinting at Hazel in a glare that Josie honestly still doesn’t understand to this day. PJ must feel her eyes on her though, because she turns to look up at Josie, and when she does Josie can merely silently arch her brows in question. 

“What?” PJ asks with an almost defensive shrug, and Josie’s lips thin a bit. 

“You know what .” Josie begins to hiss, and PJ is already kind of making a face. Josie leans in and tries her best to keep her voice low. “We’re captains , PJ, you can’t just—” 

“I see the good captain bad captain routine is still going strong.” 

“Jesus—!” The sound of the voice by her side makes Josie startle about a foot in the air, banging into her locker with the motion and having the metal rattle in result. She stares wide eyed at where Isabel stands, completely changed and blinking up innocent at her by her side. “Fuck — Hi, Isabel, um—” Josie swallows tightly. “Hey.” 

Isabel smiles up at her and the expression is somehow both amused and filled with bewilderment. 

“Hi.” Isabel replies easily as she continues to sweep her hair up into a rare ponytail, the motion smooth as she looks at Josie and PJ casually. Her smile grows into a grin as she nods at them both in turn with a playful, “Captain, Captain.” 

Josie laughs at the gesture, probably a bit too loudly and maybe a bit too long. PJ simply grins broadly, brows waggling with smugness. 

“Isabel, stop flirting with us.” PJ jokes as she kicks Josie subtly in the foot, the impact cutting off Josie’s laugh with abruptness that is probably just on the wrong side of weird but, it works. Josie’s mouth shuts and she can’t help but shoot PJ a grateful look for it. 

“PJ, you think everyone is flirting with you.” Isabel teases with an arch of her brow then, and PJ puts a hand over her heart as if deeply offended. 

“Yeah, that’s cause everyone is , Isabel.” PJ replies with a roll of her eyes, and when Isabel snorts in response, she meets Josie’s eyes with the expression. Josie’s heart jolts. “What’s up, Lee? Come to brag about that goal from the midfield?” 

Isabel beams then, and Josie gets a front row seat to the expression. The butterflies in her stomach have never been so active. 

“You noticed that, huh?” Isabel asks as she rocks almost bashfully on her feet, and PJ kicks Josie in the foot hard for a second time. 

“Uh— Yeah, yeah, you did— you did so good with that!” Josie rushes to say, and Isabel seems to perk up a bit at the statement, but she’s just looking at her, like Josie is — is supposed to say more, and — “With the— With the kicking, and the—” Josie swallows and makes, frankly, nonsensical gestures in the space between them. Isabel looks down at the movement curiously. “Shooting, and the—” Josie is losing the plot now. She’s losing it and she knows it, but Isabel is still looking at her curiously and Josie’s head is filled with fucking bees or something and they’re all buzzing — “Feet, and—” 

“Feet?” Isabel mouths in bewilderment, and Josie is bobbing her head in a nod. 

“Yeah, you’ve got— you’ve got great feet —” Josie sputters out, helpless to the tyrant that is her mouth, and this time PJ full on elbows her. It hurts like a bitch, but choking at the sensation at least kind of makes Josie’s tongue give up. 

“Oops! Sorry!” PJ says through gritted teeth, and Josie shoots her a grateful look even as she brings a hand to her now bruised side. 

“It’s—It’s fine.” Josie chokes out, and PJ gives her a very pointed ‘get it together’ look before Josie is turning her gaze back to a bewildered Isabel. 

“Well.” Isabel nods, as she looks between them both. “Thank you, I think...” And with that Isabel is suddenly perking up again, seeming to remember something as she says, “But that’s actually not what I came to talk to you both about…” 

“O–Oh? What is it?” Josie replies, and tries her very fucking best to be normal about it. Her brow arches. “Do you need something?” 

“No, well—” Isabel tilts her head and her ponytail shifts prettily with the motion. Josie has to put all her energy into not retreating from the adrenaline pumping in her veins just to stare at Isabel in awe. “Not really, I guess.” Isabel brightens again. “I actually wanted to invite you guys somewhere, to you know, celebrate the win and,” Isabel juts a thumb over her shoulder to where Sylvie and Hazel seem to be rough housing excitedly, noogies and all. “Hazel’s first game!” 

PJ scoffs and this time it’s Josie who absently elbows her hard in the side for it. PJ’s ensuing grunt is pained. 

Josie’s eyes are still wide with surprise as she says, “Oh! Thanks, I—” Josie shakes her head quickly, as if to clear it. “We’d love to go.”

Isabel’s smile widens. “Great! We were thinking of maybe — going to the cliff or something on Friday, you know? Getting some beers and just —” Isabel shrugs with a huff of a laugh. “Hanging out.” 

“Yeah, okay.” Josie is nodding maybe a bit too quickly in agreement. Isabel’s smile is growing. Josie is slowly beginning to feel her brain buzz with it again. “That— that sounds great.” 

“Cool.” Isabel says warmly before she’s beginning to back up, slowly pulling away from them with a slight sway to her step. “See you guys later then…”

“Not if we see you first!” Josie calls with a huff of laughter and a point in Isabel’s direction, all followed by a slap of her thigh as her hand falls and—

Isabel just laughs and nods, her eyes crinkling in a way that’s distinctly endearing before she’s turning around to pick up her pink duffle bag and join Brittany on the way out of the locker room. 

Josie, for her part, waits only until the moment that Isabel is out of sight to bang her forehead firmly against her locker. 

PJ just stares at her. 

“Are you… ” PJ starts with a furrow of her brow, and Josie can feel her groan rising in her throat as she closes her eyes tightly. “Still possessed by the suburban white dude who took over your body just now, or am I speaking to Josie again?” 

Josie does groan this time. She bangs her forehead into the locker again just for good measure. 

“I say this with love, but that was kind of pathetic.” PJ says with a shrug, and Josie finally turns her head to look at her at that, brow arching. 

“You haven’t directly spoken to Brittany in two weeks.” Josie contributes bluntly, and PJ suddenly looks as if she’s been caught. 

“I’m — building tension.” PJ replies with a defensive shrug, and as Josie arches her brow higher PJ throws her arms up in frustration. “Okay, whatever, at least I didn’t make her think I have a foot fetish—” 

“Isabel doesn’t think I have a foot fetish!” Josie hisses immediately in return, leaning in to PJ to say it even as she glances around at whose left in the locker room anxiously. It’s just Stella Rebecca now, humming to herself as she leans in a bit too close to the mirror to put on her lip gloss. Josie looks back at PJ in growing concern. “She doesn’t.” PJ merely arches a brow at her. The worry in Josie’s eyes intensifies. “Does she?”

PJ closes her locker and moves to leave, and Josie, for her part, scrambles to finish changing to follow her. 

“PJ, wait—” Josie calls then, shirt half on, and bag mostly over her shoulder as she moves to follow PJ and nearly trips for it. “Are you— Are you fucking with me or do you really think—?”

Hazel is bouncing on her toes in anticipation, quick and jostling to the point that it’s actually … really distracting. 

Josie doesn’t know how long she’s been staring at the display. 

“O–Okay. Okay.” Josie says gently as she puts a hand on Hazel’s shoulder, and Hazel's bouncing stops immediately. “Let’s … calm down. It’s just an assembly.” 

“Yeah, but it’s my first one.” Hazel replies with a crooked grin, and Josie can only nod in agreement because that is, well, true. Hazel exhales a long breath. “I’m psyching myself up.” 

