Jamie, meet Dylan. Dylan, meet Jamie

Chapter Eight

"Warm up's over, ladies," Coach Brenner said after his whistle. I immediately stopped jogging around the field and took deep breaths as I sat on the grass. The girls from the track and field team ran on the track outside the field, smiling at whoever made eye contact with them. I got two smiles today and that was when I looked unintentionally.

I had almost forgotten soccer practice was today until Dylan said he had an audition after school. I felt so weak; I hadn't had anything after the burger, and I didn't have an appetite to eat anything, either. My stomach still ached but I did a good job at concealing it.

"Hey Reeve," Coach said to Dylan. Dylan paid him no attention as Coach Brenner repeated his name, getting more frustrated by the second.

"It's Reed," I corrected the coach as I stood up from the grass.

"What?" Coach asked, confused.

"It's Dylan Reed," I repeated myself, almost out of breath. The coach looked at his list and muttered something inaudible.

"Reed," he said, in the same volume as the first time he had called him. Dylan turned to the coach with a smile on his face. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face so bad.

"Coach Brenner," he said.

Coach turned to me. "Forrester, get in the net. Reev-I mean Reed, you're against the rest of the team," he said. Dylan smirked at me, cocking his brow in the process and I felt the hairs of my neck stand at his reaction.

I dragged myself to the goal and strapped on my gloves and positioned myself in the middle of the goal. The girls from track had stopped and stood by the soccer field to watch the solo-match. Sarah joined them and stood with her arms crossed in interest at what would happen.

Dylan shook his legs out and set his eyes on the goal; I didn't meet his. I took a deep breath as the Coach whistled and Dylan sprung into action. He weaved past the defenders of the opposite team, lifting the ball with his foot, circling the ball around in mind tricks and tripping the opponents in the process. He was good, unexpectedly good. I could see Sarah's jaw dropping at how good he was, and I knew I had to match up with him, but I couldn't let him lose.

He was closer towards me and I paced myself for the possible goal. I had to let him score because he was Dylan, but then there was Sarah, whom I wanted to impress. I had to sacrifice being hurt by Dylan or letting Dylan impress Sarah, and I only had a few short seconds to figure it out.

Dylan was closer now, and I lifted my hands in front of me and focused on the ball that I had to stop. It all seemed so long, yet it all happened so quickly that it was almost a blur. Before anyone from my team could stop him from making the goal, he kicked the ball with the side of his foot and let out an exhale as he kicked it. The ball sped towards me in an unprecedented speed but I knew its direction. I jumped to my right and took the ball's blow to my stomach and hugged it tightly. I landed on the soft grass a bit forcefully and I realized that I had successfully prevented Dylan from scoring the goal. I looked up, and saw Sarah grinning widely at me as she jumped up and down in victory. I smiled back.

I got up from the grass and brushed the soil off myself as I placed the ball on the ground. I couldn't look at Dylan. I knew he made the team, he literally outran seven players and almost won the goal.

"Forrester, that was quite a save. Reed, excellent attacking," Coach Brenner told us. Dylan was right beside me. I could feel his temper right under my nose, as if teasing my senses to prepare for the worse.

"Thanks, Coach," Dylan said with a nod.

"Forrester, back in the net. Reed, you're on the team," Coach said as he patted Dylan's back. I gulped and retreated back to the net. I was going to let him win this one.