Is This Real?

Chapter IV

Christen's POV
Everyone started walking out into the locker rooms. I was going to stay out here for a bit. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped to do. I'm out of shape. I thought.

"Christen!" The coaches called from behind me.

I turned around. "Yes?" I answered.

"I know your new here. And some of these girls I've had in my P.E. class. I heard Cassy say something about the new girl being really good at soccer but I wasn't expecting THAT kind of good! Your tremendous. Now what I want is more confidence in front of goal. You seem to be looking around when you can easily make it in and pass it to someone else so that they can shoot it in. That curve ball at then end? Amazing. That's why I ended tryouts early. And that's the first time I've done that in my coaching career." He said. I nodded. "I think that I'll put you in a more attacking position. Maybe a striker, try you there. And then a holding mid. But I've got a good back line figured out. Your going to be the youngest varsity girl ever in the history of this team. And we've been going for about 50 years or so. That's because it's a rule that you can only have junior and seniors on the varsity team but I'll make an exception for you. Because we need you on this team."

My heart jolted at those last words. "I-I'm in the team?" I asked.

"Oh I kinda gave it away didn't I? But yes. Your in the varsity team. Good job." He smiled at me.

I shook his hand. "Thank you coach." I said. He nodded. "Can I practice here for a bit? I don't feel like my touches are as good today as I'd hoped."

"Sure. Tomorrow's Friday so, you can stay here until about ten. It's five right now. Also if you want, there's a soccer pitch about fifteen minutes from here." He said. "It's in a pretty expensive neighborhood and the grass is really nice."

I laughed. "That's right in front of my house."

He laughed with me. "Oh! I didn't notice. Well, practice your heart out. And don't tell anyone your on the team!"

"I promise coach. I'll see you tomorrow." I said and got a ball.

I kicked the ball in the net and did it from different angles.

"Hey." A gentle voice said from behind.

I turned around. The mysterious GK. I thought. "Hello."

"I just wanted to ask if you'd practice with me. Usually no one states around after practice and it's pretty hard practicing 'keeping by yourself." She chuckled. I could hear that all day. I thought.

"Sure thing. I was shooting anyways." I smiled. She looked down and blushed.

She ran to the goal and got herself ready. She nodded. Right upper 90. I thought and looked up. She leaning a bit to the left. I decided to test things out. I set my hips to the left and ran up to the ball. Only to swivel my hips back to the right and kicked it to the upper 90.

I saw her go left.

"How do you even do that!" She called.

"I have no idea!" I called back. As threw her head a back and laughed. Angelic. Wait, why am I thinking those things? I thought as she threw the ball back at me. I don't even now her name. But I'm intrigued by her. There seems to be something hiding under those sea blue eyes. I thought and set up the ball for another PK.

I decided to see how good she is at reading hips. I kept my hips straight forward and ran up to the ball. I slanted my hips to the right a little bit earlier than usual and took a shot at the bottom right 90. I didn't hear the ball hiring the back of the net. And I saw her smirking at me with the ball in her hands.

"Is that the best you can do Ryan?" She called.

"It makes me sound like a man! Don't call net that!" Called back, trying to be serious but my giant smile giving it away. She knew my name. I thought. But I still don't know her's.

I set the ball up and dribble it down the left side. She cut down the angle pretty well but I could still see a huge gap between her and the far post. I saw that she didn't cover that and shot it far post. The ball hit the back of the net and she groaned.

"Try moving a little from the near post and go deeper a little bit." I instructed. She nodded.

I decided to face her head on. I knew that this as one of the hardest decisions a GK has to make. Do you step off your line and get the ball? Do you stay on your line? But if you stay on the line, you can't cut down the angle as much. If you do come off your line, you need to be able to get the ball because if you don't, your screwed.

I ran forward and she kept her feet moving. I ran at her and she took a step forward to come grab it. I tossed the ball above her and he reach, jumped over her and half volleyed it into the goal.

I ran back to her.

"Feeling okay?" I asked, laughing.

"Ugh I don't want to talk about it." She groaned.

"You know we've been out here for the past three hours right?" I asked, surprised myself.

"What?" She said. "Wow time flies."

"Yeah but I still don't know your name." I said, laughing.

"Oh sorry. I'm Jade Reinwald. Nice to meet you." She said, sticking out her hand. I took it. Even after three hours in goalie gloves, her hands are soft.

"Christen Ryan. Nice to meet you too." I replied.

"I've heard a lot about you from Cassy. Now that is one talkative girl. But, she's my best friend so I can't complain. And she'll scratch my eyes out if I say anything bad about anyone." She chuckled.

"Oh yeah. I've gotten an earful of her and I've only kown her for a day!" I laughed.

"Yup. That's the Cassy I know." Jade smiled. Wow I think the sky just brightened up. I thought.

"Well, Jade, I'm going to be practicing from 4:00 to about 6:00 in the morning. There's a pitch about fifteen minutes from here and the grass is really nice and well kept. If you want to join me, that would be amazing." I said.

"Sure. I mean I'm on a run from about 4:00 to 4:30 so I can join you. Or you can join me and we can start practicing. I really do think that I have gotten better by these three hours." She replied. I smiled. I get to hang out with her. One point for Ryan. I thought to myself and gave myself a pat on the back.

"I'll see you soon." I said a bad gathered up all of my stuff and made my way over to my car. I can't wait 'till tomorrow.

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A/N
Hey! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I don't know why. I feel like I like to write about strong emotions that people feel. I mean, who can resist Jade? I'm planning to do the next chapter in Jade's POV. Are the feelings mutual? What does Jade think? You'll find out in the next chapter. And Christen isn't very good at reading emotions. Obviously. So it might be hard to find out what Jade thinks about her. (Christen Ryan is very slightly inspired by Christen Press and I'm hoping to get a little bit of Hope Solo into Jade Reinwald.) Daisy by Zedd. One of my favorite songs. I listened to it while I was writing this so I decided to put this on there. ~N.H.