“I mean, yeah, I get that, but there’s really nothing to psych yourself up for.” Josie says with a shrug, and Hazel’s brows furrow in response. “They call us out, we mostly just … stand there.” Josie shrugs. “People clap … we leave.” 

Hazel blinks. “Okay, but what if I trip?” 

Josie tilts her head at that statement for a moment before she’s patting Hazel on the shoulder for a second time. 

“Don’t trip.” Josie instructs wisely, and Hazel’s eyes widen a bit before she’s bobbing her head in a nod. Josie smiles in response before she’s patting Hazel on the shoulder encouragingly. “Cool.” 

She turns from the interaction with a sigh and is immediately greeted by the crinkling eyes of Isabel on the other side of the hall. She’s … smiling from where she seems to have watched the interaction, and Josie can’t help but feel like she’s maybe swallowing her tongue as she stares back. 

Isabel pushes off of the wall that she was leaning against to straighten up, turning to where Brittany seems to be idly talking to her at her side, and the moment that Isabel’s eyes have left her Josie kind of feels like she can breathe again. Just barely but— well, it’s better than nothing. 

And just in time too, because the moment Josie gets a good breath in, Mr. G pops his head into the hall to look over them all, a hand waving as he gestures for them all to line up. “Alright, girls, this is your cue.” He nods and his brow arches then. “Don’t embarrass yourselves or me or feminism.” He waves his hands lazily. "But especially me, I don't need that shit."

PJ arches her brows at the instructions where she stands at the front of the line, because Josie has never really cared for the position herself, co-captain or not. PJ shoots Mr. G. a thumbs up. “Can do, Mr. G.” 

When Mr. G turns around PJ’s thumbs up smoothly transitions into a middle finger that Josie knocks down with a hand before PJ can even finish displaying it. PJ huffs at her for it, but before she can do more than that, Principal Meyer’s voice rings out over the microphone. 

“Okay, I guess, everyone welcome …” He sighs and the microphone picks up the rush of breath. Josie makes a face. “... Our girls.” 

They jog out amid — pretty decent applause then. That and Sylvie’s raucous screaming, which definitely adds to the whole thing and Hazel definitely stumbles over her own feet but doesn’t full on fall and —  it’s overall not a bad reception. The football players are of course all stock still and silent in some sort of protest at anyone other than them getting attention, but that’s kind of to be expected, so it’s really whatever. 

They line up to stand to the left of Mr. Meyers as they wait for the applause to die down, but it kind of doesn’t. It’s a lot of girls still clapping and whooping, and for a moment there Josie finds her smile growing crooked in surprise. 

She honestly never thought that PJ’s plan to play soccer to get girls would work, especially when they were still freshmen and could barely even find the coordination to pass a ball back and forth. 

But, well. 

Now that they’ve actually started winning, it wasn’t exactly not working. 

Josie chances a glance at Isabel out of the corner of her eye and finds her waving at the cheerleaders where they sit on the front row of the bleachers. The cheerleaders cheer louder in response, presumably still supportive of their ex teammate. 

It’s Principal Meyers who cuts off the cheering with an unimpressed wave of his hand accompanied by a tired, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.” The applause dies down slowly after that, and Principal Meyers nods in approval before looking out at the crowd on the bleachers and saying. “They won again yesterday. They’re a girls team so I know that’s all slightly less impressive,” Josie winces at the words, quickly remembers exactly where she goes to school, and then shrugs. “But, you should all still care or something. So.” Principal Meyer’s shrugs disinterestedly. “Let’s go. We’re going to clap for ten seconds and then we’re done, we’re moving on.”

Principal Meyers counts aloud while everyone claps. Hazel looks like she just might burst of happiness from the display. Josie spots PJ making a face at the other girl and kicks her for it around the eight second mark. 

“Girls, good luck at— at —” Principal Meyers fumbles over his words for a second then, looking bewildered as he turns to them all and asks,  “What the fuck are you guys doing next?” 

PJ blinks a second at the question before she’s leaning in towards the mic that the Principal directs her way. “Uh, we’re—” The mic squeals with feedback. The crowd grimaces. “We’re on our way to regionals...”  

It’s silent for a moment after that. A girl in the front row starts to clap again, but no one joins in, so she just stops. 

Principal Meyers takes the mic back and Josie smiles gratefully.

“Right. Fine, good luck with that.” Principal Meyers replies blandly, before he’s turning back to the crowd and brightening as he says, “Right. Now that we’ve done that— football .” 

“Oh —” Josie blinks then, startled before she turns to the bewildered line that is their team. “Okay, I guess, we’re … done, um—” 

Josie gestures with both hands for everyone to back up then, and after a moment everyone begins to trail right out of the gym the way they came. 

All things considered?

Not their worst post game assembly. 

“The football team hasn’t won shit in years, I don’t understand how the fuck they’re still hogging the spotlight.” Brittany spits in frustration at lunch that day, and Josie hums understandably around her mouthful of sandwich even if Brittany wasn’t specifically talking to her. This seems to be more of an open to everybody kind of thing. But the team does echo Brittany’s sentiment, so there is that. Brittany’s face twists. “We’re literally on our way to regionals and the school is somehow still sucking their collective dicks.” 

Josie takes a sip from her juice box as she watches Isabel pat Brittany consolingly on the shoulder. To Isabel’s credit, Brittany does seem to relax a bit into the touch. 

“You know what? Brittany is right.” PJ says suddenly as she slams her tray down beside Josie loud enough for Josie to jolt in surprise with the action. Josie squints up at her friend in bewilderment then, before she notices the almost frantic look in PJ’s eyes and quickly realizes that this is probably PJ’s equivalent of shooting her shot. 

Josie decides to put her juice box down for this. 

“Fuck the football team.” PJ hisses as she leans over the table, and Josie waits patiently for what she might say next as the rest of the team murmurs words of agreement. “I say we fuck ‘em up!” 

Josie’s eyes widen. 

“O–Okay, hold on—” Josie starts as she brings her hands up to placate the team as they all seem to grow interested. Isabel seems to be the only one looking at her curiously, and that alone kind of makes Josie gulp. “We don’t have to do that! Let’s— Let’s think about this—” 

“Fuck them up how?” Brittany says in interest, and PJ’s eyes spark with this — this vigor, and that’s exactly when Josie realizes she might be fighting a downhill battle here. 

“We can— We can fucking —” PJ seems to be struggling now that Brittany is actually directly talking to her. Her head is shaking and her mouth opens, and that’s when Josie knows that hope is lost. “We can fucking key their cars, and slash their tires, and break at least one of their legs, they’ve—!” PJ throws her hands up. “They’ve already fucking got two—!” 

“What about a prank war?” 

The statement seems to get everyone’s attention at once then, and before Josie knows it they’re all looking at a startled Hazel. 

Hazel blinks at the attention, looking between all the faces directed at her before she’s fumbling for words, “Like—I mean, outside of the … mauling.” Hazel nods to PJ with the words. “That sounds pretty … prank war adjacent. We can—” Hazel shrugs. “Put small explosives under their cars—” 

“What?” Annie asks quietly in response to the words, but Hazel seems to already be moving on. 

