The Last Summer

Chapter 16

Today are college soccer try outs.

Soccer starts in the fall, so try outs are before the year starts, and I'm nervous as heck.

I'm pacing across my room in my soccer clothes. It's 4:30 and try outs are at 5:30, but it takes about half an hour to get there.

I spot my shinguards under my desk and I slip them on. I go in my closet and look for my socks. I start to panic when I can't find them, but then I barely see them under a pair of my jeans.

I'm so disorganized.

I grab them and sit on my bed to pull them up when I hear a tap on my window.

I wait a second before getting up and opening the small curtain. When I pull it away, outside stands Jason.

"What are you doing here?" He points to his ear and shakes his head. I realize that the window isn't open. I unlock it and slide it up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask again.

"What, I can't come to see my girlfriend when she's about to do something that can change her whole life for the better?" I smile when he says 'girlfriend.'

"I guess you're allowed," I tease him. He smiles and climbs his way into my room, not that it's difficult. I live in a one-story house.

He sits down on my bed. "So, you nervous?"

"More than ever."

"Well, don't be that worried. I know you'll make it," he insists.

I give him a weak smile. "I don't know. It could be really hard for a freshman and I can't focus and I have to leave really soon and I am no where close to ready."

"When do you have to leave?"

"Probably in about twenty minutes so I can warm up," I tell him.

"What do you need help with?" he asks.

"No, I won't make you do anything."

"I want to help you," he says. "It's a very important day for you."

I sigh in defeat. "Um, there's a water bottle in the fridge. Can you-"

Before I can finish, he's up and out of my room to the kitchen. I look down and see that I still haven't finished pulling up my socks. I snatch the end to one and tug it up.

"Got it," Jason says.

"Thanks." I grab the bottle and throw it in my side pocket on my soccer bag.

He sits down beside me. "Do you think you'll make it?"

"I don't know," I admit. "It'll be hard being a freshman, but considering it's a film school and there's a soccer team, it probably won't be that hard, yet I'm nervous as heck."

He nods. "Well, if you make it, I solemnly swear to be at every game."

I smile. "But I couldn't have you driving up almost every week or weekend. You're going to college too."

"I'll find a way," he promises.

I smile and give him a peck on the cheek. I check the clock on my nightstand to see how much time I have until I have to leave.

4:40.

"Shoot," I say. I look around for my cleats and find them easier than I found my socks. I pick them up and sit on the ground and begin to tie the laces.

"Um, can you get my ball right there," I point to my ball, "and put that in the very front pocket?" I ask Jason.

"Yeah." He gets up and does what I told him. I finish the last knot and stand up.

"Thanks, again," I say. "I have to go now...."

"Right," he says.

We walk to the front of the house and walk onto the porch. I walk over to my car, my cleats loud as ever. I drop my bag in the passenger seat.

"Good luck," Jason says. He pulls me in for a quick kiss on the lips before I have to leave or I'll be late.

"Bye," I say, climbing into my car.

"Bye," he calls back. Jason pulls out of the driveway first so I can leave. He goes one way, I go the other.

I turn on the radio just as my phone buzzes. I check it when I get to the first red stoplight.

Jason: Call me when you're done with tryouts

The light blinks green, so I can't respond. I drive on, tapping my finger on the wheel to the beat of the music.

Around 5:20, I finally pull into the college parking lot closest to the field. I grab my bag and walk to the other group of girls already warming up. I see a clipboard on a table where we're supposed to sign in. I sign my name, grade, age, and how long I've played. After I'm done, I grab my ball and walk out on the field.

I begin to stretch and do toe touches when the coach comes walking across the field.

"Ashley and Linsey, please lead the girls through warm ups," she directs to two seniors. She glances back at her clipboard and lets the girls take over.

"Alright girls, get in a circle around me and Ashley for stretches!" one girl yells. I suppose she's Linsey. I follow the others' lead and we all stretch for about 10 minutes.

After we stretch, the coach comes back over. "We're going to start out with two v two, so forwards up top, fullbacks on the posts."

Since I'm a forward, I go up top. Some girls get there before I do, so I'm almost in the back of the line. The first people go, and the fullbacks win that one.

Eventually, it's my turn and I'm paired with a girl that looks like a sophomore. She starts with the ball and dribbles forward. She gets past the first defender and crosses it to me. It was a perfect pass, right to me. I dribble up once and take a shot.

The goalie dives, but it does past her fingertips into the goal. Some girls say "Nice shot," and others just clap a couple times.

This is a nice start to my tryout.