I sat in my A&P, struggling to fill out the test that I forgot about. With tryouts and building new teams I totally let it slip my mind. I didn't even have time this morning before school to study because I had to get the rosters on the locker room, and right before I was getting ready to leave the guys varsity soccer coach had stopped me. He handed me a letter from the people in our sports division. When I had opened it I was confused as I was pissed. It stated that the girls soccer season was being moved to the spring, like it used to be five years ago. Any game or games played so far this season will not count towards the wins of the real season.
Just thinking about that stupid letter was making it even harder to focus. And the fact that my bitch partner kept clicking her pen just made me irritated.
"Five minutes left." Ms. Lunge said.
Shit! I still have thirty questions left! I quickly tried to fill in some answers, but gave up and turned it in.
When the bell rang, Jason came over to where i stood. "How did the test go?"
I glared at him, and he quickly shut his mouth.
"Did you know about this?" I asked, handing him the letter his coach gave me. He quickly read it, "No. This doesn't make sense! Why would they change it when the season has already started?"
"Good fucking question." I muttered.
"Oh, how lady-like." Caitlin quipped as she grabbed her binder and left. I had been so preoccupied, that I forgot she was still there. If looks could kill, well she would be dead right there on the floor and I would be a happy person.
"Ignore her." Jason said.
"Well, this letter means that I didn't have to rush to get teams put together. It put my plans for these teams on hold!" I said through clenched teeth. I fully prepared to storm out of the room, because just talking about this gets me fired up. But Jason reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
"It's going to be okay Summer. Just think, now you have all this time to prepare you teams that most teams would kill for."
When I looked back at him, he gave me a reassuring smile.
I looked down for a second, and smiled, "You're right."
"I know. Now let's go to lunch."
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I stood out on the turf field, as the fall breeze whipped my pony tail around. Before me sat the three teams that I was now in charge of. The freshman team, the JV team, and the new and improved Varsity team. Each team had roughly 15 to 18 players, much bigger than I was used to since being on a soccer team at this school.
I had a clip board in my hands, and a smile on my face. I hadn't informed anyone other than Jason about the "free time" that we have.
"Good afternoon. Congratulations on becoming part of the soccer teams here. It's wonderful to see so many girls interested in the sport of soccer." I said with a big smile, as the girls around me smiled back.
"Since my freshman year, there has only ever been a Varsity team for the girls' soccer, while the boys had a freshman team, a JV team and a varsity team. It was always the boys who seemed to outnumber us and get all the funding. Last year that was confirmed when we lost our wonderful coach, coach Jen due to budget cuts." I saw my team mates, eyes seemingly look off into the distance. I wondered if they were also remembering coach Jen, and how wonderfully amazing she was.
I shook my head and I was brought back to the present. "But, that didn't stop us. As hard as they tried, they couldn't beat us down. Since coach Jen was let go, the varsity team was self-run by the players. And now you are all a part of it. And I am beyond happy to welcome you all to our soccer family."
The girls all clapped, while my team members whooped and hollered. Boy, were they about to get angry with me. I lifted up the papers on my clipboard where the letter I received.
"Unfortunately,-" I started, quieting the girls, and getting curious glances from my team mates. "-I was informed this morning that they are switching the girls soccer season back to the spring like it had been before it was changed five years ago."
"What does that mean?" A freshman girl with curly orange hair asked.
"That means we don't have any games until the spring." I clarified.
That's when the uproar began. Questions were shot at me from every angle, while my team mates spat a few choice words. But this was all to be expected. I let them rage for a good five minutes before I silenced them.
"Okay, okay, everybody calm down. I was just as pissed as you were this morning when I received the letter this morning, but a good friend of mine brought up a really good point. Now we have more time to prepare, more time to practice, and more time to become a better team. Plus, it gives you all more time to bond with your team mates, because we all know that there is nothing worse than a team that can't communicate." I pointed.
"But what's the point of even practicing yet. Its only October and the spring season doesn't start until, what? March?" A girl in the front row said, I believe her name was Julia or Julie the one with a hot temper.
"I know where you're coming from, but this just gives us time to prepare. All of us have something we can improve on and this gives us more time to do so."
"But if we don't have any games until March, than what's the point?" she shot back.
I didn't really hesitate my response. "That's not true. We will be having scrimmages against each other, and in November, before it gets too cold, we'll have a scrimmage against the boys' team. During this time period everyone will have the ability to move to the JV team, or Varsity team, or even be moved down JV or freshman for those of you who are not putting in the effort. This will be a learning time, and will give us enough time to become the best there is."
That shut her up. And before long the Kimmie stood up, "I think that's a great idea!"
"So do I!" Jasmine said as she stood up. Before I knew it, my whole team had backed me up, leaving the new comers a little less likely to question it again.
"Awesome! So if there's no more questions, let's start practice."