“Or— stink bombs in their locker room, or—” Hazel glances around at the table before she shrugs. “A goat or something if not stink bombs.” Hazel brightens suddenly then. “I volunteered at the national meat association over the summer, I do technically have access to a lot of livestock…” 

The table is quiet for a handful of seconds before PJ is the one that surprisingly breaks it. 

“Hazel, that idea actually isn’t—” PJ blinks before almost hesitantly admitting, “... Awful.” 

Hazel brightens dramatically at this news. PJ makes a face at the expression. 

So apparently they’re starting a prank war with the football team, mostly unprovoked. 

Josie has tried, multiple times, to convince the team out of it, but no one’s really listening to her. 

Well, no one but Isabel apparently. 

“You really don’t want to do it, huh?” 

The sound of her voice makes Josie startle again, and she heaves in a breath as she clutches her heart in one hand and the door of her locker in the other in hopes that her heart rate will fall back down to a regular pace. Isabel smiles in what seems to be amusement. 

“You know, it’s actually really easy to scare you.” Isabel says with an arch of her brow then, playful and teasing in a way that’s making Josie feel a bit warm. 

“I—” Josie starts stiltedly, her brows slowly furrowing before she says, “Have a … condition.” 

Isabel’s brows raise in surprise at that. “Do you?” 

“Yeah, it’s called…” Josie fumbles for words. “... Fear.” 

Isabel huffs a laugh at that, the surprise coloring her eyes transitioning into amusement before she tilts her head and gently asks, “... Are you scared of me, Josie?” 

“No!” Josie rushes to say, apparently a bit too loudly and suddenly because Isabel startles before she lets out another laugh, and — Josie is suddenly very, very glad that she doesn’t have a fair enough complexion to reveal her blush. “I — not really.” 

“Not really ?” Isabel repeats with an arch of her brow, and Josie is suddenly too flustered to function. Her mouth opens and closes but no sounds come out.

“You’re not scary.” Josie settles on then, and Isabel smiles warmly as a result. Josie’s heart is hammering. “I mean, not— not — … boo scary.” 

“... Okay, Josie.” Isabel replies with a nod then, her laugh exhaling lightly through her nostrils as she begins to lean against the locker beside Josie. “I’m glad to hear that I’m not out here—” Isabel fumbles for words a bit then, eyes still crinkled with mirth. “Frightening the— …” Isabel’s head shakes as she barks a light laugh. “ Masses or something.” 

“No, no, you’re—” Josie swallows thickly. “Too … nice to be like—” Josie makes her hands into claws then, moving to pretend to lurch over Isabel and growl in a way that seems to make her laugh in surprise as she leans back and— “You know, that kind of—” Josie shakes her head quickly, instantly regretting maybe … every action that led her to this point. “Sorry, I— I don’t know why I did that—” 

“No, it was—” Isabel shrugs easily then. She kicks a heel against the tiled floor of the hallway. “It was funny.” 

“Oh.” Josie says in reply. She suddenly feels like maybe, every action that led her to this point was magical and worth it and — she nods, just slightly. “Cool.” 

Isabel smiles at her, and the expression almost edges on expectant. “So, about the … prank war?” 

Josie blinks. She moves to put a book back into her locker before realizing that it's actually the book she needs for class. She takes it back out again. “Sorry, what about it?” 

Isabel huffs a laugh then, amused as she says, “I asked if you wanted to do it.” 

“Oh.” Josie replies in surprise then, pausing a moment before she’s shaking her head and reluctantly admitting. “Uh, I don’t …” She winces. “Actually, I don't think it’s the best idea …” 

Isabel looks at her curiously. 

“Is it your condition again?” Isabel asks with an arch of her brows, and at Josie’s questioning look her smile grows as she elbows Josie gently in the arm. The space just below her elbow where Isabel touched suddenly, inexplicably becomes Josie’s favorite spot on her body. Isabel’s eyes twinkle playfully. “The fear, Josie.” 

“Oh! Oh, uh—” Josie blinks and considers it genuinely for a moment. Eventually, she nods. “Um. Yeah, maybe.” 

Isabel’s head tilts. “Are you afraid that the football team is gonna try and like … get back at us or something?” 

Josie’s brows raise. “I’m —” She shakes her head. “Afraid that everyone is going to try and get back at us or something.” 

Isabel hums thoughtfully at that. Her eyes drift skyward as she seems to consider before she’s directing her gaze back at Josie. “I mean, they can’t get back at us if we don’t get caught.” 

Isabel’s smile grows then, bright and crooked and mischievous in a way that Josie didn’t expect and— Josie’s mouth is suddenly dry. 

“If it helps you can just think of my ex boyfriend being chased by a cow. Cause Hazel says she’s gonna … get us a cow.” Isabel says with a nod as she pushes off of the lockers then, still smiling at Josie as she adds, “I mean, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to, of course but —” Isabel’s smile turns into a full on grin. “The cow thing has been … really keeping me going, so. Maybe it’ll help you too.” 

Josie takes a moment to visualize it then. Jeff, king of the football team, being chased down the halls by a cow. 

She blinks. “You know what, that does actually make me feel a little better.” 

And Isabel laughs and the sound of it is bright enough to bring a smile to Josie’s face. 

“See?” Isabel says with a nod then as she moves to leave. She shrugs, but the gesture seems distinctly proud as she grins. “I told you.” 

“Okay, so, one more time.” Josie says with a furrow of her brow then as they walk up the path to the cliff, and PJ sighs and groans at her side for it. Josie, promptly, ignores her. “We’re going to go to the cliff and hang out for a couple of hours. We are not going to drink.” Josie points at PJ at the words, and PJ gives her an unimpressed look for her efforts. “So that we can be sober when we meet Hazel later for the—” Josie blinks then, fumbling for a moment before — “Cow… insertion.” 

PJ’s nose wrinkles. “Gross.” 

“Yeah, I—” Josie makes a face. “I didn’t know what to call it, sorry, but—” 

“Josie. Look at me.” PJ says suddenly then, and Josie stops in her tracks as PJ turns her around firmly by the shoulders. PJ’s blue eyes look deeply into hers and Josie knows what’s coming but simply sighs as she allows it to happen. PJ’s brows arch. “Fuck all of that.” 

“PJ—” Josie starts in frustration, but PJ is shaking her head already. 

“Nope. No. Shut up.” PJ starts again, before she’s arching her brows high and saying, “We’re both going to fucking drink. And we’re going to have a good time because we got invited to the cliff for fuck’s sake!” PJ’s eyes widen as she bounces on her heels once, looking at Josie incredulously. “And we’re gonna be there with two hot ex cheerleaders! We have to make the most of this, it’s our duty as future panty drenchers—” 

“Gross.” Josie contributes blandly, but PJ valiantly ignores her. 

“Who the fuck cares about Hazel right now!” PJ arches her brows with arms spanned wide. “She can handle a cow by herself for a while! Fuck, knowing her she’ll probably create this — weird bond with it and cry when we release it into the wild —” 

“ What ?” Josie asks with a blink then, her brows knitting together a bit as she frowns and tilts her head at PJ to say, “I— You do know we’re not doing that, right?” 

“What?” PJ’s face scrunches. Josie’s brows raise. 

“PJ, we can’t just release a cow out into the wild—” Josie tries slowly, and she can see the moment PJ starts getting defensive, brows arched and eyes wide as she makes a face at Josie and—

“Why the fuck not? Isn’t that where they go?” PJ asks as she gestures at the wooded area around them, and Josie blinks rapidly in disbelief. 

