Weekend Goal

Chapter 8: Mix It Up

In the last week of pre-season, we get to train with the men's team, and I have to admit I love it! I always feel motivated to work harder; they test me in way's that the ladies don't. And right now, I really need some motivation; I need someone pushing me to be better.

Willow and I aren't speaking; I don't know why I guess that I must've done something to piss her off. Did I mention that I'm also avoiding Cooper as much as possible? And I'm completely distracted by the fact that Jacob is leaving in a few weeks.

So, as you can probably guess training has not been going well, I've let more than a few balls passed me, and ugh, if it weren't for Sanne we'd have lost all those training games.

"Hey, Rose, how's it going?" Jude says holding his hand up to high-five me when I join him on the side of the pitch.

"It's good, I'm good," I say high-fiving him back, and attempting to hold back the tears because I'm a stupid, emotional wreck, again.

"Looking forward to the start of the season?"

"Erm, well, I think so," I say because I'm really not sure if I am looking forward to the start of the season. For one it means that Jacob will be gone, and I'm trying my hardest to delay that for as long as possible. And two, how can our team even attempt to win a single match when most of us can't get along with each other? And I can't stand the coach. "What about you?"

"Oh, I can't wait," Jude says excitedly and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"ROSE!" Cooper shouts from the other end of the field. "GET OUT ON THAT PITCH! THIS ISN'T THE TIME OR PLACE!"

"The bloke's a dick! What did you ever see in him?" Jude asks.

And I agree with him, but I don't answer, I really don't want Cooper shouting and screaming at me anymore. So, instead, I jog out onto the pitch and take up my position.

Training is going about as well as can be expected; my mind is on other things, and I don't even notice the ball coming at me high speed, it's only when it hits me full force in the stomach that I kind of see it, well, feel it at least. The next thing I know I'm doubled over and vomiting on the grass. But what surprised me, even more, is that the person whose hand is on my back asking me if I am okay is not my so-called best friend or my coach, but Sanne, my arch nemesis.

"Maybe you should sit this one out. Go to the changing room and get cleaned up," she says with a small smile.

"Yeah, okay," I reply. And that's it; those few words are the most civil conversation we've had with each other since she arrived weeks ago.

Just like that the mixed training session is over for me, I wasn't tested nor encouraged to do better. Instead, I'm sitting in the changing room by myself, wondering where it all went wrong. And I don't just mean in football terms, but life in general.

The door opens with such force that I'm surprised that it's still on its hinges. "What the fuck was that?" Cooper says, his tone harsh - and I know he's pissed off at me.

"I was . . . distracted, that's all."

"Distracted, huh? It seems to me that you've been distracted a lot just lately Rose. Is it him? Jude, is he the one who's got you distracted?" he says while grabbing hold of my shoulder.

I don't answer him because I just don't have the energy for an argument. I can't be bothered with Cooper's petty jealousy - I have more important things going on than caring if his feelings got hurt.

"Get in there," he says after he's practically frog-marched me to the shower and pushed me in. Despite the fact that I'm fully clothed he still turns the water on. "We'll talk about this later," he says.

We won't. I don't want to talk to him. I thought I'd quit the team at the end of the season, but I think it might just be better if I quit now.

"I don't know what's wrong with you Rose. I don't even know if I want you on my team anymore," he says before walking out and leaving me in the shower.

That's okay, I don't want to be on his team anymore. There are other team's around here. Just last season Mitcham Park Ladies were practically begging me to join them. I could walk out of this changing room, away from this club and join them, I could tell them all of Cooper's tactics, bring him down a peg or two - God knows he needs it.

I strip out of my clothes and shower as quickly as possible. I want to get out of there before the rest of them come in here. I want to avoid them, all of them. Okay, maybe not all of them, maybe I should say thanks to Sanne for being nice to me when I obviously don't deserve it. Maybe I should apologise at the same time.

They'll all come waltzing in full of the joys of life, Willow will be all over Sanne again, I think she must fancy her - that's why she keeps asking her out all the time. She's barely even said a word to me since Sanne arrived. The bitch! She was supposed to be my best friend, you know the more I've thought about it, the more convinced I am that it was her that sent me the flowers; it's the kind of thing she'd do. Willow's like that, she'll act all nice to your face and then be sneaky as fuck behind your back. I haven't forgotten what she did to her ex, and sending flowers to me from Cooper has nothing on what she did to her.

I don't even bother to brush my hair or put any make-up on, I mean what's the point anyway?

"Hey," Jude says when I step out of the changing room and into the afternoon sun.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I ask, surprised that he's not still on the pitch with the rest of them. Training doesn't finish for another half an hour.

"Faked an injury," he says with a cheeky smile, "thought maybe you could do with some cheering up."

I can't help but wish that I'd gone on that date with him when he asked me three years ago, instead, I chose to go out with that idiot Cooper. I could never go out with Jude now, not that he'd ask me of course.

"Do you want to get some lunch? Dave say's sorry by the way. He didn't mean to kick the ball that hard, or at you."

"Okay," I reply.

"Okay, what? You want to go to lunch with me? Or okay, you accept Dave's apology?"

"Both."

"Then come with me m'lady, your carriage awaits," Jude says before linking his arm with mine and walking towards the car park.

And despite the fact that I know this is only one friend trying to cheer another friend up, I don't mind. It's a distraction from everything else that's going on, and for once it's a good distraction.