[2021]
With her eyes closed and both hands pressed together while all her fingers pointed up as if she were praying, the woman, who was wearing a green cap and whistle tangled on a leather string hanging around her neck, listened to her surroundings. Loud cheers, overlapping chatters, and even bashing can be heard from where she was standing.
She ignored the overwhelming anxiety in her system and tried to focus on what was happening at the moment. She was there to try. She was there to prove herself. And she was there to win.
But not just her. All of them. Everyone on the team had one thing on their mind right now-victory.
The moment she finally opened her eyes, she saw the group of girls that she was all familiar with hyping each other, all energetic. She smiled lightly at the sight and walked toward them, finally ready to face the team.
"Coach Nat!" greeted the captain of the team she's handling.
"Who's ready to be the state champs?" Natalie asked the girls, who screamed on top of their lungs out of excitement, collectively uttering the name of their team.
Natalie watched as the girls cheered loudly, waves of nostalgia hitting her.
She used to be like them. She used to be just like them.
"Alright," she said, blowing her whistle to finally get their attention. "Let's warm up and start the drill while we all wait for Rhett to arrive."
Most of the girls started warming up while the others assembled the training cones they would use for the drill, except one. The girl shyly approaches her slowly. She was tall, brunette, and had wavy hair that was tied in a nice ponytail.
She reminds her of someone she used to know.
"Rico is not here yet," said the girl in a worried voice.
Natalie could only nod her head when she noticed that there really was one missing from their starting lineup. And she also knew that if the game started without the said girl, they would be at a disadvantage.
"Any idea why she might not be here yet?" Natalie asked the girl in front of her in a gentle voice.
Hesitant about whether to lie to her coach or just be honest with what she knew, the girl responded in a low voice to ensure her teammates wouldn't hear her. "Her last message says her mother is screaming at her for not quitting soccer and school yet."
Natalie clenched both her fists upon hearing what the girl said. It wasn't the first time she heard about that thing. But unfortunately, she can't do anything about it either.
She then shifted her attention back to the girl in front, giving her a light tap on her shoulder in assurance.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon," she told the young woman. "Go join the other girls."
Minutes had passed when her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure. Natalie watched as a pale young woman wearing the same uniform as the other girls on the team was walking in their direction. Her head high and still proud, with the huge number printed on her jersey as the first thing you will recognize on her oversized uniform from her small and dainty body. Number 12.
As she gets closer, Natalie recognizes the smudged make-up on the girl's face, her unbrushed and dry pixie hair due to the streaks of gray dye on it, but most importantly, the bruise on the left side of her upper lip.
She reminds her of someone she wanted to forget.
"We'll talk after the game," Natalie told Rico, her voice full of authority. "For now, I want you to focus and give your best."
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Yellowjackets: The Broken Victors
FanfictionHave you ever thought about how much change it would bring if there was another person with them on the plane? Who would be saved? Who would rather die? And what would rather happen? Is that person going to be their salvation or lead them to damnati...