“No? What are you talking about ?” Josie gestures sharply to the forest herself, her voice low in a hiss as she says, “PJ, we can’t just — release cows . They don’t belong here, we’re going to disturb a whole fucking ecosystem with a whole ass random cow —” 

“Okay, now you just sound like Hazel.” PJ says as she throws her hands up in frustration and starts moving again, and Josie has to scrub her hands over her face with a sigh before she moves to follow her. 

“PJ, you have got to start being nicer to her,” Josie says firmly then, or at least tries to. PJ rolls her eyes. Josie’s lips thin, just a bit. “PJ, we’re in a position of authority now—” 

“Okay, so what?” PJ argues as she whips her head around to face Josie, and Josie stumbles to a stop in the soft dirt under their feet. “Just because I’m co–captain now doesn’t mean I have to change my whole personality!” PJ says as she makes a face, her hands gesturing wildly before she adds, “And she doesn’t make it fucking easy either! Not when she’s always being so—” PJ’s face scrunches in frustration. “ Hazel .” 

“PJ. PJ.” Josie starts with an arch of her brows as she moves to catch her friend’s eyes firmly and, “I don’t care.” Josie’s head tilts as PJ’s expression sours, and they meet each other’s eyes for a moment before Josie continues. “You’re going to be decent to her and you’re going to have to start doing it, like, now .” PJ opens her mouth to retort, and Josie spans her arms wide as she speaks over her. “Dude, Hazel is good .” That alone seems to make PJ’s mouth shut with a click. Josie gestures emphatically. “She’s a good goalie , PJ. She didn’t let one goal pass. And that save she pulled off in the second half?” Josie’s brow is raised. “You know I’m fucking right.” PJ’s mouth is pinched then, and Josie sighs as she decides to stop pushing, just a bit. “Look.” Josie tries slowly, looking over PJ as she proposes, “Even when Crystal comes back, I think we should keep Hazel in goal and maybe move Crystal back to midfield—” 

PJ’s face drops. “You’re fucking with me.” 

“I’m not.” Josie replies with a shrug, and as PJ continues to look at her like this is maybe her worst nightmare, Josie just shrugs again. “Think of regionals, PJ.” And Josie sees the moment that PJ’s expression begins to crack, knows that she’s getting through to her as she arches a brow and adds, “Think of winning .” 

PJ’s expression twists, tighter and tighter until — “ Fuck —” 

“She’s not going to be just the equipment manager anymore, man.” Josie replies with one last empty shrug then. “We need her.” 

PJ groans, long and hard, and the sound of it echoes into the forest around them. Something must get spooked by the sound though, because the sound of flapping wings follows it. Josie begins to frown into the darkness in growing concern. 

“Fine!” PJ snaps, throwing her hands up like this is all some tragic defeat. Josie perks up at the win. “Fucking— fine , whatever.” 

Josie’s smile is triumphant as she nods in reply. “Thank you.” 

“Yeah, yeah, fucking yeah.” PJ grumbles as she turns around again, basically stomping her feet as she moves to continue on the path to the cliff and, “Let’s get drunk.” 

Josie winces, even as she moves to follow her, and — “Okay, remember what I said earlier about not getting too drunk considering we’re going to be handling — a very large animal in just a few hours —” 

They arrive at the cliff and spot the majority of the rest of the team — sans Sylvie, Annie, and Hazel who have been tasked with the responsibility of obtaining and transporting said cow — already getting the festivities started. There are a few red solo cups in a few different hands, girls laughing and dancing to the music blasting from a speaker and — Isabel. There’s Isabel, right there in the middle of it all with Brittany, perking up a bit at their arrival and—

“Okay, this is your chance.” PJ murmurs out of the side of her mouth in an attempt to be subtle that — really doesn’t work. “Try not to talk about her feet again.” 

“Okay, that’s —” Josie shakes her head as if to clear it then, blinking away from the sight of Isabel to smile tightly at her best friend. “ Very helpful , PJ, thank you.” 

PJ grins at her as she begins backing away, making her way presumably towards Brittany to — attempt to flirt prior to cowgate. 

Josie supposes she should really try to do the same. 

“Hi.” Isabel says brightly upon stopping in front of Josie, and this time Josie prides herself on not jumping. Isabel must notice too because her smile widens. 

“Hey.” Josie says with a nod. Isabel is full on grinning now. 

“I didn’t think you were going to make it.” Isabel says lightly, and Josie nods again until Isabel’s brows furrow a bit in confusion.

“Oh, no, I—” Josie rushes to correct, hands waving in front of her as she feels that familiar heat of embarrassment crawl up her neck. “I meant, I wouldn’t miss it.” 

“Oh! Okay.” Isabel nods, and Josie purses her lips tight to avoid saying anything more. Isabel’s fingers tap a bit on the rim of her cup for a few moments before she’s lighting up and asking, “Do you want to get a drink?” 

“Yes.” Josie says in relief, glad that Isabel at least thought of something to say, something that Josie could respond to and be normal about. Isabel perks up a bit. “I would— I would love a drink. Maybe just one though, cause, you know —” Josie shrugs. “Cows.” 

Isabel huffs a bit of a laugh at that, nodding along even as she begins to lead Josie to their cooler of drinks. “Of course.” Isabel’s head tips down in another nod, and for a moment there she’s looking up at Josie through her lashes. Josie’s heart stutters for it. “ Cows .” Isabel’s head rises a bit as she tilts it and adds, “Or — Cow, singular, I guess.” 

“I mean, plural would be fun too.” Josie says then. Isabel looks at her curiously from where she’s grabbing Josie a beer. Josie arches a brow. “I mean, Jeff getting chased by a stampede of cows would be pretty funny.” 

Isabel huffs a laugh at that, her eyes crinkling with it as she hands Josie her beer. 

“You know what, you’re right.” Her brows waggle playfully. “Maybe we should try and call Hazel. Ask her to grab a few extra cows while she’s there.” 

“Okay, first of all, I doubt she’ll have service out there.” Josie starts with a laugh as she struggles to open her beer. Her brow arches. “Also, I really don’t know the ins and outs of cow heists, so …” 

Isabel huffs a laugh at that before she takes Josie’s beer, puts the top of it in her mouth, and takes the lid of it right off with her teeth before handing it back. 

Josie is left wide eyed and staring in the wake of it. 

“Party trick.” Isabel says sheepishly with a shrug, and Josie opens and closes her mouth emptily in response. Isabel brightens suddenly. “Do you want to swim?” 

“What?” Josie asks dumbly as her brows begin to furrow, and Isabel’s brows rise in question. 

“Do you want to swim?” Isabel asks again with this charming little smile and—

Josie can't even begin to know how to say no to that, even if she doesn’t quite know what she’s saying yes to. 

So she just says yes. 

The sparkling smile that Isabel gives her in response is more than worth it. 

Josie had questions when Isabel suggested a swim. 

Starting with where were they swimming? Also, how were they swimming without any of the equipment to do so? When were they swimming? Tonight? Tomorrow? Some other unspecified time? 

The answer was now. 

They were swimming now, and they were swimming in the lake just under the cliff apparently so—

At least some of Josie’s questions have been answered. 

