SUNSHINE

sixteen

[ Another phone chapter, let me know if there's any formatting errors, otherwise enjoy! ]

Another six trainings went by until she was getting ready for her next game. All the soccer was starting to take a toll on her, but she felt good. Sure, she was exhausted, but it was the most she felt like herself in a while. She was spending everyday doing something she loved, and she would not trade the world for the opportunity in front of her. It made her excited to play at Florida State University in the fall, even though she may or may not play being a freshman.

Casey had washed her uniform in the hotel laundry room, and it was going to be the last time she ever wore the bright blue jersey, shorts, and socks for her school. It was a bittersweet moment, for she had been putting her blood and sweat into this team for the past four years, and this was it. She was hoping that they could get one more title before she left, and she was optimistic. As she got back up to her hotel room, she checked the time to see that she had twenty minutes until she had to leave to make it to the field by three. Emily and Kelley has continuously pestered her about coming with her to the game, but that day they had been very quiet. She knew they did not forget, so she was scared to see what they were up to.

Casey pulled on her uniform shorts and socks and put her jersey in her soccer bag, then slipped her Birkenstocks onto her feet. She would do her hair once she got to the field, and after she made sure she had everything, including a protein shake given to her by Dawn herself, she grabbed her keys and phone, slipped her aviators over her eyes, and left the hotel room. She made it to the elevator without having Kelley, Emily, or Alex chasing her, making her sigh a bit of relief.

When she got to her Jeep, she had to stop and pull out her phone.

As she recorded, she took in the sight of her Jeep, which was now graffitied with window markers from the team wishing her luck. They had all signed their names on the windows, and she could not help but laugh. She had only been a part of the team for less than a week and they treated her like she was the kid who still had games with fruit and juice boxes at halftime. She did not mind, for she was the youngest and the rookie in camp, but all the colorful window markers were a little excessive.

She unlocked her car and put her bag in the back seat, then hopped up front and started it. Her phone hooked up to her Jeep and she put on her hype game day playlist, the one she, Jenna, and Riley all listened to on game days, Suge by Da Baby blaring through her speakers. She had the windows down and she was off to make the hour and a half drive to Tampa for her final game of her high school career.

When she arrived, she was fifteen minutes late from traffic, and her team was already out stretching. She was lucky they had an early training, so she was all ready to go, but she hated being late. She grabbed her bag out of the backseat and locked her car behind her as she went toward the gate to get to the field, and although she got some looks, she went across the field to get her stuff on, her teammates greeting her as she arrived.

"Cutting it close there, Radcliffe." Coach Henderson said when she sat down on the turf to put on her cleats and grab her gloves.

"Sorry, traffic was really bad. I'm ready to go though, we trained about an hour before I left." She apologized, and before he could say something, she continued. "And before you say it, yes, I know I still have to stretch because I was just sitting in a car for way longer than I should have."

"All I was gonna say is I'm glad you made it, but you're right." He chuckled. "Alright, bring it in real quick." He called to the team, and they all jogged in while Casey stretched on the outskirts of the circle, but close enough to where she could still hear. "Alright, this is our last game of the season, some six of you your last game of your high school career. So, let's go have some fun, get hype, and let loose. Get into lines and go through one-jockey-one twos. Casey, get warmed up with Terra." He said to them as he looked to the top booth and signaled for them to turn up the music a little. The team dispersed and went to warm up, having fun and dancing along to the music while the went through their drills. Their opponent was one that was in their division during the regular season, and they had never lost to this team, so they were in a good position for this game. It was never a mercy, but usually the Dragons won at least two-nil on an off day. It would be a good battle, but they were all confident.