The Matchmaker (On Hold)

2 {Alex} 2

We finished the scrimmage. I was having a hard time playing with my team. The only people I could rely on was Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd. I assumed Carli was the captain because her, along with Becky, closed out practice. They led the cool down too. Carli also assigned me to the other team to replace Arry. I wasn't sure if the teams meant anything but I knew that one side had really strong offense and the other had really strong defense.

We all went into the locker room. Half of the scrimmagers crowded into the row Arry's locker was in which was the closest to the door. "So? How'd it go?" The forward I found out was named Mallory asked anxiously. The girls hushed each other to hear her answer.

Arry slumped in her seat. "Suspended for a month," she said. She kicked the wall.

The defender from the other team said, "If you keep kicking things, you'll be out with an injury."

The devastated player looked up at her teammate with wide eyes. "You and Carli are captains. Can't you tell Jill to reconsider my suspension? Maybe even shorten it? Please," she begged wrapping her arms around the defenders neck and peering up at her.

Her teammate looked to the captain with a questioning expression. You'd have to watch very closely, but Carli definitely shook her head. The captain removed Arry and faced her. She said, "I agree with Jill. You have to learn you can't do things like that."

Tobin stepped in front of Carli. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You act like my sister goes around throwing punches left and right."

Carli doesn't back down. "I didn't say that. Hinkle and her have been at it since Arry made it freshman year and she didn't. I didn't feel the need to get involved since I'm the captain of the soccer team. Not conflict patrol," she said sternly. "That was until things started happening during my time on my field."

She turned to Arry. "I don't care if you can't stand someone. That stays outside of the lines. Inside you are teammates striving for the same goal," she stated firmly. "Do you understand?"

She sighed but nodded. The crowd started to disperse. I sat beside Arry. On her other side was her sister. She seemed lost now that school soccer has been taken away from her for a month. "You okay?" I finally asked.

She swallowed and nodded. She said, "I'll survive. Sorry this all had to happen on your first day."

I smiled softly. "It's fine. You don't have to apologize," I said, my feet fidgeting on the cement floor.

We were silent. Tobin suddenly said, "I should've told her to knock it off."

Arry's head shot up. She stared at her sister, but all I could see was the back of her head. "It's not your fault Tobin," she said. "You're not the one who punched her."

"But I'm your sister. Your older sister. I should be looking out for you and . . . and defending you," she said putting her face in her hands. "Now you can't play for a whole month." I smiled sadly at the obvious care Tobin had for her sister.

Arry leaned back. Her position was relaxed and at ease. She smirked. "The world doesn't revolve around you." Tobin chuckled lifting her head to look at her sister. She shook her head and bumped their shoulders.

I had heard a little bit about Tobin from some of the other players. I had commented on her footwork when we were resetting. The forward I had played with was a junior. She immediately told me to stay away from her. They were in the same grade and had a few classes together. She described her as soccer obsessed and overbearingly studious. She didn't care about anyone or anything but her grades and soccer. In fact, a lot of players on my scrimmage team had agreed.