Wilder Dreams

Chapter 20

My group went up first. Mal, Alex, Tobin, Kelly, Chisten and I. We started off really good. By Stage 74, Mal and Christen are down. Leaving Kelly, Alex, Tobin and I still going. My legs aren't tired just yet. I live for this test, I'm counting on being the only one left. We're on Stage 82, and Alex and Tobin are down. The team is now making bets on who will last long between Kelly and I. Kelly looks very tired but I can tell she doesn't want to lose. We keep going until Stage 102, and Kelly's down. I'm still going. The team is cheering me on. I feel my legs giving out. I'm now on stage 107, and I'm giving out. They keep telling me to do one more. So when Stage 108 beeps I run. I make it in time. I can do 2 more. I can and I will. Once I get back to the cones. I'm set again. I run it, and come back. I run it again and this time I know. Its my last one. I run back. I get on my knees and fall back a little to rest. Alex comes to me, handing me a water bottle.

"Thank you" I barely get out. I'm out of breath.

"You did so good!" She tells me. Sitting next to me. The team comes over and some of them complain about how they lost a bet and now owe money. We rest for a while. Then back to training. Working on our passes and defending. Working on pressure. Ashlyn, Alyssa and Jane are preparing to take shots from us. When it's my turn, it's also Ash's turn. This will be good. I stepped up with my ball. I put it at the right place for a penalty. I looked up at Ashlyn. I gave her the most devious smile ever. Here goes nothing.

(The penalty shot^^)
I run up and kick it with my left and I jump a little to the right, so that it looks like I'm going right. Ash jumps to the left, but I kicked it to the right. I hear cheering. I smile and I walk back to the line and I high five my teammates. After that we take a break and get back at it again. We do different drills, we head to the gym. To do a set of different exercises. We head back down to the pitch and we just sit down and cool off. Some us go to to the stands where there are still some fans. Some of the little girls were invited to play soccer with us. I was partnered with a girl about 11? I think.

"Hi my names Sage, what's yours?" I ask her.

"My names Casey" she tells me, and we shake hands. I swipe the sweat off my forehead and smile at her.

"Its nice to meet you Casey, want to go play?" I ask her as I grab a ball from one of our trainers. She nods. I take it and I see one of our Media people take pictures. They must have taken a good picture. Everyone's watching our interaction. She's looking up at me with the such a face-eating grin. I smile at her back and I offer my hand for her to grab. She grabs my hand and walk with her to the middle of the field.

"Alright Casey let's play" I tell her. I kick the ball lightly to her. She passes it back, and I run towards her and I was about to playfully nut meg her but she kicked it right out and she runs the opposite direction I was going. She ran to goal and kicked it in. That was very good. I run to her

"Hey that was awesome! I didn't expect you to do that" I tell her high fiving her. She giggles and grabs the ball giving it to me.

"Want to do some free shots on me?" I ask her. Her smile brightens

"But your a forward?" She questions

"Wait right here" I tell her. I walk to Ash.

"Can I borrow your gloves?" I ask Ashlyn.

"Yeah sure!" She hands them over to me. I walk towards the goal. I try putting the gloves on. Oh my gosh.. they stink. I think I know what I'll be getting Ashlyn for Christmas. I put them on. As soon as I did that, people start recording. Even people in the stands.

"Alright Casey whenever your ready!" I tell her. She kicks the ball to the right, and I jump. She kicked it into the upper 90. Going into the net. I fall on the ground from the jump. I get up and dust it off.

"Do you play a striker?" I ask her assuming she plays soccer after what she's done so far. She shakes her head

"I'm a defender" she tells me. I wouldn't have guessed that.

"Do you want to play a defender?" I ask her. I'm curious now, cause she would make a good forward.

"No, but coach says I'm better off a defender then a striker" she tells me looking down. I've been where she was. My middle school coach had me as a defender, and I was okay at it but I was a better striker.

"Let me tell you something, most people don't know this. I use to be a defender too. When I was in middle school, I played a defender because my coach told me to. Talk to your coach and prove it to him why you're better a sticker then a defender. Don't let anyone tell you where you belong the most, you decide that for yourself." I tell her.

"Who's your favorite soccer player here?" I ask her. I'm not expecting it be me. Who ever it is, I'm get them to meet each other.

"Alex Morgan" she tells me.

"Come on" I tell her, I offer her my hand. She takes it. I take her over to Alex who is doing an interview. We wait a few feet away.

"Oh my gosh.. I can't meet her, I'm so nervous" Casey tells me. That's cute, that's how I was when I met Michelle Akers. I freaked out.

"Hey it's okay, she's the sweetest. She'll love to meet you." I tell her reassuring her. She seems to calm down.

"Be here with me when I talk to her?" She tells me kinda asking me.

"If you want me here" I tell her. She nods. I get it she wants me here. Alex finishes her interview and walks over to us. I feel Casey squeeze my hand

"My friend Casey here, is very big fan of Ms. Alex Morgan" I tell Alex with a smile.
She smiles and looks at Casey.

"Nice to meet you Casey" they shake hands. They start talking about soccer. They take pictures together. Casey has a USA Jersey on, but with no ones Jersey in particular. So Alex asks for a sharpie  from a trainer. They get one for us. Alex signs her Jersey.

"Can I get yours too Sage?" Casey asks me. I smile and I take the sharpie from Alex.

"Of course" I sigh her Jersey, and I put my number next to it. I write a something underneath. One of my favorite quotes
"It's really important to believe in yourself. You are more capable than you think" - Alex Morgan