She does feel like she definitely gains more though, as they make they were down the cliff via the scenic route, which is mostly just not cliff jumping off the top of it, which, y’know, Josie appreciates. 

Getting half naked with her crush was definitely enough adrenaline on its own. Josie did not need to add cliff jumping to the list. 

“It’s right up ahead.” Isabel says brightly from where she’s leading in front of Josie, and Josie can only hum in acknowledgement nervously behind her. The thumbs up that PJ gave her before she left is playing on replay in her mind. She wonders if it’ll still be playing in the flashback of her life if she dies of a heart attack, right in the water just from proximity to Isabel Lee. Isabel, as if on cue, turns to beam at her as she ducks around a low hanging branch of a tree. “Thanks for coming with me by the way.” She shrugs. “I asked Brittany but she didn’t want to get her hair wet.” 

“Oh, it’s no problem, I—” Josie shakes her head soundly. “Don’t … really care about that.” 

After all, wash day could always be bumped up. Everything could honestly be moved around and rescheduled for Isabel. Josie wasn’t sure what could possibly rank more important right now. 

Maybe soccer. Maybe, but even that—

“We’re here.” Isabel says brightly as she breaks through the last line of trees into a clearing and—

Josie has to blink in surprise. 

Because there really is water here. Clear, sparkling water. As Isabel makes her way towards it a bit, it reflects her figure on the surface. Well, her, the moon, and the cliff. 

Josie looks up and while she can see the cliff itself from here, and hear the sounds of music, she can’t see a single figure. It’s like … they’re close by but suddenly closed off from it all. In a world all their own but still somehow near enough to make contact. 

As Josie takes a few more steps out of the line of trees she can’t help but be a bit impressed by it all. 

“Wow.” Josie says honestly as she looks around, and she takes another sip from her beer bottle even if the taste makes her wince. When she turns to look at Isabel again Isabel is already looking at her, eyes bright with something akin to — curiosity or anticipation. Whatever it is, it makes Josie’s stomach somersault. She gulps. “How did— uh.” Josie flicks a tongue over her dry lips and tries again. “How did you know about this?” 

“I used to come here all the time when I was still a cheerleader.” Isabel says with a shrug then, looking almost a bit bashful under Josie’s astonishment. Isabel’s gaze falls down to her own shirt then, and before Josie knows it, Isabel is moving to undo the buttons. Josie's eyes widen for a split second before she’s turning sharply away. “Back when I was dating Jeff, y’know.” 

And just like that Josie suddenly feels—

A lot less special. 

Jeff has been here.

Of course Jeff has been here. 

“Oh.” Josie replies for lack of anything else to say, still keeping her back turned towards Isabel in an attempt to protect Isabel’s modesty and her own — sanity, probably. 

She can hear the rustling of clothes behind her and that’s already kind of enough to drive her insane. 

“I mean, he never came down here with me.” Isabel explains easily, and Josie nods even if she’s not quite sure that Isabel is even in a position to see her. “It was kind of … my secret place, you know. To get away when the party was getting too …” Isabel pauses for a bit then, maybe because she’s thinking or— or something. “... Crazy, I guess.” 

“Right.” Josie nods again. “That makes sense.” 

“Yeah.” Isabel replies casually then, and Josie is still standing at attention with her back to her and, “Are— Are you going to swim in your clothes?” 

Josie’s eyes widen. 

Oh. 

Oh, fuck.

“No, I am—” Josie starts before she’s looking down at her own t–shirt and pants combo in new light. “... not, I—” Josie moves to pull her shirt up then, almost scrambling with the movement. “Sorry.” 

“What are you sorry for?” Isabel asks with a laugh then, bright and tinkling. Josie feels warm under the sound. There’s more rustling, but Josie isn’t sure if it’s her own clothes or Isabel’s. She pulls her shirt over her head and Isabel’s voice gets a bit muffled with the obscuring of her ears. “I never used to see you at … any of those parties.” 

“Oh, that’s cause—” Josie struggles with her shirt for a moment before she rips it off with a huff of breath. “I was never …” She shrugs. “Invited.” 

“Oh.” Isabel says as Josie begins to work on her pants, and it’s then that she sees Isabel moving out of the corner of her eye. Josie freezes on instinct because — there is a lot more skin on display than there was before. There’s a lot more skin, and Isabel seems to be walking to the water slowly as she thinks and — “I would’ve invited you. I’d always kind of wonder why you guys weren’t around.” 

Josie swallows tightly. It takes a long moment for her to start moving again, continuing to pull down her zipper. She glances Isabel’s way, just barely before asking, “... You did?” 

“Yeah.” Isabel says as she toes off her shoes by the water. She bends down to put them together neatly and Josie forces her eyes skyward. The moon is full tonight. Josie tries very hard to focus on that. “I used to … think you guys were—” Josie glances again and Isabel has straightened again. All she can see is— is the back of Isabel as she wades her way into the water and seems to shiver a bit for it. “ So cool before I joined this year.” Isabel is hip deep with she finally recoils, a full body shudder wracking through her as she says, “Fuck, it’s cold!” 

Josie watches helplessly as Isabel goes deeper and deeper into the water, until the surface of it laps at the underside of her chin. She watches, and she’s so distracted watching, that she doesn’t even notice when Isabel starts watching her back. Josie wrenches her eyes away to force her gaze downwards again, studying the stones under her feet as she rids herself of her pants and tries very hard not to think of Isabel watching her take off her pants and—

Josie busies herself with rewinding the conversation in her mind, with taking out the images of Isabel’s beauty and instead focusing on — on the words that she was saying. It helps. 

“... Really?” Josie asks after a moment of thinking back, and her voice squeaks a bit with the word. She folds her pants once, and then twice before she’s bending to lay them flat on the rocks. She takes a deep breath then, stands up in her sports bra and boxers and begins to make her way to the water herself. She’s — carefully avoiding looking at Isabel at all but somehow still manages to catch glimpses of her without even trying. Two steps and she’s seeing the pink of Isabel’s bra out of the corner of her eye. Three more and she’s spotting the way Isabel’s wet hair is sticking to the side of her neck. Five and she’s taking note of the way Isabel is slicking her hair back as she wades water and—  “You thought we were …” Josie shakes her head as if to clear it, not really sure where she was going with that sentence, so instead she dips her feet in the water and settles on another disbelieving, “Really?” 

The water really is cold as hell. Josie finds goosebumps puckering her skin the deeper she submerges herself into it, and she can’t quite fight off the shiver that goes up her back as the water reaches her abdomen. 

When she finally looks up she meets Isabel’s eyes again. 

Josie almost trips on a stone beneath the water. 

“I mean, yeah…” Isabel replies slowly then, still watching as Josie approaches. Even her chin is dipped underwater, and the image of it is somehow endearing. It almost looks like Isabel is moments away from submerging her mouth and blowing bubbles under the water. “I used to … watch you guys practice sometimes while we had cheer on the other side of the field.” Isabel explains gently as Josie finally stops before her, and Josie’s brows are raised high in surprise. She … remembers watching Isabel too from across the field, but— she doesn’t remember Isabel ever looking back. The thought of Isabel looking when Josie wasn’t is— almost completely unreal. Isabel tilts her head a bit then as if in thought, humming before she slowly adds, “You guys always seemed so … sure of yourselves.” Isabel nods with the words before she’s meeting Josie’s eyes again. The green of her eyes looks almost otherworldly in the moonlight. “Like you knew what you were doing and …” Isabel pauses before she’s shrugging. “... What you wanted.” Isabel’s eyelashes are wet as she looks at Josie, clumped together in a way that makes her eyes somehow look even more intense than usual. “... I wanted to feel like that.” Isabel’s words are near a whisper. She licks her lips even though they’re already near dripping wet with water. “It’s… why I quit cheerleading.” 

