The Bad Boy's Snowflake

Chapter 32: State

"Catherine!"

The entire team rushes toward me as I walk toward the soccer field without a boot. I'm so excited I can't help but squeal when everyone surrounds me in a group hug. Our team is so close and not at all clique-y. I love it so much.

"Catherine!"

I turn toward the field and see Coach Maxon smiling as brightly as me and all the girls, but it has a sort of seriousness to it, also. "Can you play in the game?"

The vicinity actually goes dead silent. I don't think anyone even breathes as they wait for my response. I'm not even sure I breathe.

"I can practice lightly today," I start. Everyone is still holding their breaths. "And practice a little harder each day, so that would put me at working my hardest on Thursday, which is the day before the game, so...yes!"

Cheers erupt around me, and it makes me feel great. It makes me feel like these girls actually need me here. Actually want me here. I feel so loved. That is, until the cheers die down and Coach decides to make us run. A lot. Then I just feel dead.

***

The bus ride to Elton High is very quiet and very tense. Everyone is really nervous for the game, but my guess is that I'm the most nervous. I played two games this season. Now I'm back, and the game I'm back for is the state championship. I'm the captain; I'm supposed to be the best on the team. I've had four practices since I've been out of my boot. The odds are against me, and it makes me want to puke.

We finally get to the school and get off the bus, but what we see makes me want to get right back on. The girls we are playing against are huge. They're shortest girl is probably 5'7", and they aren't exactly super skinny. They're not fat, but they've got some meat on their bones. I turn to face my team and see that they look about as freaked out as I feel. I decide that it's time for one of my famous inspirational speeches.

"All right listen, girls," I say loudly to get everyone's attention. All eyes snap to me. "I realize that this game is a scary concept because, you know, it's State, but also because of these girls. They're huge. But I want you to remember that this is soccer. This is not football. Size isn't everything. I will admit that it helps, but it's not everything. Not even close. Watch them for a moment." Everyone, including me, looks at them warming up. They're slow and their moves aren't quick enough. They're hardly even moves. 

"These girls are no match for us," I continue. "They're slow both running-wise and technically. Their moves are not even moves, just moving the ball in a weird way. These girls are no match for us. Not at all. We got here because we worked hard for it. We have the skill. My guess, is that they got here by pushing people out of their way. We will not be those people! We will be the biggest challenges they ever face in their lives. Now let's send them home crying!"

"Let's send them home crying!" the girls yell after me and go to the field to warm up. I follow them, feeling a little bit better about our chances.

The whistle blows and Sadie passes it to the other forward. She passes it out wide, and our girl runs up the field. I fall in behind her for support. She stops at the corner, but can't get a cross in so she plays it to me. I bring it to the middle, scissoring around a girl, and look for an opening. I don't see one. The girl who passed it to me falls back a little, so I can give it to her. I pass it and she dribbles back toward the corner to cross it, but before she can, a defender from the other team slide tackles her from the side. She goes down and the whistle blows. The defender gets a yellow card, and thus goes the game. 

By the last ten seconds of the second half the score is still 0-0. We have been playing great, we just keep getting fouled. The ref calls most of it, but some of it is just impossible for him to see. I stand in their box waiting for Macy to send the ball in for our corner kick. She does and it comes right for me. I jump up to head it in, but a large weight jumps up higher pushing down on my shoulders, and I fall, landing on my ankle weird in the process. The referee blows his whistle and calls a penalty kick, but I barely hear it because I am too busy hurting in the exact spot my ankle broke. 

Sadie rushes over to me. "Catherine? Catherine, are you all right?"

"My ankle," I whisper. 

Her eyes widen. "Oh my god. Does it hurt bad? Can you take the penalty kick?"

I nod. "I think so. Just help me stand up first."

Sadie grabs my arm and Macy grabs my other. The pull me up with a little difficulty. Once I'm up, the pain isn't so bad, so I place my foot on the ground without putting any pressure on it. It still doesn't hurt, so I put a little more pressure. This time it hurts, but it's not unbearable. I begin to walk around on it a little bit, and it hurts pretty bad at first, but it gets better the more steps I take. Finally, it doesn't hurt anymore, and we can continue on with the game, which means I have to take the penalty kick.

I take a deep breath and pick up the ball. I carry it to the little white dot in the box and make sure to place it on a tuft of grass. Then I turn around and take another deep breath before walking four steps forward and two to the right. I turn back around to face the goalie. She looks pretty nervous, too, which is better for me because that means she probably isn't great at saving penalties. I take one last deep breath and picture the ball sailing into the bottom right corner. I look up at the goal and back down at the ball before beginning my run-up and kicking the ball.

I can feel the whole stadium holding their breath as the ball goes toward the right corner and the goalie does, as well. It looks like she's going to save it, and I deflate, but the ball creeps in under her body at the last minute and hits the back of the net.

It's deathly silent for a moment, but then everyone erupts in cheers. My whole team runs out to me and puts me on their shoulders chanting my name. There are tears in the eyes of both teams, but I think most of them are from me as I realize that we just won State.

I see Tommy coming toward me through the crowd, and I get down off my team's shoulders. He rushes toward me and gives me a bone-crushing hug.

"I just won State," I laugh slightly hysterically.

"You just won State," he agrees with a laugh, and then he puts his lips on mine. I kiss him back until Sadie and Macy rush over.

"Catherine, we just won State," Macy cries. I nod with tears in my eyes also.

"We just won State!" Sadie yells, laughing crazily.

I laugh and yell along with her and Macy.

"We just won State!"

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Hey, guys!

I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so soooooooo sorry this took me forever. I had my final presentation which went well and now I am finally DONE WITH THAT CLASS AND NOTHING COULD MAKE ME HAPPIER!!!!!!!!! 

So, now for the bad news. This book is officially over. I know it's so sad. I'll probably have an epilogue because I typically do, but I don't know when I'll update that. Probably this weekend.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who read and voted on this because I really do appreciate it so much. Nothing makes me more happy than getting notifications about how people have voted for my story, so thank you. I appreciate you all so much. I honestly do.

Thanks, guys!

P.S. Read my new story Kissed By Death. I haven't published the first chapter yet, but look for it after I publish the epilogue