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When I got home I was shocked to find Dylan sitting on my door step. He had a grey beanie on and a black jacket. He was sitting there, doodling?
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I walked up to unlock my door. When he stood up I noticed the box next to him.
I groaned and leaned my head on my door, "Please don't tell me that's more wedding stuff."
"You guessed it." He said, as he followed me inside.
"Rough day?" he asked as he placed the box down on my kitchen table.
"That's putting it mildly. Plus, I'm so sick of this wedding stuff." I said lifting up a scrap book, before dropping it back in the box.
Dylan chuckled, pulling his beanie off and throwing it on the table next to his sketch book. "Isn't the bride supposed to be the one who loves planning this stuff?"
I let out an annoyed huff and crossed my arms.
Dylan studied me for a second. "What's wrong?"
I was so frustrated, because deep down there was something bothering me. I was angry and upset, and I just wanted to punch something.
"I'm upset because-... I'm upset... Uggg! I thought that it was going be perfect! I thought that our wedding would be something that we planned together! But we can't, because he's off at college, and I'm still here where both of our mothers are cramming wedding ides down my throat! God damn it!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the hair.
Dylan waited for me to collect myself as I took a deep breath.
"I know all of this must be really frustrating you, but everything will work out in the end."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know my brother. I may not have seen him in a couple years, but I grew up with him. I know he loves you."
I ran a hand through my hair, still frustrated, but embarrassed to snap like that in front of him.
"Yep. So onto a different subject, what were you drawing when I pulled in?" I asked, eyeing his sketchbook. His calm and laid back expression quickly vanished. "Nothing really, just scribbles. I was bored waiting for you."
"Mhm." I said, snatching his sketchbook. Before he could take it away from me I opened it up and flipped to a random page. My breath was knocked out of me as I looked at the beautiful drawing on the single page. It looked like a girl with a pixie cut, smelling a rose. Her eyes were closed, and you could see how long her lashes were. Before I could say anything, Dylan snatched the sketchbook out of my hands.
"Dylan, that picture was amazing! You really have a gift!"
"Uh, thanks. I usually don't share my unfished stuff. I stand for nothing but perfection." He said, that cocky grin returning.
I rolled my eyes, "Sure."
.
.
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Dylan stayed for a good hour before he got a call from someone and had to leave. I didn't mind. I went and took my shower and got ready for bed. I collapsed on my bed, and pulled out my phone to call Bryce. The phone rang six times before it went to voicemail. I pulled my phone away from my ear and frowned. My chest ached because I missed him, but I wasn't going to call him until he answered.
I sent him a quick goodnight text, before placing my phone and rolling onto my side. I didn't want to sleep yet though. For over a month my dreams have been plagued with the same nightmares I used to have when my dad first passed. Sometimes a new nightmare crept its way into my subconscious, but they always involved my dad's death. I didn't want to sleep, but that didn't matter because I was exhausted and before I knew it I was being pulled into a deep sleep.
.
.
.
I stood outside as the wind whipped my hair around my face. I watched as a helicopter lowered to the ground, making my hair whip my face even more, but I didn't care because my dad was finally coming home. After almost nine months of being gone he was finally home.
The helicopter touched down and my dad jumped out. He had his hat on and his ABU's. HE had his arms outstretched for a hug as he walked towards me. I giggled, happy to see him again. I ran towards him, even though I felt like the wind was pushing me back. Just as I was about to reach him, I heard a loud noise. It was like a loud bang that I heard over the roaring of wind, and spinning of the helicopter rotors.
Some liquid sprayed all over me, and it was warm and sticky. I stopped in my tracks, glancing my clothes and my hands. They were covered in a black liquid, or was it just dark red? When I looked back at my father, he had a blank look on his face, as he dropped to his knees, and then all the way down, as the dark black liquid started to pool around his unmoving body, and trailed all the way down to where I stood.
That's when I realized what the liquid was. It was blood.
~*~*~
I sat up in bed, and screamed, gripping my hair. Brit came rushing into my room, "Summer what's wrong?!" She said frantically, looking around my room.
I started crying uncontrollably, as my body convulsed. Brit quickly grabbed my trash can right before I threw up. I threw up until there was nothing left in my stomach, and all I could do was dry heave. I continued to cry, and Brit just held me, and tried to comfort me.
God, why do I have to be so messed up?
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Long time no post, eh? Sorry about that. I had a bunch of ideas for where I want to go with this book, but sometimes I have some difficulties with getting from point A to point B, and I tend to get writers block. But I hope you guys like this chapter.
Make sure to comment and vote. I love reading all the comments you guys put. (Just saying.) If I get any long, really awesome comments, I usually try to dedicate a chapter to that person. I've only done it a few times, but if I were to get a long comment that just stands out above the rest than I would love to dedicate a chapter to you.
Any who, have a wonderful day. Stay awesome
~Ry