Nicole
I easily dribbled past another defender and laid the ball to Adam before running forward and he smoothly passed it back to me. There was only one defender between me and the keeper now. But it was Coach?? Weird.
Still I kept my focus on the ball. I looked back around and found Adam running in my support behind me to my right, along with a couple of the other’s team defenders. I took a chance that Coach would be following my eyes so before he had time to think, I slowed my pace a little, left my right leg a bit behind and feinted a back-heel pass to Adam.
And just like that, he ran in Adam’s direction without waiting to see if the ball actually left me. I didn’t spare him a second glance as I lifted the ball with a swift right heel. I bet he was just standing there in awe as the ball flew over my head and fell perfectly before me in my track as I picked up my pace again towards the goal. I didn’t know why but everything was going perfectly for me on the pitch, except of course that coach thing.
Normally I wouldn’t look at the goal keeper as I knew a ball driven with the right force in the right path gave the keeper no chance. But I just felt compelled to see who it was and Coach scared me again standing there in gloves in front of the goal. What the f*** is this, some kind of Matrix shit? I just saw him back there and now he was there, looking indifferent as he held his stance.
Hell, what do I care, I thought, as I shrugged it off and averted the gaze back to the ball. I laid it forward a little, getting just enough space for me to get the right momentum kicking it. And right before I kicked the ball, the moment my eyes landed on it, I was struck with shock. Why, it wasn’t the ball but the coach’s face itself! And before my boot hit it, he shouted, ”You’re off the team, Taylor!!”
Then something hit me hard on the arm and head.
I woke up to find that something didn’t hit me but I hit it, the floor. Getting up, a smile crept its way up my lips as the dream replayed. I bet the rest of the team must be getting the impact, too. Coach, he’d been practically driving us insane. If it hadn’t been for the state of denial we were in, most of the team would already have given up.
We thought Friday was tiring. That was until the training match ended yesterday afternoon that we started voicing our second opinions. The practice during which we only had 3 short breaks, started at 7 in the morning and lasted 4 hours and man, was it shattering!
I would never have gotten home in that state if it hadn’t been for Jeremy who was wise enough to have his friend come pick him up. The rest of the day, I spent sleeping it off. So here I was, awake at five in the morning, somewhat freshened up but still not sure I was up for another day of backbreaking practice session.
A loud horn blared from the front of the house and I knew Jeremy was here. I gulped down the rest of the milk and grabbed my phone before rushing out the door. There was no need to bring anything else since I had everything I needed for the practice in my locker.
“Hey.” I got in, greeting Adam in the backseat. Wait, Adam? And there I found Jeremy sprawled across the back seat.
“Hey.”
“Why are you driving?”
“Why shouldn’t I be driving?” he reciprocated as the car got back onto the road.
“Well, who’s gonna drive us back home? Surely not you, seeing how you went home yesterday.” I said, kicking Jeremy’s leg over to the other side so I could sit properly.
“True.” Jeremy stated, eyes still closed.
“Well, coach emailed us something about not to bring anyone not of the team.” Adam piped in as he stepped on the accelerator and the car started whisking past other few ones on the deserted road.
“Did he? Why?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say anything else.”
“I even brought some clothes. And then some.” Jeremy said, groggily sitting up, and patted a bag tugged behind our seats, which I hadn’t noticed a moment earlier.
“I’m sensing a BYOB.” Said Adam from behind the wheel.
“Yeah, right. Keep dreaming. Coach won’t even let us have a night out like last year.”
“Exactly. He wants us not to go to any party but he wants us to relax somehow. So he figures ‘why not let the kids have some fun right before my eyes’.”
“Yeah. Makes sense.” I agreed after a moment.”Assuming coach does let us loose tonight, would that stop you going to Parker’s next month?”
“Hell, no!” Jeremy said almost in unison with Adam, whose ear-wide grin could be HEARD from the back seat.
“Thought so.”
“Is he okay?”
“We’ve gotta do something.”
All kinds of concerned voices surrounded Luis as he was stretched off to the clinic by two players, followed by a couple other players and coach. Sure he was gonna live but I doubted he could play in the game against McClymonds. And it was a big concern both for the coach and the players ourselves because frankly the substitute keepers who would be covering for him were not as nearly good as him.
Daniel, he was match-shy. He would show you how good he could be in training, but all those promising acts diminish once he hears the roar of the fans on the field. But for now we’d have to make do with him.
Because there was a reason Craig, who was next in line, was elected the substitute-of-the-substitute keeper. When it came to him, that saying ‘the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’ couldn’t be truer. You could see him on the bench always ready to get in on the act and once he was out there, he quickly took the form of a real big-hearted philanthropist, of goals. So in short we were doomed. Oh, the timing of it all!
