Something Worth Fighting For

Chapter Sixteen: The Decision

Chapter Sixteen: The Decision

When March came rolling around, the players at the training camp had been whittled to twenty. Dallas was thrilled that he had made it so far. He was one week away from knowing whether or not he would be on the team, and he had been working like a mad man.

He would pick Natalia up, drop her off at the library, attend practice, practice on his own, and then drive them both home.

Luckily the weather was improving, so he no longer played in snowy surroundings. Not that Dallas minded, he was just happy that the start of spring was near.

Natalia, for the most part, had not comlained when he picked her up late at the library. Although there were days when she preferred watching him play than sitting in the library finishing her assignments.

Dallas suspected it had something to do with her second encounter with Nathan. Apparently Natalia didn't like Nathan's pessimistic attitude towards Dallas, so she avoided the part of the library that might bring her into contact with him.

It amused Dallas to watch her avoid someone other than him.

Dallas was sitting on his bed, looking at the clock. It was two in the morning. He still couldn't sleep. He was nervous. This week was it. All or nothing. The pressure had been driving him crazy. He hadn't been able to keep his nerves at bay. At meal times, he could barely eat, he stomach would be squirming with tension.

Dallas sat up on his bed, and clicked on the reading lamp. He needed something to take his mind off of the task that was at hand. He ran his hand through his hair. Losing sleep is not going to help me play, he thought unhappily. But what could he do?

He got up, and left for the living room.

-----

Natalia sat on the couch watching televison quietly. She wasn't in the mood for sleeping. She had just finished her essay for English class, and the sleep from her system had vanished. Her essay had been based on the play Oedipus Rex, which the entire class had had to read. Although they were only required to read the first part of the text book, Natalia had read the entire thing. She had been bored one day in the library last week.

Natalia was watching an old episode of Top Gear, she had managed to find Derek's DVDs. She watched as Richard Hammond ate the picture of the BMW M6. A laugh escaped from her lips.

“What are you watching?” A voice quietly asked her. Natalia looked up to see a rather dishevelled Dallas standing in the hall. “Top Gear.” She told him, putting the DVD on pause. “Mind if I watch with you?” He asked. “Sure...” She shrugged.

Dallas sat on the couch opposite to her. She pressed play on the remote. “So why aren't you asleep?” Natalia asked after a few moments. “My mind was whirring...” He told her. “Why are you here?” He asked her. Natalia looked at him. “Didn't feel like sleeping after I finished my essay.” She told him, before returning her attention to the screen.

“You look like hell, Dallas.” Natalia commented, when the next episode started. She turned to look at him. “I feel like hell.” He told her. “Why?” Natalia couldn't help but ask. She had never seen him in this state of mess. He looked like he would fall on his feet at any given moment. She could hardly belive how he had been playing so well.

Dallas looked as though he was searching for an answer. Natalia turned back to the show. When he finally decided to answer her, his voice was low. At first Natalia couldn't tell if he was talking or not, so she put the television on mute.

“I don't think I could take it if I don't get on the team.” He said slowly. Natalia didn't know what to say to that. “I need this. This is my last shot, I don't know how well I can handle failure.” Natalia sat stunned, she couldn't belive what she was hearing. Dallas was afraid of something? It seemed surreal.