The Football Coach • l.t. au

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Four

'Dad, I can't do it. It's too far'

'Yes you can! You definitely can. But it's your choice whether you give it a try or not.'

'Daddy! It's halfway across the field!'

'Megan, I'm not trying to force you to do it but I want you to believe in yourself. For once think of the positive things you can do instead of the worst ones. Like right now. You're thinking you're going to miss or your force might be not enough without even trying. How will you know you'll score if you don't try?'

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. I didn't expect it to be so shallow and shaky. When I touched my face it's already wet, tears brimming down. I furiously wiped it with the sleeve of my shirt and tried to deepen my breathing but it only resulted to more tears coming out.
The bus came to a full stop. When I looked out the window, a lump in my throat formed making it impossible to swallow.

I stood up from my seat and went down the aisle. I tapped Louis shoulder, his eyes met mine. He looked at me worriedly that he immediately stood up and examined my face. I grab his arm and pulled him out of the vehicle.
He stopped me in my tracks and held my face in his hands.

"Meg, what's wrong?" He asks. I shake my head and pull his hands down. He didn't seem so convinced. In all honesty I'm not. I haven't been to this place for years and coming now is not better either.

"Really I'm fine." I said. My voice was so small that I had to say it again.

"No you're not." He says. I look up at him only to have him raise his eyebrows at me. I scoffed and laughed nervously. "But tell me you will be." He says, lower this time.

I sigh and nod without hesitation. Normally every Sunday morning there are high schoolers around here training. This time the whole area is deserted. Well except the man by the ticket booth.

He didn't even give us a quick glance. When he did, we were already inside but he didn't mind. I take in the wide space around me. The bleachers, the wide football field that doesn't look so wide anymore, the torn football nets and the football in the middle of the field.

"I can't believe you know this place existed." Louis spoke. I turn and he's exactly beside me.

"Hmm, most people think too. Have you been here before?" I ask him. He nods and looks at me.

"This is where I first played in an actual game. I was only 15." He says with a shrug.

I smile warmly and look down at my feet. The dirt's not helping with my boots right now.

"This is where I learned how to play." I said in a whisper. From the corner of my eye I saw him look down at me.

= LOUIS' POV =

"How old were you?" I ask her.

She looks up and crosses her arms. Her eyebrows furrowed but she refused to look at me. Instead she looked at the sky and shrugged. "I don't know.. Twelve? Eleven?" She lets out a nervous laugh and shakes her head.

"My dad taught me. He was a pro. He spent his whole middle school, high school and university years playing for their team. One time I saw him playing with one of his friends at the park. It looked cool so I told myself 'why not give it a try?'" She says and looks down.

"That afternoon, I went home and searched my room for my beach ball and ended up kicking it against the wall. Dad came home later that afternoon and realized what I was doing. He was beyond happy, he was enthusiastic to get me trained right away." She says, her voice full of life.