Not Interested // R. Lewandowski

A Totally Non-Suspicious Group of Miscreants

I think I'm warming up to the bright red. Today I had a new training outfit waiting as I came into my locker room. It looks like a little cleaning happened in here because yesterday it looked like no one had stepped into it for a year and now it was dusted and mopped.

Yesterday with the guys had been fun. They managed to cheer me up despite my terrible morning before.

I tie my hair up before stepping out into the field.

"Morning, Freud." Pep says, coming up to me.

"Good morning, Pep." I reply.

Pep gives me a reassuring smile before calling the team over. The guys also send me reassuring looks that said that they were on my side, despite knowing Mario longer. They weren't being cruel to Mario by any means. They just made it clear they were disappointed with him.

"Today, after you warm up, I want you to practice your kicking. I think everyone needs to practice scoring because you never know when the opportunity will emerge. Split into two groups and head to one of the fields." Pep instructs. "One of the assistant coaches will coach while I observe."

Immediately all the forwards flock around me. Thomas, Bastian, Robert, Claudio, Arjen, and Manuel follow me to one of the fields. A few more join us as we warm up.

"How are you today?" Bastian asks, stretching beside me. Despite the unusualness, they were following my actions.

I shrug easily. "I'm good. Nothing a good nap couldn't fix. I'd keep him away from me though, if he wants to keep his life." I reply. I sit down and stretch from the ground. I notice someone with a camera take a picture of us. I make the 'crazy' finger wave at Basti as the picture is being taken.

The woman with the camera laughs. "That's going on Instagram!"

I laugh as Bastian says, "What is?"

"Nothing." I reply. "So how are you guys? Are you guys still alive after our fun run?" I ask Thomas, Claudio, and Robert. Robert sits just across from me in the circle we managed to form. On the other field they were all running around doing their own thing.

"Fun run?" Thomas scoffs. "More like leg jelly run. I took two ice baths yesterday."

"You?" I ask Robert. He looks up from his cleats that he was tying. His blue eyes twinkle in amusement from Thomas' words.

"I feel fine." He says. "I think it was fun."

"See!" I say to Thomas. "It wasn't that hard."

"We ran 10 miles in a row going a 6 minute pace. 10, 6 minute miles. You tell me that is fun?" Thomas exclaims. "That was anything but fun!"

"Agreed!" Claudio chimes in.

I roll my eyes at the two. We took a break somewhere between the run.

"Alright guys, let's get going. Line up in two lines." The assistant coach, Marcus, instructs. All of us split into two groups. I'm first in one line and Robert's first in the other. "We're going to have a competition. The person you're lined up will shoot first then the rest of you have to match the goal." He explains.

Robert steps up first. He sets up the ball carefully then takes a few steps backward. I watch carefully as he steps back. Then with incredible focus, Robert runs and kicks the football with a ton of force. We watch in awe as the ball accurately hits the crossbar, then drops into the goal.

"Yeah I'll just follow that one up." I say sarcastically. The guys behind me laugh nervously, knowing they'll be right after me.

I whistle a tune I'd heard on the radio while I set down the ball. Instead of doing all the fancy measurements and shit that Robert did, I simply toss the ball on the ground and back up. I have no doubt that I'll probably miss.

I run forward and swing my leg then turn around immediately, expecting the worse.

Ping.

I turn around, my eyes widening. "Did I hit it?" I ask the guys. They nod, speechless.

"Well, damn. I didn't know I was that good." I say, returning to the back of the line.

The guys only shake their heads in disbelief. Thomas goes next and completely misses the target. As the line continues no one hits the crossbar until Manuel Neuer, the freaking goalkeeper, does.

"Yeah Manu!" Bastian catcalls.

When the line reaches the front again, I have to decide what to do. With a small grin on my face, I face the opposite direction that we're shooting. Now that I'm facing the other team, I smirk.

"Let's see how far I can kick a damn ball." I say.

I set the ball down easily and take a few steps backward. Then with all my might, I slam my foot into the ball.

All of us watch silently as the ball soars through the air. Finally it reaches right where I want it to. Mario Götze's face.

"Quick! Act natural!" I shout. Hastily, all of us turn and face each other in a totally non-suspicious group of miscreants. Even our trainer turns to look at his clipboard and not over at their field.

Robben laughs since he's the only one that can see what's happening. "He lost his balance because you hit his cheek. He's standing up looking extremely confused. He's looking over here not sure who kicked the ball at him, but I'm sure he's bright enough to figure it out. Ribery just shot a thumbs up from behind him, he likes your shot. Oh dang! I think Pep saw because he's coming over here."

All of us panic. I didn't even think of Pep. Why are they worrying?

"Bella!" Pep calls from behind me. I turn around giving him a little smile.

"Yes Pep?" I ask.

"I saw what you did there." He says. "And I'd like to say that you have amazing aim. He's a good 80 meters from here and you managed to hit him smack dab in the face with one kick. Excellent accuracy you have. Let's just try not to injure my players anymore. As much as you might dislike them, they are still valuable to this team. Let's have the next person go before Götze realizes that I'm not condescending you guys." Pep says.

I nod. "Alrighty."

We line back up again, only this time the guys are laughing. Their shocked I got away with a stunt like that, and shocked I was able to pull it off.

"How'd you do that?" Claudio asks in front of me. "How'd you hit him so far away?"

I shrug. "Who knows? Maybe the football fairy hates him as much as I do."

For the rest of the practice the guys laugh and try to outdo each other. Our trainer even looked pleased to have gotten us and not the boring group across the sea.

"Okay everyone!" Pep calls once we've gathered after doing a quick jog. "That's it for today. See you all here bright and early tomorrow." He dismisses us.

I go into the locker room, this time not having to have a scene with a jerk.

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