Is This Real?

Chapter XXI

Christen's POV
The other team had the ball and Daisy was streaking down the side. They passed an easy pass so I intercepted it and 'megged Daisy to pass to Nat.

Nat ran with the ball and gave it back to me. I sprinted to the box only to be taken down by a defender. She got me right in the ankle and I was down. Pain sparked in my ankle and I rolled on my back.

The ref blew the whistle and gave us a free kick.

"Are you okay?" Nat asked.

"Help me up." I nodded and she grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I put pressure on it and there was only a dull pain so I brushed it off and stood by the ball.

"You take it." Nat said.

"You sure?" I asked back. Nat nodded.

The ref blew the whistle and I hit it to the left 90 and it hit the back of the net.

My teammates crowded me and jumped on me.

The score was 5-0.

Sara was doing a beautiful end line run and I got into the box. She passed it to me and I crossed it to Nat who headed it in.

6-0.

Hannah was running with the ball and passed it to Nat who passed it to me and I crossed it to Hannah and she volleyed it in.

Swoosh. 7-0.

The goalie kicked the ball far and Nat got it. I ran with it and one of the defenders pulled on my shirt and I fell down. Inside the 18.  I noticed it was the same person who took out my ankles.

We got a PK and I got up to take it. I was willing to but I also thought Nat should take it but, I took it anyway.

I looked at the keeper and she was leaning ever so slightly to the left. I set my hips to the left and ran to the ball. I swiveled my hips at the last second and drilled it to the bottom right corner.

It went in, thank god and the score was 8-0.

The other team had the ball and was streaking down the center. And I was able to swoop in and get the ball. I passed it to Sara and she ran with it. I was in front of her and so was Nat and Hannah so she had choices.

She passed it to Nat who got between two defenders and she cut back and passed to me with her heel and I curved the ball to Hannah, and she headed it to Nat and she volleyed it but then I saw that the keeper has already read the ball so I tapped it with my heel into the other direction and thank god that went in.

9-0.

We were still in full in game mode and I loved it. We were nine points ahead and we still played like we were trying to get the game winning goal. There were some pretty drained faces on the field.

A defender passed to Nat. Nat had the ball and passed to me, only to be pushed down. I looked up and the same person that fouled me three times looked back down at me.

"Hey, you know this is the third time you've fouled me right? Don't you think you're doing more harm than good? I mean thank you for fouling me because we get a goal every time but maybe back off a little bit?" I smirked.

She shrugged and walked away.

Nat stood by the ball and curved it straight to Hannah who headed it in. I went down with about four defenders.

10-0.

The coach on the other team was getting s bit frustrated to say the least and made some substitutions and to my dismay, foul-girl didn't get out.

"That number 11 is sketchy. She's sitting in a yellow and she still isn't scared to take you down. We've scored three times because of her." Nat whispered.

"Yeah. I told her that she was doing more harm than good but she shrugged and walked away." I replied, nodding.

"I'll keep an eye on her."

The whistle blew and the other team immediately sprinted forward and passed to to each other but the ball stayed in the center. A girl tried to 'megg Sara but he got the ball and I pointed to my foot. I was wide opens with space to run and pass.

She passed it to me and I gave Nat a long ball.

Nat ran with the ball, cut around the 'keeper and scored.

"11-0 baby!" I yelled.

"This game is not okay!" Hannah laughed.

"Ten more minutes! Keep it up ladies!" The coach yelled form the side lines.

"Alright! Get your game face on! One more goal!" I yelled, getting shouts of agreement from others.

"Defense! Stay tight! They're going to want to attack a little more so just keep the ball out of the net! You guys have been doing great! And the rest of you! Do I even need to tell you what you guys are going to be doing?" They all said no and the game started again.

Nat was making a beautiful run and was able to get past around five defenders and got it up to Hannah. She passed to me and I was immediately taken down again by number 11. She got me in the foreleg and I stayed on the ground trying to get past the pain

"Yo! Number 11! Back off!" I heard Nat yell.

"Never." She seethed and walked away.

She did get another yellow which added up to a red and was off the field.

"Are you okay?" Nat crouched down.

"Yeah I think." I rubbed my foreleg and it was a little bit more painful but I could play. I got up and jumped to put a little bit of weight on it and it seemed fine.

"Hannah! You take this one!" I yelled and Hannah took the free kick.

It floated straight to Nat and she headed it in over the 'keeper's fingers and into the back of the net.

The three whistles blew and we all hugged Nat.

"You did amazing!" I yelled.

"You too!" Nat yelled back and I shook hands with the other team.

"Sorry about Sasha. Number 11 over there. I think she got a little bit fed up. I'll talk to her." She captain said.

"Thank you. And nice game by the way." I said and walked past her and into the locker room.

"Okay guys! You guys did amazing today and I'm really proud of you. 12-0 is an impressive score. And it's not just one person. The plays leading up to it was incredible. We made a team effort and I think that's what we got out of this. We are a team and we help each other. I love that about you guys. So, great first game and I couldn't have asked for a better team to share the experience with. Family on three!" Nat gave the talk and I nodded along.

Everything she said as true. I saw it in their eyes. They trusted Nat with almost everything they had. An unbreakable bond between the captain and them. This team was something special.

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A/N
First game! What do you think? Please let me know! ~N.H.