E A S T O N
I'm not a particularly superstitious person. But I believe in luck and all the good and bad it brings.
The bracelet of orange, red and yellow was like a second skin on my wrist, having not taken it off for three years. Not once. Thank God it was waterproof.
Every member on the team had a version of the bracelet, all with different colours. The tradition had been going on long before I joined the team, but it had started with these two ex-members, Frankie Cornell and Wyatt Jones who were the type of best friends who were inseparable.
One night they were at the Santa Monica boardwalk and came across this elderly woman sitting on the boardwalk making these bracelets. With all these different coloured threads, her hands working so fast and so full of talent to be making these bracelets from scratch, Frankie and Wyatt had to get one.
At first, the bracelets had started as a friendship thing.
The soccer team hadn't had a win all season, and it had gotten so bad that it was almost as if a curse had been put upon the soccer team of Beverly Hills Academy. The practice sessions were always good, the team working hard to get into shape, but whenever they stepped foot onto the soccer field, going up against a rival, the team always fell apart.
The day after Frankie and Wyatt visited the boardwalk, they had a match against West Hollywood high school.
The team of Beverly Hills Academy had already prepared themselves for a loss, but as soon as they stepped foot onto the field, it felt different, as if this power had been bestowed upon them.
Like they could actually win.
And they did.
Frankie and Wyatt had given the bracelets the credit for their epic win and took the whole team back to the woman on the boardwalk to buy a bracelet, as if every member having one would unite them, the power multiplying to the point where they couldn't have a terrible game ever again.
That season, the team had a winning streak after the purchase of all these bracelets. Even the coach had one.
The tradition carried on, long after Frankie and Wyatt graduated with soccer scholarships. No one daring on taking the chance of not having one and breaking this power the bracelets held.
The team didn't win every game, but the symbol of the bracelets was that this team was one as soon as we stepped out onto that field.
I finished lacing up my cleats when Oakley barged into the locker room.
"Game day, baby!" he claps and rubs his hands together, decked out in the black and green uniform.
"I thought coach told you not to barge in here anymore?" I question, arching an eyebrow.
But Oakley only scoffs. "Please, It's not like I'm going to hook up with anyone in here. I'm more likely to do that in the boys' locker room."
"Classy," I chuckle.
~
Three minutes.
The outcome of this game is going to be decided within three minutes.
We're tied with Wallis High School, 1-1, and have been for the last thirty minutes.
"We need a different play," Coach huffs, rubbing his forehead as we all huddle around him. "Obviously they've been training hard since the last match against them, but so have we."
"Crawford can tackle them?" Aaron proposes. Crawford nods along, agreeing.
"No." Coach deadpans. "No foul play. This is what we're gonna do."
YOU ARE READING
Playing for keeps
RomanceThe Vipers - Book One ~ The Carter family held power that took years to gain. They were powerful, ruthless, and held no traits of mercy. Except for one. Easton Carter was the youngest of the Carters. And was far different to the reputation that the...
