After english class, the day seemed to go by in a blur. Usually it feels like an eternity waiting for us to be let off the bus on friday. Fridays where usually my only day off from soccer, but today we have an extra practice to get us ready for the game. I run down the sloped bus steps and sprint back to my house. I quickly change out of my shorts and tank top and pull on the practice jersey and some blue running shorts. I wait out on the porch for Hailey. She usually is a few minutes late. I hear some footsteps and then Hailey comes bounding through the gate. It makes a loud clanging sound. We both start cracking up. We always joke about no one being able to sneak into our house without jumping over the gate.
We start the short run to the field.
"Did you finish your homework?" Hailey asks me.
"Yep, well sort of. I just have to finish a poem i have been writing for english." I reply.
"Shoot, i forgot about the poem. What are you writing yours about?" Hailey seems frustrated and a little out of breathe.
"The rain." I thought back to yesterday's practice. Then looked up at the clouds. They were a threatening grayish color, it looks like a storm was brewing.
"We better hurry" I say not wanting to get caught in the storm, not that the field would give us any protection.
Once we get to the field I take of my nike free runs and pull on my shin guards and the navy blue socks. I dig around in my bag for my cleats (which are white and purple). I find them stuffed in the bottom of my bag. I pull them out and shove my feet into them. I tie them super tight (I never play very well when they are loosely tied) and then join the rest of my team out on the middle of the field. I look around but i don't see our coach, Alex.
"Guys lets start our warm up." Jessie says a little louder then needed.
We all nod and get in too lines. We stretch for a while and then jog/sprint for a bit. Finally Alex arrives.
"Girls, run 5 laps around the field." He yells.
Hailey and i exchange looks. It almost seemed like he was punishing us because HE was late. But we obediently ran our 5 laps and then Alex started the speech about inspiring your teammates and working hard... blah blah blah. But when he starts taking about the game this weekend i pay attention.
"This game is our ticket to the championship. If we lose we don't have a chance." Alex starts. I cringe i had a love hate relationship with pressure.
"Even though we lost a hardworking player." Alex gestures to where kara is standing crutches under both armpits and a big boot on her right foot. "we still have to work our hardest."
