The things we can't control

Chapter four

Today we would play our fist game of the season against UNC. They are a tough component and it would be a hard game to start the year with. But we are prepared and hyped to show one of our strongest enemies, that we are ready to take the trophy this year.

As I was putting on my jersey, I got a massage from my brother.  

Jackson: Good luck, sis

I thanked him and headed out onto the field for a quick warm up. I searched for my best friend and found her already waving at me, with a ball under her arm. I jogged over to her and we began our warm up.

Afterwards we all went into the locker room for a quick team talk. Our coach Paul said a few things as well as our captain Haley. She is already a senior and wants to win the NCAA trophy again in her final Year after Stanford won it in her first season in 2019.    

"Let's show UNC what they're up against this Year!" With that we all put our hands in the middle and proudly called out the name of our university.

We were here to win and we would show it in our fist game.

The game started relatively slow. Of course both sides tried to pressure each other in the first minutes but that's to be expected in every soccer match. As a striker I made some good runs in the first fifteen minutes, trying to put even more pressure on the UNC defenders. It wasn't until the thirtieth minute that I received a promising ball from the midfield. I volleyed it out of the air and got it into the right direction. Sadly the UNC goalkeeper got there just in time and prevented the ball from going in. Lilly still came up to me and patted my back. "Very good try, G. Any other goalkeeper and that ball would've gone in." I knew she was right. The UNC goalkeeper was already to numerous Nationalteam camps and a promising prospect for the future of the USWNT.

At halftime, the score was still nil-nil. Both teams had some promising chances during the game, but the goalkeepers were outstanding today. We all knew that we would have to play better if we wanted to beat UNC.

So at the beginning of the second half we increased the pressure even more and tried to finish our chances. Finally at the eightieth minute we scored a goal. Our forward Allie got the ball on her right foot and slammed it into the top right corner of the goal. No goalie could've saved that.

After we all celebrated, we got back into the game and tried to keep a clean sheet and score more goals. In the eighty-sixth minute, I got another chance and tried to hit the ball with all my strength. It missed the goal by a few inches and sailed straight into the crowed.

I flinched as the ball hit a girl right in the face. 'Shit', I have to apologise to her. I knew from experience that those shots really hurt. If I am unlucky I just gave the girl a concussion. As I rushed to the stands to make sure she was okay, I saw my brother already helping her up. Urgh, why couldn't it have just hit him. That wouldn't have been so embarrassing.

"Are you alright?" I immediately asked the girl once I reached them. "I think so." She said, holding her head. "Really, Grace! I thought the purpose of the game is to hit the goal." My brother lectured me as he still held the girl on one side with Macy supporting her on the other.

And then she took her hands away from her face and smiled at me. "It's okay, I think I'll only have a headache for a few hours." she reassured me. But I couldn't answer her because my brain wasn't able to formulate a whole sentence at the moment. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

She wore her blond hair in a high ponytail, which empathised her beautifully pierced ears. Her face was narrow, with incredibly defined cheekbones and a cute little snub nose. And her eyes, oh my lord her eyes, they're grey, with a bluish tint, and it was like they stared right into your soul.  

"Grace!" I was brought out of my trance when I heard my name. I turned to the direction where the shouts were coming from and saw my teammates waving me back onto the pitch.

"I am so sorry." I said to the girl and smiled at her apologetically. "I will make it up to you." I called over my shoulder as I headed back onto the pitch.

***

I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the game, no matter how hard I tried. My thoughts were still with the beautiful girl next to my brother and I found myself glancing into her direction a few times.

The game finished with a one-nil win for us. Lilly walked over and embraced me in her arms. "We did it, I know it was only the fist game, but we beat UNC. I'd say that's a pretty solid start to the season." I just smiled and nodded, agreeing with her. "Also, that poor girl. You really hit her directly into the face."

I winced and looked into the direction of the girl and my brother. "Yes, I did and I somehow have to make it up to her. I feel so bad." Lilly just moved an arm around my waist and led me into the direction of the girl. "Come on, let's ask her how she is doing."

I got a little nervous as we neared the stands, realising that I didn't even know her name.