Axel's Daisy

5 • Axel

The ball was perched between my hands.

My hawk-like eyes went to each member of the team as I threw the ball to Brady, it reached him in time as I ran closer to the goal, Alex tried to barrel into me but he was late when I handled the ball and called out the signals for our team, Jack Callum, another member on our side, went ahead and grasped the ball when I flung it to him. Sweat coated my eyes as I received the ball again from him, the opposite defense player hurled himself at me but my speed was as fast as a horse when I launched the ball through the goal.

Coach blew his whistle as he approached us and slapped a hand on my back with encouragement. "Great lead, Hughes. You took it from your father." I couldn't help but feel ecstatic over his comment as I shook his hand, it meant a lot to me and it was better than anything.

My heart hammered against my ribs and I was in dire need of a shower after we had done the drilling training that included laps and practiced on each other for endurance. "Listen up everyone, the school is holding a celebration tonight for the start of the championship, you all better be there at seven sharp."

  It was still five pm, so we had time to shower and get ready. Alex and Brady walked back with me as I rippled my shirt to get some sweat off. They were going to hand us our jerseys tonight.

  "Nice hook, man. Keep it up," Jack said, giving me a pat on the arm. I didn't know the rest of the team well, but I appreciated their support and quickly thanked Jack.

"Remind me to introduce you to the other guys." Alex told me with a thumbs up before we walked into the steamy showers.

  I let the hot water soothe me as the coach's words rang in my ears. My father was known as the best football player there was, he played for the elite leagues like The Champions League and The Titans League. I placed my forehead against the wall as the liquid trickled down my back when I remembered how we used to train in the backyard.

  The oath repeated itself in my brain, I was doing this for my dad. The burning passion inside of me boiled like the water that embraced me whole. It relaxed my muscles and it made me feel relieved.

  After I was done with the shower with a towel around my waist while the team members told stories in the locker rooms about the junior pranks.

  "I put bleach in Aaron's shampoo during the junior tryouts." Reign snorted when he outed himself.

  "That's my man. I went with the garlic in the socks type of shit with Xavier." Tyler goofy voice spoke as they all clapped for him.

  "I placed some Hooters stickers on their shirts." Brady told the team as they all laughed, Brady was the creative prankster out of them all.

  I combed my hair back after I wore my black pants and a deep blue shaded sweater. I liked to be clean after every workout as I spritzed perfume, I zipped up my gym bag and placed it in my locker.

After I put the locker key in my pocket, I joined the group. They welcomed me with eager smiles, and though they relied on me, I didn't want the added pressure, so I barely managed a smile in return.

  "Axel, this is Deon and Reign, our talented defense players," they puffed their chest at what Alex said, "then there is Jack, he had to go but you already met him, and Zander had to leave too. Not my fault you took long in the shower." Alex raised his hands up as his emerald eyes sparkled in humor.

  "He just needed to tame the beast down there." Brady joked as they all laughed again, which ended up in me beating his arm off as he held his bicep and stifled a groan of pain.

"Have you seen his junk, Brady?" Alex defended me.

  "Please, I watched his so called junk grow-"

   I placed a hand on Brady's voice with a threatening glare, "shut up before I tell them about how you jacked off to Jackie's pigtails."

  "That was one time!"

  "You had to choose a girl named Jackie." Reign taunted with a sleazy grin on.

   "He needed to Jackie up." Tyler wiggled his brows as Brady stood up and acted hurt.

  "She deserted me, o my beloved." He hollered as we all laughed when he started to shake on the floor.

   "Enough with the dramatics, boys, get out of my field." Coach interrupted, then he looked at Brady, "not Jackie. She was my favorite A student."

   Alex looked at the Coach in amusement as Brady's cheeks reddened and Tyler had to out his loud chortle, Tyler jumped on Brady's back as Reign had an arm on Alex's shoulder.

   I was invited over to Brady's to get ready for tonight. He insisted on 'blinging me up' much to my dismay. He threw a neon green football shirt and matched it with a neon blue shirt.

  "Hell no."

  "Hell yes. This is payback for before." He rubbed his hands together with a devilish sneer.

  It was a good thing that we were getting our jerseys tonight.

I texted Alex and the rest of the guys to let them know we were ready, sporting our matching shirts and denim jeans with our hair slicked back—mine golden brown and his black. We jumped into his onyx jeep, and he cranked up Akon as we headed to the school.

  It was only the beginning as the wind whipped our faces and the sign of Wisconsin High flashed onto our faces.