It's a Jungle, Baby

Fist Fights and Soccer Games

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed. Duff must've when home. I sit up and see a note on my nightstand.

Taylor,
I can't keep sneaking into your room at night. I want to be official. I'm going to talk to Axl. Get ready for world war three.
Duff

This is actually going to happen, ready the troops because we're going to war. I'm going to be able to be with Duff. I'm going to able to hold his hand and kiss him in public. Damn, I can't wait.

I sit through hours of mind numbing lectures but all I can think about is whether or not Axl has killed Duff. Axl has no right to try and control my life, I can date whoever I want. I liked Duff before Axl came back into my life. I don't want him to hurt Duff, I think I might be in love with him. Huh, never thought I'd say that.

I never thought I could love someone after the childhood I had, I thought it was just something movies made up and that only suckers believed in. Until I met Duff, I can't think of anyone that makes me feel the way he does. We don't even have to be talking, we could be sitting on the couch watching cartoons, he could wrap his arm around me and smile and I'd get the feeling. Your toes curl and your heart feels like it's going to beat out of your chest. I heard someone say once that hearts are wild creatures, that's why our ribs are cages. I didn't believe it until Duff made my heart walk to jump out of me, good thing our ribs are cages. Duff makes me laugh and makes me feel pretty, I could see marrying him one day....marriage has always kind of scared me but I could see it with him.

I sit in the locker room, dressed in my blue and gold soccer uniform. I braid my hair back so it's out of my face. My number glows gold against the blue backdrop, 15, my last name glows to the same effect. I look across the room to Chelsea, she smiles and walks over to me. She sits down beside me and smiles.

"Think he's killed him yet?" She wonders and I shutter.

"I hope not." I say. "I'm not worth tearing friends apart."

"Duff sure thinks so and Axl would kill for you." Chelsea smiles. "Try to focus on winning the game."

"Yeah, that's on you to." I tell her.

I play centre striker and Chelsea plays goal keepers. So I have just as much to do with the game outcome as she does. Chelsea decides who wins, I decide by how many. I slide the captain's armband onto my biceps and the coach looks around at us. We know the routine, we say the Lord's Prayer next.

"Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen." We say in unison with the coach.

"Ready Bruins?" He yells and we yell in answer. "I said are you ready Bruins?" He yells and we give him a louder answer. "I still can't hear you!"

"Bruins, Bruins, Bruins." We chant as we run down the hall and up onto the pitch.

The stadium is almost full, I can't make out any of the faces but I know the boys are in there some where. I run to the middle to do the coin toss. I face the captain of Washington State Cougars, she wears a grey jersey with crimson lettering. The referee looks at the both of us.

"Alright captains, who's calling?" He wonders, Washington State points at me.

"You're field." She says and he nods.

"Call it in air." The ref throws the coin up.

"Heads." I say as he catches it.

"Heads it is." He says and looks at us. "Shake hands, let's have a nice clean game."