Not On Her List

XIX 🌩

I feel the breath leave my lungs as I'm slammed into the floor.

Jeez, take it easy you guys. I mean, there's a frigging girl on the team, you know.

I shut my eyes against the sun and decide I'm not gonna stand up. At least not yet.

"Get up, Spivot! This isn't dodge ball," Mr Fincher yells, his words dripping with scorn.

Remind me later to hate on him. I'm too tired and out of breath right now to do that.

I sigh, open my eyes and brace myself to sit up when someone's face looms over me.

"Sorry. For knocking you down. It was an accident," Cj says as he takes off his helmet and dangles it from his right hand.

He was the one who had pushed me down?

Suddenly, he stretches his free hand towards me.

On instinct, I grab his outstretched hand and he pulls me up.

"And, get your head back in the game, Spivot," he says and let go of my hand.

Slipping his helmet back on he runs back to position.

I hear Mr Fincher's whistle and the game continues.

The ball is tossed to Donovan Boot, a leading team member, then to Harry Wolfe, Tayron's best friend, and then to Bart Allen, another member.

Bart manoeuvres an opponent then tosses the ball towards me. I scoop the ball into the net of my lacrosse stick and run towards the post as fast as I can.

Noah Cross, a dude from the opposing team, comes at me aiming to take the ball but I sidestep him without the ball falling out of my net (I actually do!).

Getting close to the post, I raise my stick and shoot it forward. The ball flies out of the stick's net and jams into the net of the goal post missing the keeper's fingers by a few inches.

My first goal since I had begun lacrosse practice.

Yes, baby! Yes! Nobody messes with Hillary Tyler Spivot! Absolutely no one!

Smiling, I run back to position.

"Nice one, Hillary," Adrian calls.

Yeah, he's on the team. On the opposing team actually.

I raise my hand and give him a thumbs up just as a dude, from his team, standing right next to Adrian, glares at him.

"What?" I hear Adrian say to the guy as the match continues.

I get possession of the ball once again then run at full speed towards Bart, who seems open, when Cj (he's on the opposing team) dribbles me, takes the ball and runs towards his goal post.

Seriously.

Victor Teague, another one of our major players, along with Robin Dushawn, a different member, chases after Cj.

I spot Lou (my team's keeper) brace himself to catch the ball, an anxious look on his face.

I run after Cj too, although I know I'd never get to him in time and he'd probably score a goal unless Robin or Victor or Lou does something about it.

Cj stops abruptly, raises his stick in midair and is about to shoot the ball into the net, an all too anxious Lou very eager to catch it, when, suddenly, Robin runs into him and pushes him down.

Mr Fincher blows his whistle immediately and the game stops.

Robin rolls off Cj immediately and stands up.