I took off one of my socks. They were bright Kicks blue, like the outfit from the shoot, and had pink pigs with balloons tied around their middles floating in between white, fluffy clouds. Ever since we started doing the sock swap, my mom’s been on the hunt for fun socks for me, and she especially liked this pair.

“Get it? When pigs fly?” she had chuckled when she gave them to me.

“Wait, is that a comment on our ability to win?” I had asked.

Mom had gasped. “Oh no! I didn’t mean it that way at all! Should I take them back?”

“I’m kidding. They’re cute,” I had told her.

For this sock swap, Emma was sitting next to me, so I handed her my sock.

“I love it! Oink, oink!” Emma snorted, then laughed.

Jessi was sitting on my other side. She gave me one of her socks, a bright pink one dotted with black-and-white raccoons dressed up like ninjas.

“The Bolts won’t be able to catch our ninja raccoon feet,” Jessi joked. “They’ll never see our kicks coming.” She leaped to her feet and got into a karate stance, moving her arms and hands slowly in the air.

“Oh!” Frida exclaimed, coming to stand next to her. “I needed a role for this game. I could get into being a ninja. What’s my character’s motivation?”

Zoe frowned in concentration, her forehead wrinkling. “How about the soccer ball contains the stolen jewels of a royal ninja family. Anyone who keeps them from falling into enemy hands will not only be a hero but will also win the hand of the prince in marriage.”

Frida wrinkled her nose. “Marriage? No thanks! I’ll settle for my reward in riches and fame.”

Zoe shrugged. “Fine by me. Most fairy tales have some guy winning the hand of the princess. I thought we could turn the tables.”

Frida nodded thoughtfully. “A modern interpretation of a classic. I like it! But what—what does he look like?”

Zoe laughed. “That’s totally up to you.”

“Okay, girls!” Coach Flores said. “You’ve got this. Just go out there and do your best, like I know you can. Zarine, you’re starting on goal. Let’s see Sarah, Anjali, Jade, and Frida on defense. Jessi, Taylor, Maya—you’re my midfield. Devin, Hailey, Grace—I want you on forward.”

I nodded, excited to be starting the game. I looked up into the stands. Since we were playing on the Bolts field, there were more Bolts fans than Kicks fans. But I knew I had my own fans cheering us on, and that’s when I spotted my mom, my dad, and Maisie sitting in the bleachers. I waved, and they waved back.

“Okay, soccer-ball brain,” I whispered quietly to myself. “Focus on the field, not self-doubt, and we’ve got this.”