Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

For a moment, Kate and Lucas' world was reduced to the small sofa where they were, ignoring the sound of the storm outside and anything else that might invade that space. Lucas's hands ran down Kate's back as they kissed, and she felt it like little shocks all over her body.

However, the moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a cell phone notification.

*Ding

Lucas's handset, which was on the arm of the sofa, vibrated loudly, illuminating the room darkened by the end credits of the movie they were watching.

Lucas pulled away from Kate, still panting and surprised by what had just happened. His gaze met hers, and they both seemed to process the same thing: what they had just done and what it meant. Kate's lips were slightly parted, her face still flushed from the heat of the moment. She looked away and put the back of one hand to her mouth.

Without saying a word, Lucas sat down and picked up his cell phone. The screen displayed the letter L with a heart next to it. He felt a knot in his stomach as he unlocked the message:
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[L <3: Merry Christmas, Lucas! I hope you had a special day, and I'm sorry I didn't get to spend it with you. I look forward to talking to you tomorrow. Love!]

Lucas skimmed the message, but soon realized that Kate was watching the mobile screen out of the corner of her eye, and when she saw Lucy's name, her heart sank.

Kate stood up abruptly, almost knocking over the pillow next to her. She crossed her arms, staring at the floor, unable to face Lucas.

"I'm such an awful friend. What have I done?" she muttered.

"Kate, wait," he said, standing up quickly.

Kate shook her head, frustrated with herself. "Lucas, we shouldn't have done that. Lucy likes you. And I... I should have been more respectful of her feelings."

"Kate, I..." Lucas tried to speak, but was interrupted.

"What about you? How do you feel about her?" Kate asked, finally finding the courage to face him.

It wasn't a simple question. For months, he and Lucy had flirted, but nothing concrete had happened between them. Lucy was now a close friend, but Lucas was undecided about what to do. I felt like I was dreaming about Kate the whole evening.

"I like her a bit, but I think I like you too."

"Arh! I should have known," Kate began, her voice bitter. "You're just another creep. No matter how educated or different you seem... In the end, you're just like all those soccer players who live in the gossip magazines. Always jumping from one relationship to another, cheating, deceiving..."

"Kate, wait a minute. Do you think I'm like that? Do you really think I'm like those guys you see on TV?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Look what happened! I trusted you, thinking you were different. And now you're here, deciding between me and Lucy. As if our feelings were a game to you!"

Her tone was as sharp as a blade, and Lucas felt his blood boil. He wasn't perfect; he knew that, but being compared to serial traitors was too much.

"I'm a human being, Kate! Yes, I'm confused. But so are you! Weren't you the one who took the initiative? You kissed me! Or are you going to say you weren't confused too?"

Kate was stunned, but not for long. "Yes, I did. And it was a mistake. I was emotionally vulnerable, and you knew it. But instead of stopping and thinking, you went ahead."

"Because I liked you!" Lucas shouted, losing his temper. "I don't know what to do about Lucy, but what happened between us was real. I felt it. And I know you felt it too."

"It doesn't matter! Because now everything is confused. And I don't want to be the person who betrays a friend. I never wanted to be in that position."

Silence fell between them for a few moments, broken only by the sound of the wind howling outside. They were both panting. Lucas ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words.

"I'm not saying this is easy, but I'm not a villain, Kate. And I'm not playing games with you or Lucy. I'm trying to understand my own feelings, just like you."

"I can't deal with this right now," she muttered. "I need space, Lucas."

"Okay. If that's what you need, I'll respect it. But we can't leave now. The storm is raging outside."

"I know." Without saying another word, Kate grabbed her coat and went into the bathroom, closing the door.

Kate closed the bathroom door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. Her mind spun as memories of the beginning of her friendship with Lucy came flooding back.

Lucy always had a unique way of making everyone around her feel special. When Kate transferred to the Institute, Lucy was the first to approach her in the cafeteria, bringing lightness and spontaneity into Kate's life. The two created a strong bond, a friendship built on trust and moments of mutual support. Now, everything seemed to be shaken. Kate felt as if she had betrayed that trust - and worse, she didn't know how to fix it.

Outside the bathroom, Lucas sat on the sofa, his mind caught in a web of complicated thoughts.

Since returning to the past, he had struggled with the idea of relationships. He was mentally older, carrying experiences that made him hesitant to enter into something serious with Lucy. There was the fear of hurting her, of not being fair to her, and something that seemed morally wrong. But with Kate... things had flowed naturally. It was as if the weight of the past had disappeared for a moment, leaving only the present.

"Why is it different with her?" Lucas muttered to himself, running his hands through his hair, even though he knew it was wrong to do so.

Should Lucas accept he had crossed this barrier and try with Lucy, forgetting what had happened with Kate, or should he stay with Kate and forget Lucy's statement?