The Striker

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses sexual content.

Asher Donovan plays his first season with his new Premier League team, Blackcastle. He recently transferred from the Holchester United team and wants to do well. He feels frustrated by the team’s lack of cohesion during the season final match. In the final moments of the match, his captain and rival, Vincent DuBois, refuses to pass him the ball, and they lose.

After the game, Coach Frank Armstrong calls Asher and Vincent into his office. He scolds them for letting their rivalry sabotage the game. He insists that in the offseason they’re going to train at the Royal Academy of Ballet (RAB) and work out their differences. Vincent protests when Armstrong announces that their instructor will be his sister, Scarlett DuBois. Asher privately stews.

Scarlett teaches her ballet class at RAB. After class, she chats with her students, excited and overwhelmed when she hears that Emma got a part in The Nutcracker at Westbury Theater. Scarlett was supposed to dance there, but five years ago, she was in a car accident that left her with chronic pain. 

Scarlett’s assistant and friend, Carina, tells her that their boss, RAB director Lavinia, wants to see Scarlett in her office.