“ We’re why you quit cheerleading?” Josie asks incredulously then, her eyes bulging with it, and Isabel huffs a laugh. She continues to wade in place, but it somehow feels like she’s getting closer to Josie at the same time. 

“You sound so surprised.” Isabel says, and her eyes are crinkling with her amusement. “What else would it be? I tried out for the team, like,” Isabel’s brows furrow a bit in what seems to be mirthful bewilderment. “ Right after I quit cheer.”

“I mean, yeah, but—” Josie still can’t wrap her head around it. Can’t believe that something she did was able to impact Isabel that much or at all and— “I didn’t know that was why.” 

Isabel is definitely drifting closer to her in the water.  She reaches a hand out, and pushes Josie’s shoulder playfully with it. “Well. Now you do.” 

Josie smiles at the action then, the goosebumps on her flesh near her shoulder puckering for a whole different reason now. Isabel’s warmth lingers there. Josie tries not to let it derail her thoughts. “Well, I’m — flattered.”

Isabel’s brow arches then. 

“... How presumptuous of you.” Isabel says, and Josie’s brows raise in alarm. Isabel raises her chin ever so slightly, lofty as she says, “It wasn’t just you who inspired me. It was also PJ.” 

It’s then Josie realizes that Isabel might be teasing. Her smile grows with it. 

“Oh, it was—” Josie shakes her head despite her grin. They’re now close together enough that Isabel’s knee bumps into her thigh under the water. “It was PJ who inspired you.” 

“Yeah.” Isabel nods, the motion confident as she adds, “That time she punched that goalie in the face sophomore year really had an impact on me.” 

Josie’s face scrunches in a wince. “Oh … god, please don’t remind me.” 

Isabel’s laugh bubbles out of her chest brightly, and when Josie opens her eyes her whole face is lit up with it. 

“In her defense, the girl deserved it.” Isabel says with another nod, and Josie’s brows raise incredulously. 

“For catching the ball?” Josie asks, and Isabel raises her brows in turn. 

“It would’ve been a perfect goal, Josie.” Isabel shakes her head then, playful even as she says, “You just don’t get it. You play defense.” 

Josie makes a face at the words, trying to hide her amusement as she says, “ Okay , you are not a forward—” 

Before Josie can finish Isabel is splashing her, and the surprise of water in her face has Josie’s words halting. There’s a moment of shock before Josie spits out a mouthful of water, and Isabel’s laugh takes on a specifically impish edge this time. 

Josie wipes down her face with a hand and clears her eyes with the motion for a moment before she’s looking at Isabel with wide eyes. “Oh, you’re — you’re trying to start something…”

Isabel’s eyes widen for a second before she’s holding up her hands in innocence, “Josie—” Josie begins wading forward. Isabel starts backing away. “Josie, wait —” 

Isabel squeals as Josie splashes her back, sputtering water before she’s moving to bring to hands to the top of Josie’s head and use her body weight to dunk her. Josie goes under with a sputter and a gasp for breath and—

Things only get more chaotic from there. 

They splash each other and grapple and play fight in a way that kind of feels surreal like — like they’ve maybe known each other for longer than they have, which doesn’t make sense. They’ve known each other all of their lives. 

Isabel is the first to attempt to run, or rather, swim away. Josie is sure to give all the pretenses of chasing her, but, really, she’s just following her. Trying to be as close to Isabel as she can for as long as she can. While this lasts. 

It’s their last year. It’s their last year, and in a couple of weeks it’ll be regionals, and then after that it’ll be nationals, and then — that’ll be it. Senior year will be over. They’ll be going their separate ways, and Josie will never be able to follow Isabel Lee around again, with her eyes or otherwise. 

So she follows her. 

She follows Isabel until Isabel slaps her wet hand against a boulder by the side of the lake and says, “Truce!” Isabel’s chest is heaving with her breaths at the offer, and her hand is out to Josie like she expects her to still maybe retaliate. “Truce!” 

Josie pretends to consider the offer for what she hopes is an appropriate amount of time before she swims the rest of the way to Isabel, rests against the boulder, and shrugs. 

“Deal.” Josie replies, and when Isabel grins radiantly at her for it, Josie actually somehow maintains enough composure to hold out a hand for Isabel to shake. 

Isabel beams before she shakes it firmly. Josie finds herself smiling right back. 

Isabel’s huff of laughter seems distinctly pleased this time. 

Their hands fall away from each other and Josie finds herself watching the way that Isabel pulls her hair to the side, off of her back and onto her shoulder in this — distinctly pretty way that Josie can’t pull her eyes away from. Isabel looks back up at Josie then, meets her eyes with this — growing smile and questioning look and—

Josie’s heart is racing off without her. Suddenly her earlier thoughts about heart attacks seem a lot more plausible again. 

So with all the sudden panic she doesn’t think she could really be blamed for the half baked thought she blurts out as she suddenly, abruptly, says,  “... Do you?” 

Isabel blinks. Her head tilts with the motion and – and that only makes the wet tresses of her hair shift against her shoulder and — she looks like a mermaid. Or maybe a siren. All Josie knows is that would surely sink at sea if she saw her, that’s for sure. “Hm?” 

Josie swallows so hard that she can hear it. 

“I— Earlier you said,” Josie starts awkwardly. “That you wanted to feel sure of what you were doing and— and what you wanted.” Josie explains with a weak gesture in Isabel’s direction, and Isabel’s eyes light up in realization. “So I was just wondering—” Josie meets Isabel’s eyes squarely then, even if doing so kind of makes her heart go into overdrive. Isabel is smiling faintly at her and that alone is kind of frying her brain. Josie’s pitch goes up an octave completely unintentionally. “Do you … feel like that now?” 

Isabel’s smile broadens. 

“... Yeah.” Isabel bobs her head in the slightest nod then, her chin under the water again as she looks at Josie beneath those wet eyelashes. Josie’s heart is in the throat. Isabel’s eyes seem to flick over Josie’s face as she says, “... Yeah, I kind of do.” 

“Oh, that’s—” Josie feels like she’s maybe going to choke or — or throw up, but in a really good way. She doesn’t think Isabel has ever looked at her like this before. She doesn’t think anyone has ever looked at her like this before. Josie looks away, down to the water instead. She watches the moonlight reflect off of it as she says, “That’s— really good, Isabel…” 

Isabel drifts closer then; close enough for Josie’s skin to prick with the warmth of her body heat. Her voice comes out in a whisper. “... Josie?” 

Josie’s heart has never beaten so fast in her life. She’s sure it’s going to give out. She’s so sure it’s going to give out. 

She glances up just slightly, head tipping up as she asks, “... Yeah?” 

Isabel leans in and kisses her. 

One second there’s nothing and the next — Isabel is kissing her. 

Josie melts into it probably embarrassingly quickly. There’s only maybe, one, or perhaps two seconds of shock before she’s kissing Isabel back, soft and slow and tentative because— in all honesty Josie is kind of tempted to pinch herself because this cannot be happening. 

