Saved by the Whistle

ten || barn burner

barn burner : a very exciting or dramatic event, especially a sporting contest

One Week Later

Loud music blared in her ears as Georgia walked into the locker room once they got off of the bus that brought them to the stadium from the hotel they had booked. Her face was filled with anger and frustration, and the team knew not to attempt and get her attention. She got ready in silence as the rest of the team talked among themselves, sitting in the corner of the locker room watching everyone else get pumped up about the game. 

Her phone began to ring, causing her music to stop. She looked down at it in frustration and saw it was Antonio. She pressed the red button on the screen and pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them to prevent her cleats from slipping off of the cement. Her music blared in her ears once again, only to be stopped once again when Coach Carter walked into the room. Georgia quickly pulled her Beats off of her ears and let the headset rest on her neck as she paused the music just as their coach began to speak.

"This is it ladies. We are in the State Championship against Crescent Valley High School. It's their first state championship ever as a school, it's our twelfth. Five of you seniors have been to four of those twelve, others of you three or two. This could be the last one for a while, or it could still be a string of championships. Now, let's head out there and show those Raiders or whatever they are who's boss of this state. Head out there and warm up, we've traveled for a bit and you ladies need to stretch out really good since most of you probably didn't when we got here yesterday." She announced to the team, and they collectively got up to head out to the field. Georgia and Allison led the team, and she gave her a look of concern. She had not talked since before they got onto the bus after she was speaking to Antonio. She had not spoke the entire time since they got on the bus the previous day to get to Crescent Valley, and she was concerned. Ever since her parents never showed up to her commencement ceremony, she had been very exclusive.

"GJ, what's up with you? You're never this quiet." She asked quietly so other teammates would not get into their conversation. Georgia looked up to Allison, then looked back to what was in front of her as they rounded the corner to go through the gate to get to the other side of the field...

"You ready for the big game?" Antonio asked when he parked the car in the parking lot, the team still waiting on the bus to arrive.

"You bet your cute ass I am." Georgia answered with a huge grin as they got out of the car, Antonio handing her her soccer bag as they walked around and stood in front of his car.

"Sorry I'm not going to be able to make it tomorrow, GJ. I know this game means a lot to you." He said skittishly, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"It's alright. Just promise me you'll be there when I'm in the Champions League final." Georgia said, and he nodded in reassurance. "Why can't you make it?" She asked, for she never had. His face drooped into a depressed look, and she grew concerned. "Antonio, whatever this is, please don't keep it from me." She muttered.

" Georgia, there's something that I need to talk to you about, and I was hoping it could wait until you got home." He started, and by the look on her face, he continued. "I'm dropping Stanford." 

"Wait, what? Why?" She asked as the bus pulled up, and she felt her breathing pick up. When he did not answer right away, tears built up and she grew extremely concerned. He gave off a sigh, looking to the ground then back up to her eyes, tears forming.

"I enrolled for the Army before we ever started dating, and they finally accepted me to train in the position I requested. I leave the day of your graduation party." He said softly, and by the time he finished his statement, he was looking back at the ground because he did not want to watch the heartbreak in her eyes.