Without You

Chapter 2

I jogged onto the football field in the gear that my cousin, Autumn lent me, well more like her dad. He was a 6' guy and I'm a 5'7" girl so the pads weren't exactly optimal. I had to walk to her currently abandoned house and then walk back to school which was a 23 minute round trip. I changed in 6 minutes and made it onto the field.

I stood towards the back, and away from Jason. He was someone I didn't want to associate with, that's for sure. Then the man in the front started speaking, "Ok boys, most of you know me, but I'm Coach Wilson and that's Coach Brown. Got it?"

We all nodded our heads and I heard a chorus of 'got it'. The other coach walked away towards another field.

"Okay so if this is your first year trying out, or playing for me, get on the 20 now," he yelled harshly.

I jogged over to the 20 yard line and stood next to a boy with blonde hair and brown eyes. Coach started on the other end of the line and looked at the line of nervous boys and me. I glanced over to where the boys were that have played before and I saw Jason, he just smirked at me. The other guys have definitely noticed I am a girl. I mean it would be kind of hard not to because I braided my blonde hair into 2 French braids in the sides of my head. They were all whispering to one another and looking at me. So much for laying low.

Coach was talking about what positions there are but I already know them so I don't care to listen. Just because I haven't officially played doesn't mean I'm clueless. I know what I'm getting myself into and I can't wait to try something new. I was lucky I arrived right in time for tryouts. The boy next to me kept shifting around nervously, and I felt his nerves. I also felt bad for him. 

Coach then walked down the line slowly, studying every new player, while the player had to say what positions they have played and their name. I heard talking but don't really listen until the blonde boy spoke.

"Chase Lewis, Cornerback or Wide Receiver."

Coach stopped at me and spoke, "sweetheart this is not cheerleading tryouts, that's over there." He pointed to where Jessie and a bunch of other girls were. That gets a chorus of laughs from the boys who have now all noticed that I'm a girl.

"I know, Allison Carter, Quarterback."

He looked at me and then turned to Jason, "you know her?"

"No I don't know it, not related," Jason yelled over and people laughed at me, "although Allie, we can become related." I raised my eyebrows at him. What? Does that even make sense? He is so dumb and trying so hard that wasn't even smooth.

Coach cuts into the conversion, "No need for banter right now," he turned to me, "let's see if she can run." Then he turned to the team, "okay all of you start here, on the 20 and run to the opposite 20 and back. Got it?" He said and the other players that weren't on the 20 before got on the line. I stood next to Chase Lewis because he was pretty much the only one's name I knew besides Jason who didn't look like he was going to run this one. Not that I would run with him anyway.

Then coach blew the whistle and I took off sprinting. At the 50 I was only a few steps behind Chase, so I push it. We get to the opposite 20 and turn back. I have passed most of the boys by the time we get to the 50, and am neck and neck with Chase. Jason and the other boy on the sidelines are cheering for Chase but by the 30 I passed him. I crossed the finish line and fell over with my lungs burning.