There’s no way Isabel could be kissing her right now. Maybe this is a dream or a— a mirage. Maybe Josie really did die of a heart attack the moment she entered the water and this is all some— amazing peek into the afterlife—

Josie pushes closer to Isabel, kisses her just a bit harder, and Isabel sighs as she winds her arms around Josie’s neck, as she pushes them flush together and—

If Josie’s dead she thinks she might actually prefer to stay that way if possible. 

After all, she did have a good run. 

Isabel tilts her head and the movement is so, so familiar, it’s so familiar but this time it’s not just a sign of confusion or amusement but to deepen the kiss, a kiss that she’s having with Josie and—

Josie captures her lips with eagerness that will probably be really humiliating once this is all over but—

“Hey, losers!” The sound of PJ’s voice from above jolts them apart, Isabel falling from her grip on Josie’s shoulders while Josie tries to remind herself how to breathe. She looks around for PJ but finds nothing, and then presumes from how far off PJ’s voice sounds that she may be somewhere out of sight. “We gotta go see about a cow!” 

“Oh, shit.” Josie says with a blink then, even though her mouth is still hot and — tingling from the kiss in a way that’s so painfully distracting that she doesn’t know what to do with it. When she turns to look at Isabel she finds that the other girl’s lips are pinker than they were before. Josie feels suddenly even warmer than she was before. 

“Josie!” This time it’s Brittany’s voice calling for them both, somehow cutting through the darkness in a clearer way than PJ’s had. “Isabel! Let’s go! We’re gonna be late!” 

“Right, um—” Isabel starts then, and Josie’s eyes whip to hers quickly. Isabel seems a bit flustered as she moves to tuck a wet curl behind her ear, her smile almost sheepish as she says, “We should probably —” Isabel points a finger the way they came. “Put our… clothes back on.” 

“Oh, yeah!” Josie’s eyes light up in realization. “Clothes, that’s— important.” 

A laugh bursts out of Isabel then. Her smile is even more pretty in this shade of pink. She nods. “It’s pretty important, yeah!” 

Josie nods dumbly in return, and Isabel seems to give her one last smile before she moves to swim away. 

Josie follows. 

Getting a cow into a boy’s locker room is actually more complicated than one might think. 

It requires a lot of maneuvering, and a lot of coaxing, a lot of grass, and apparently a lot of Hazel clicking her tongue against her teeth and making soft cooing noises. 

It also apparently requires two lookouts. 

“I’ll do it.” Isabel says easily with a shrug, as Hazel, Annie, and Sylvie seem to be struggling to figure out how to get the massive cow through the door of the school. Josie’s eyes flick from the sigh to Isabel immediately. Isabel shrugs. “I don’t mind.” 

“I’ll—” Josie stumbles over her words. “I’ll — help then.” 

Isabel smiles at Josie in what looks to be pleasant surprise then, her eyes twinkling as she nods. “... Okay.” 

Josie finds herself smiling before she knows it, her eyes on Isabel for a long moment before she’s turning to see a squinting PJ and Brittany looking at them both. 

Josie freezes. 

PJ looks between them like she’s figuring something out before her eyes light up. 

“... Okay, sure.” PJ says with a bright clap of her hands to the pleasant soundtrack of Sylvie and Hazel seeming to genuinely beg and plead with the cow to cooperate with them. Josie glances over and sees Crystal stroking the cows neck gently as if to sooth it, despite the fact that the cow doesn’t seem to be distressed at all in the first place. It’s honestly just standing there. “We’ll leave you guys to it then…” 

PJ starts backing away with that, and Brittany seems to study them all for only another handful of seconds before she’s moving to follow her. Once Brittany’s eyes have fallen away from her Josie finds herself releasing a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. 

“Is it your condition again?” Isabel whispers softly from Josie’s side, and Josie startles a bit at the words, but not as much as before. Isabel smiles at her in a way that feels distinctly mischievous, and Josie can’t help but smile back. 

“I— No.” Josie rushes to say, and Isabel is grinning now. 

“You’re not scared of Brittany?” Isabel asks with an arch of her brow, and Josie’s mouth opens and closes emptily. 

“I — Why would I be scared of Brittany?” Josie squeaks then, and Isabel is huffing a laugh as she backs away from her towards the truck that Hazel, Sylvie, Annie, and June the cow all came in. 

“Cause she’s a badass forward who lesser women jump out of the way of on the field?” Isabel asks simply then as she moves to the truck and peeks in the back of the pick up. Isabel begins to hoist herself up to reach inside of the back of the pickup truck, and Josie’s brows furrow in confusion as she says, “Or because she could maybe kick your ass?” 

“Okay, you make —” Josie shrugs in acquiescence then. “Two very solid arguments. Maybe I should be scared of Brittany.” 

Isabel laughs then, and Josie’s lips twitch at the corners at the sound before her brows are furrowing all over again and—

“Did you … forget something in Hazel’s car or—?” Josie starts to ask, but before she can finish Isabel is popping back up, bright and beaming with a soccer ball in her hands. Josie’s brows raise in surprise. 

“Hazel’s always got a soccer ball on her.” Isabel says brightly as she hopes down from the back of the truck, and Josie looks at her curiously. 

“How do you know that?” Josie asks simply, and Isabel’s brows arch as she shrugs. 

“How do you think she got so good in goal?” Isabel says as she moves to toss the ball between her hands, grinning. She shrugs. “She’s been asking us all to practice with her for a while.” 

Josie blinks in surprise then, her head tilting as she frowns and says, “She never asked me.” 

“Yeah, because you would tell PJ.” Isabel says as she moves to push the soccer ball into Josie’s chest. Josie wraps her arms around it as Isabel arches a brow. “And Hazel didn’t want PJ to know so that she could be like,” Isabel shakes her head a bit. “Super blown out of the water when Hazel got absolutely sick.” 

Josie’s brows knit tighter together. “How do you — even know all of this?” 

Isabel grins, cheeky as she begins to jog backwards and away from Josie, brightly saying, “I know all.” Isabel throws her hands over her head, excitable in her amusement as she adds, “I’m all knowing, Josie!” 

Josie can’t help but laugh at the display, giddiness bubbling up in her as she watches Isabel beam at her before gesturing for Josie to follow. 

“Come on! We can keep watch from the field!” Isabel calls, and Josie — really couldn’t say no if she wanted to. 

And she doesn’t particularly want to anyways. 

She jogs to follow Isabel, to catch up to her where she’s already so far ahead. 

They fall into step with each other once Josie has closed the gap, and Isabel looks up at Josie with warmth out of the corner of her eye. 

Josie chews her bottom lip nervously, and it’s when she’s distracted that Isabel steals the ball and runs with it. Josie squawks before she begins running after her, but it’s too late. Isabel drops the ball, dribbles it, scores and—

“Goal!” Isabel calls as her arms raise above her head for the second time that night, this time in victory, and she’s — breathtaking. Her hair is still wet where it’s pulled up into a ponytail and it’s dampening the collar of her shirt, and her cheeks are flushed that pretty pink with exertion. Josie doesn’t think she’s ever met a more beautiful girl in her life. She doesn’t think she ever will either. 

Isabel does an incredibly dorky victory dance, and the surprise at seeing it is enough to startle Josie out of her thoughts with a laugh and — the other girl shoves Josie’s shoulder as she passes her. 

