In Raeni Clarke's Life, a lot of her choices were made for her. She didn't choose to go and live with her grandfather, the universe did that for her after her parents passed away. She didn't choose to go to a school that was part of Marcella Toriki's Girl Strong program. The universe arranged that for her when the foster care system dropped her with a certain family in a certain part of New York City. So, if the universe hadn't done that, and Raeni hadn't been put on a path to playing football professionally? I think that she struggles. I think that Raeni finds herself struggling in school with no healthy outlet for her budding athleticism. I think she doesn't have anyone in her life to encourage her in a meaningful way as she finds herself rotating through foster family after foster family, until she ages out and at 18 she is left completely alone in the world. I think she finds herself on the rough seas of New York City, crammed into an apartment with more roommates that she knows the names of, trying to keep herself afloat on her high school diploma. I think she puts money aside, a little bit out of every paycheck to buy a single ticket to a single game to see the New York Silverbacks play, clinging to the memories of listening to games on the radio with her grandfather. I think she closes her eyes and dreams of being out on that field. Raeni Clarke lives in her own best timeline, one where those dreams are becoming a reality.
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