In Another Life - JackieShauna AU

Chapter 6 - GOAL!

"Shauna!"

Another two weeks had passed since Shauna had seen Jackie, but this time, she waited outside of the hospital, several meters away from the entrance.

Shauna had looked up from her phone and stuffed it into her jacket pocket as the energetic hospital patient made her way across the lot. In no time, Jackie was standing in front of Shauna, eager in every way to make it to the field.

"I haven't set foot outside in weeks." She looked around. The day was strangely chilly, with an occasional breeze now and then, causing the browning leaves to rustle in the trees above. Those yellow eyes examined everything, adamant about taking all of it in.

Jackie tucked her hands into the pockets of her hood, her shoulders hunching. A puff of smoke came from her as she exhaled. She was paler than before, and the bags under her eyes were darker. Jackie looked exhausted beyond belief, yet there she stood, excited to make her way to the gymnasium.

Shauna hadn't even mustered her first word before Jackie snapped her head to the side to give her her undivided attention.

"The field is about ten minutes that way." Shauna pointed down the road.

"Then let's go!" Jackie power walked ahead, obligating Shauna to catch up to her with a quickened pace, whether she wanted to or not.

The sounds of their cleats walking through the grass were so memory-inducing, it caused Shauna to take a moment and reminisce on the old days as if doing so would take her back in time to when she'd play soccer every single day after school. After a while, she opened her eyes and sighed, then moved across the field to stand next to the goal. She'd brought along a soccer ball of her own, just in case they weren't provided with any.

"What used to be your position back when you would play?" Jackie asked aloud, finally pulling her hands from her hood pockets. Her head was cocked back as she surveyed the field.

Shauna bounced the ball off the floor twice. "Midfielder. You?"

Jackie grinned. "I was the team captain and an ace striker." She gave a mock kick of her leg as if kicking a ball. "Do you think you can pass the ball to me?"

"Of course."

Shauna and Jackie carried a sort of unspoken communication with each other. They had a strange relationship, to say the least. Shauna would answer her questions coldly, with little to no emotion, but Jackie would cherish these answers and retort with excitement in her tone. She did not seem to take offense easily. Jackie was very different from everyone else Shauna had ever met before her.

Where most people would detach themselves, Jackie took hold and wouldn't let go, being as persistent as she was energetic. It was very unsettling. Shauna turned away and frowned.

I wouldn't have given you my number if you weren't a patient...

The brown-haired girl kicked the ball again and jogged over to position.

"This is all so nostalgic." Jackie's voice was filled to the brim with excitement. She took several steps back to prepare herself for the pass. Mentally, she was more than ready to score, but not so much physically.

Jackie couldn't connect with Shauna's passes. She missed the ball twelve times.

"Shit- shit." Her frustration was unmasked. "Please pass to me again!" She kicked the ball to Shauna.

There's no stopping you, is there? Positioning the ball in front of her foot, Shauna aimed for the approximate location where Jackie would kick the ball. She wanted for her to kick it at least once lest Jackie threw a self-hate-induced panic attack.

Watching as Jackie ran forward, Shauna passed the ball perfectly. It brought her back to her high school days. Now if only the sickly one would hit it.

The sound of Jackie's foot meeting the ball sounded much like an explosion. Shauna flinched. It had been so long since she'd heard something so loud. It was amazing.

"Ha! Did you see that?!" Jackie was bursting with emotion. She was ecstatic. "I kicked it perfectly just now! That pass was perfect!" Without hesitation, she ran across the field to retrieve the ball.

Shauna knew that running probably wasn't the best thing that she should have been doing, but she said nothing about it. The ball was passed back to her, and again, she got back to passing the ball to Jackie.

After three passes, there was another goal and another cheer from the former ace striker. Shauna raised her eyebrows.

"Impressive." She watched the ball roll further away from them, and expected to see Jackie trailing it, but instead saw nothing. She turned her attention back to the only other on the field.

Jackie stared off into the distance from beyond the goal, her face carrying a confused expression. After a moment, quietly, she spoke.

"They... Aren't really there, are they?" The words left her mouth reluctantly.

Shauna glanced in the direction of where Jackie was staring. No one. They were the only two on the field. She dug her thumbnail into the side of her index finger and returned her gaze to Jackie.

"They aren't really there." She had to force herself to say the mere four words.

Jackie mouthed an "Okay," before backing up several steps. "Could you please pass to me some more?"

"Sure." Shauna nodded once, and that was all that Jackie needed to share before she ran off to retrieve the ball.