“One nothing, Marks.” Isabel teases easily before she’s arching a brow in challenge. “You’ve gotta try and keep up.” 

“... Wow . So you’re a cheater. You cheat.” Josie says slowly then, and Isabel’s smile only grows more impish by the moment. Josie tilts her head. “Okay, well—” 

Josie doesn’t finish the sentence in favor of racing after the ball. Isabel rushes after her with a yelp. 

Playing one on one at night while no one else is here is — weird. But a really good weird. A really amazing weird. 

The lights are on on the field but it’s just them. There’s no crowd cheering as Josie fakes left and goes right. There’s no audience watching them as Josie prevents Isabel’s goal by wrapping arms around her waist and straight taking her off her feet. 

It’s — 

Probably the best time Josie has ever had on the field. 

She suddenly has to wonder if she even likes soccer. Does she really like soccer or was she just — just going along with PJ and chasing this —

“Good game.” Isabel compliments as they both lay on their backs on the grass of the field, panting. Isabel holds a fist out to Josie then, and Josie blinks at it for a moment before she’s breathlessly laughing. 

She reaches out to tap Isabel’s fist with a nod. “Good game.” 

Isabel grins. The expression is charming even as she fights to catch her breath. “I won.” 

“What?” Josie exclaims as she shifts up onto her elbows, turning to look down at Isabel as she argues, “I got two more goals then you did—” 

“Yeah, and you fouled me twice!” Isabel points out as she points in Josie’s direction. Isabel pokes her cheek with the same finger, and Josie’s face scrunches a bit with the action. 

“I fouled you once—!” Josie counters, and Isabel’s eyes light up. 

“Aha! So you admit it was a foul!” Isabel replies in triumph, and Josie’s mouth opens and closes emptily as she tries to think of how to counter that argument and—

She can’t think of anything. 

So she doesn’t. 

Instead she bends down a bit and kisses Isabel soundly on the field and— Isabel makes this little noise of surprise but she kisses Josie back and —

Josie’s heart is soaring higher than any ball she’s ever kicked. 

Isabel wraps an arm around Josie’s neck again, and this time she swings her weight over to roll Josie over onto her back, and— Josie is so sure there are going to be grass stains on her clothes, but her dream girl is laying on top of her kissing her and—

What could be better than this —

“ Guys !” 

The scream is blood curdling and that’s really what has them both rushing to sit up, looking toward the shout with wide eyes to see Sylvie there with hands cupped around her mouth. Sylvie’s eyes are so big that they can see them from here, all the way across the field. 

“ The cow crushed PJ’s foot !” Sylvie screams again, and Josie’s eyes widen impossibly further as she moves to scramble to her feet and—

“ What ?” Josie exclaims in turn then, not even thinking before her feet are pounding across the field. She can hear Isabel’s footsteps beating onto the grass beside her, and Isabel has always been a bit faster, she pulls ahead easily but— this isn’t a race. There’s no prize when they get there, just wide eyed horror as they stop at Hazel’s truck to see a limping PJ being held up by both Hazel and Brittany and—

“— erfucking bitch ass stupid cunt cow !” PJ bites out between grit teeth, and Hazel winces where they words are being projected directly into her ear. “I’ll fucking make that bitch into burgers. I’ll make her into fucking steak, god fucking fuck , this hurts—” 

“PJ, you can’t blame the cow, you spooked her. You can’t just run up on them like that—” Hazel says sensibly, and it’s only then that Josie notices that PJ’s got a grip on Hazel’s free hand so tight that the other girl’s hand is white with it. 

“Hazel, shut up ! Fuck the cow! What about me ? Can we focus on me ?” PJ bites out, but her voice cracks in pain with it, and after the shock wears off Josie rushes forward to help but doesn’t really know where to start with it. The trio stops at the backseat of Hazel’s car, and when Josie helps Hazel and Brittany slide PJ into the backseat, PJ trades Hazel’s hand for hers. “Josie, I want you to fucking listen to me, okay?” PJ says as her blue eyes bore into Josie’s and it’s only then that Josie notices the tear tracks on PJ’s stubbornly hard face. Her hand tightens around Josie’s and the force of her grip gives Josie new respect for Hazel. “Listen to me.” 

“I— Yup, I’m—” Josie winces silently in pain before she meets PJ’s eyes intently and nods repeatedly. “I’m listening.” 

“I want you to make sure I eat beef every day for the rest of my fucking life. Do you hear me?” PJ grinds out between her teeth, and Josie is nodding along as chaos goes on behind them: Hazel, Sylvie, and Annie trying to decide who goes in which car, Brittany and Isabel rushing to lock the doors of the school, Crystal calling after an apparently lost Stella Rebecca. PJ’s gaze only intensifies. “I want you to bring a double — no, fucking triple — cheese burger into that emergency room, Josie. I want to eat it with a glass of milk, and when I’m done that you’re going to bring me steak and eggs for breakfast tomorrow and big fucking meaty lasagna for lunch, okay?” PJ’s grip is edging on bruising now. Josie holds back a sound of pain as she nods. PJ’s teeth are bared. “ Fuck cows, man .” 

“PJ, I— I need this hand, man—” Josie starts to argue, but before she can finish she’s feeling a tap on the shoulder. Josie turns over her shoulder to find Isabel there, and she thinks it’s the pain of PJ’s continuous grip that stops her from jumping in surprise. 

“I’m going to go with Brittany and meet you guys at the hospital.” Isabel says quickly, and Josie can do nothing but nod. Isabel’s brows raise. “You’re going with PJ?” 

“I— Yeah.” Josie says with an absent nod, and Isabel mirrors the action in what seems to be autopilot. 

“Okay. Good luck.” Isabel says as she reaches forward to give Josie a hug. Josie scrambles to embrace Isabel with the arm she has available, and when Isabel pulls back, she pecks Josie on the lips. The action makes Josie freeze, but Isabel doesn’t seem to notice as she ducks her head around Josie to say, “I really hope your foot is okay, PJ! We’ll meet you at the hospital!” 

And with that Isabel is rushing off to join Brittany, skittering to a stop before the taller girl before they’re both hastening to get into Brittany’s car and—

“What the fuck was that?” PJ asks in disbelief, and Josie has to turn to face her friend with equally wide eyes. PJ blinks slowly, seeming to be either in shock or processing things slower with the pain. “What the fuck? Did I—” PJ’s face scrunches. “Miss the part where you two became an old married couple?” 

“I—” Josie starts before Hazel is suddenly opening the driver’s door and Sylvie is opening the passenger door, and— Josie rushes to actually get into the car and close the door behind her as Hazel rushes to put the car in drive. 

“What the fuck is going on tonight?” PJ exclaims in pain as she clutches Josie’s hand even tighter, and PJ’s foot is in her lap and Josie is trying really hard not to look at it because she doesn’t even want to know what a crushed foot even looks like and— “ What the fuck is going on ?” 

The truck peels off into the night with a screech of its wheels that kind of echoes the screeches from PJ. It’s honestly almost poetic.  

Speaking of things turning out poetic, the next day, Josie kinda has a girlfriend. And she also gets to watch that kind of girlfriend watch her ex boyfriend get chased down their school hallway by a cow, so. 

Yeah. Life imitates art. 

Or at least inside jokes. 

Same thing maybe.