We didn’t bother going back into the building but waited just on the pitch for coach to return, hopefully with good news. And after a while, he was back. We nodded ‘how’d it go?’ to Dave who went with him and a heavy shake of his head was the reply. All of us including Daniel sighed. All of us, except of course Craig who seemed pretty excited, probably shouting ‘At last’ silently.
“He’ll have to rest for about a month maybe two but he’s gonna be okay.” He paused to cast a quick glance over our expressions. “This was not, in the least, what we wanted. But it happened and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“How about we have try-outs and get some …” Someone I think Steven said before he was cut off by coach.
”You are mistaken here. I’m not saying I’m sorry about not having our number one in that game. We have players of more than enough caliber to replace him.” Daniel’s face lit up at coach’s words. Nothing can lift someone up higher than making them know that they are needed, wanted and trusted.
And the very example showed itself right before our eyes. Craig must be pretty proud to know he had coach’s trust but his face was already bright so it didn’t seem to make much difference to him.
“I’m sorry because all his hard work during the last few weeks is gonna go to waste. I’m sorry for him because he’s not gonna be with us when we play our first game of this year, one of hardest. It’s all up to you to not let him down.” His serious words earned slow but earnest nods of agreement from all of us. And we were surprised when a bright smile took over his features.
“And I’m sorry for him because he’s not gonna be a part of our little party this evening.”
Uproarious voices of excited approval erupted from the sitting crowd and wouldn’t die down after what coach added later.
“Which, of course, is after the afternoon practice.”
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Rina
“Besides it is a direct flight, so you’re gonna be fine.”
I didn’t say anything back but just nodded as we walked towards the embarkation deck. She’d been a little different since we got here, especially after that conversation in the room which I walked in on. The way she looked at me, acted around me, it just wasn’t the same as before. The time was 4 in the morning so the place was starting to get crowded.
“Here is the pass. Just say ..”
“Jen, I’m fine.”
Actually, I wasn’t. It was a direct flight but you would freak out a little when you travel by air for the first time, wouldn’t you? But I didn’t show it. I didn’t want to worry Jen more than she already was. Whatever was going on, it was tiring her out. And the last thing she needed right now was another burden on her mind, which seemed to be me.
But truth be told, I was a little mad at her, for keeping things to herself. I thought we were family. But I wasn’t gonna give up just like this. I loved her and I would get out whatever it was she was hiding from me, one way or another.
So here I was, despite having been locked up in a tube for some good two thirds of the last twenty four hours and after a really short reunion with my ‘grandparents’, again set off for home.
I pulled away from her mom’s hug, this time fortunately not the teary bear hug like last time, giving out as bright a smile I could make out to not show what I was really feeling inside.
”I have to stay for the operation and Edward will be coming back with me after that. You’re gonna be alone for a few days.” She paused to look me in the eye. “I’m really sorry I couldn’t go with you.”
“Jen, it’s okay. I understand. I’m gonna be fine.” I said almost at the same time as the announcement came, telling the passengers to board the plane in fifteen minutes.
“I guess that’s my cue.” I reached up and kissed her cheek. Being 5 feet 8 she stood about 2 inches taller than me. I smiled at both of the older women before turning around and walking heavily towards the counter.
Looking ahead, my gaze landed on a few people queuing up and my heart started to race in nervous anticipation as I neared the check-in. I’d never been good at socializing, without someone by my side. But I heard Jen call after me before I reached the line so I stopped walking.
“Hey.”
Turning around, our eyes met. I didn’t say anything but waited as she sighed after a beat of silence.
”I know you are upset.” She whispered. I went to protest but didn’t. I really was upset and there was no way it could’ve gone unnoticed around her. She gently squeezed my hand.
“And that is the last thing I want. You know that.”
I just nodded.
“And I know I hurt you when I said that you’re not my …”
“Hey, I understand.” I cut in and softly reassured her, gently touching her cheek so her downcast eyes would meet mine again. Of course, despite my stupid reservations, I knew she didn’t mean that.
“No, I shouldn’t have done that. You are my daughter and I wasn’t thinking when I said that. I was being stupid.
I knew she didn’t mean to hurt me when she did that and I’d already convinced myself I was okay with it but to see her worried about me did make me feel … satisfied. And all that misplaced doubt I had of her vanished as soon as I saw the sincere guilt in her eyes.
“But I’ll be on the first available flight on Thursday and I’m gonna explain everything when I get back, okay?” She said, as she looked me in the eyes intently, expectantly.
“Okay.” I smiled and for the first time today it reached my eyes.
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