~Reality~

Chapter 6 Unexpected twist....by my ankle

So.. before we begin, Shout out to @Mahika_Agarwal
who helped me edit the above picture. :)))
On with the story now...

I feel some kind of assurance because of Kate and Sarah who are standing by my side.
I see a few boys warming up, so I ask them to sit by the bleachers. "Good luck!" they call. I give them a small smile and nod in thanks.

I go to the boys and start warming up. They eye me as if wondering how I even had the guts to tryout for the team. I was wondering that myself to be honest.
I stand next to them and they eye me as if challenging me to say a word.
I raise my eyebrows. They don't get to treat me like that.
"Hey, I'm Ava." I say, more confident than how I feel.

"I know you...." A familiar pair of green eyes catch my eye.
"You're friends with my brother.."

So this was Cody's brother Justin...
"hi, you're Justin right?" I ask putting my hand forward for him to shake.

"I take it that he has told you about me...?" he says with a smirk shaking my hand.
"Yeah, he told me that you were trying out for the team too.." I say.
The other boys still eye me skeptically. A bit of an awkward silence follows.

"Um...so, let me Introduce you guys" Justin says, successfully breaking the tension.
He goes on introducing me with all his friends. "So, this is Mark, Jason, Skyler, Steve, and Collin." I hear a chorus of bored 'hey's'. This was the group I saw Cody talking with earlier today.
"And guys...this is Ava"

"Hey..."I say back waving a bit awkwardly. Maybe it wouldn't turn out as bad as I thought it would.
As usual, I spoke way to early.
We hear a whistle and make way to the field. We huddle around the coach.

"Listen up everyone! I am your soccer coach. My name is James Pattinson and I expect you all to perform your very best as I shall be analysing each and every step. This is what will decide your position in the team, moreover, if you even make the team.", he says.

He looks over to everyone and I feel him gazing at me for a fraction of a second more, but I must have been imagining it.

"Go on now! Start 20 laps of the field. Your tryouts begin now!! Go Go Go!" he yells. Everyone starts jogging but suddenly I hear coach calling me,

"hey!" he calls. "Yes coach...?" I question, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice.

"What's your name ?" He asks me. "Ava, Ava granger, sir..." I reply. I wonder if he's planning to ask me to leave. Maybe he's skeptical of having a girl in the team just like most of the people here.. but what he says next, shocks me to the moon and back.

"I look forward to having you in my team Ava. No girl has ever been in our school team, much less be in the team itself. People at this school don't take girls seriously in any sport except volleyball, so they don't bother to try out. You must be new here, so these boys might not have got to you yet" he says with a small smile as if he knew what I was thinking just a second ago.

"Thank you so much coach....." I say still unable believe his words "Soccer is my passion and I don't plan to leave it anytime soon.".
'That is, unless my parents don't find out', I say to myself.
"Good. Now you better start running too." I thank him and start to run. At least my morning jogs paid off.

We all finish jogging and get divided into two teams. I can see coach watching me from the corner of my eye. I turn to him and he gives me a reassuring smile and an almost unnoticeable wink. Almost.
I grin. I like our coach already.

The match turns out to be quite tough, but we scrape through. To be honest, I think the best part was everyone's reaction. It was as if people couldn't believe I could play so well. Justin and his friends were staring at me with wide eyes with their mouth slightly open.

I walk over to them. "Close your mouth. You're gonna catch flies." I said with a smirk. They all look down. Well that's what they get for underestimating me. I smile inwardly.

The coach comes over to me and pats my back. "Well done Granger.".
"Thanks coach" I say smiling.

He goes on to the other players and talks to them. I wonder who all he'll select. 

I run over to the bleachers where Kate and Sarah are waving to me quite enthusiastically I must say. "Hey guys!" I say.

"Hey guys?! That's all you have to say after showing us you are the best player in the world?!" Sarah says incredulously.
"yeah Ava! we knew you good but that was absolutely excellent!"

"Thanks guys" I say, rolling my eyes at their exaggeration. I hear coach calling us for the last part of the tryouts. I wave to Sarah and Kate indicate I would see them soon.

I jog over when I feel someone's foot in front of me. I trip and fall forward. I feel a sharp pain in my ankle and see Mark snickering and walking away. "Jerk" I yell after him burning holes into his head. I'm able to get up, but walking is a whole different story.
Justin sees me limp. He rushes over bringing coach with him. I consider ratting Mark out, but think against it.
Why? Don't ask me, I don't know myself.

"What happened?" Justin asks me. "Umm... I fell down and twisted my ankle" I reply.
"Here lemme see" coach says. He tries bending it and checks for swelling.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" I mutter, trying not to give Mark that satisfaction who was now standing with the many boys who had now surrounded me. I absolutely loath looking weak.

"Seems like you've got a sprained ankle Ava.." coach says "you can't run for at least 2 weeks and have to put ice on this everyday.".
"What! 2 weeks!!" I exclaim, "How am I gonna complete the tryouts?" And what will I tell my parents..? I add to myself.
"That's okay Ava. I'll asses you on what you've done earlier.." coach says reassuringly.
"Um..sure coach..thanks.." I say, feeling defeated already.
I force a smile and Justin helps me over to the bleachers where I apply some ice that apparently coach always keeps incase of injuries.

"How are you feeling Ava?" Kate asks.
"Could be better" I reply " not only do I have to sit on the bleachers for the rest of the tryouts, I even have to think of what I'm going to tell my parents because I don't think you can't sprain your ankle when you are just TRYING out for cheerleading"
"You could just say you tripped, and, I mean...you could get sprained during cheerleading, it isn't that uncommon actually..." Sarah suggests. I hum in agreement.
"By the way, it was Mark who tripped me"

"Wait.....what? What a jerk!"Sarah says. I raise my eyebrows as if to say, I know right!.
"I am going to KILL HIM." Kate says getting up clenching her fists. I pull her back down.
"Easy there, it's alright" I say smiling.
"No, it is not alright! How can you let him get away with this?!"
I just shrug. Ratting him out would make me seem desperate for attention, if not to coach, the other boys. It's not like they're happy to see me here either.

"Anyways... do you think you're gonna make the team?" Sarah asks.
"I don't know. I mean, I'm not even giving the complete tryouts.." I say doubtfully.
'"Nah! You'll make the team. We're sure of it" Kate says. I smile at them for the support. I really need it right now.

"Apart from you...who do think is gonna make the team?" Kate asks with a smile.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I'm pretty sure Mark will. Other then him..um..I think Justin might.."
"Justin, huh?" Kate says raising her eyebrows smiling slightly.
"Wh..." I'm cut off when I hear coach calling me. "Well I guess we're about to find out now" I say to them. "Break a leg!" I hear Sarah call.
"She doesn't mean that literally!!" Kate adds. I shake my head smiling then wincing in pain.

"So guys, you all did pretty well but only eleven of you have been selected, and three more who will be extras. As of now, I'll only be naming you. Your position will be decided at our first real practice" Coach begins "so the extra players are Vincent and Josh. The eleven players are ......"

Ooh is Ava selected or not....Well you'll find out soon enough!
Don't forget to vote and comment! Thanks =)
Until next time unique person!

*Wiggles eyebrows but ends up looking like a person having constant eyebrow twitches*

Stay Tuned!