"Are you sure you're okay, sweetie?" she asks. I take the ice pack back. I nod, but it hurts. My brain feels jostled by the littlest movements.
"Yeah," I gasp, holding in any acknowledgment of pain. "I'm fine. Thanks." She glances down, and I catch her eyeing my bruised shins. They took the brunt of the impact.
"Football," I explain. She nods.
"That's a rough sport," she says. A pause. She walks back to her desk. Then, she stops. She turns around. She looks me in the eyes. Her face is solemn. "Hit 'em harder," she instructs.
I nod and almost smile.
"I will."
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It's 1998, and seventeen-year-old Stephanie "Stevie" Rogers is attempting the unthinkable: she wants to be the first female football player at Truman High. Too bad the team, headed by her ex and a sexist coach, won't let it happen.
Then of course there's her sexist step-dad, who can't know she's playing football or her life as she knows it would end.
If it weren't for her cute guitar-playing best friend, Calvin, all hope might be lost. But with his help, and the discovery of a secret so scandalous it could rock the entire school, she may finally get her time under the stadium lights.
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"You're outnumbered. You need allies if you're gonna survive the season. These guys are gonna have your back. You need them."
"I don't need anyone," I insist.
"Ha," he hiccups. "Yes, actually, you do." He ploinks me on the nose. I scowl. "No one is invincible." I continue to scowl. He sighs. "Just trust me on this one. Okay?"
My face softens a little. He's just trying to help.
"Fine," I comply. "But don't expect me to smile about it."
He grins. "That's too bad. You're pretty when you smile."
"Shut up."
Even from far away, all I could see was you.
"Who is who?" Derek asked, unfazed, sipping on the remainder of his protein shake from class.
"Her." I didn't point to you, to avoid being too obvious, so I nodded my head in the most subtle way. "Laughing, smiling. Do you see her?"
"The girl with the guy hanging off of her who's clearly her boyfriend? I think he plays on the varsity team. She's probably a cheerleader."
I pretty much ignored everything he said. I didn't care. I was already too far gone and into you.
"I have to have her."
He must have found that incredibly hilarious because he almost choked on the remainder of his protein shake.
"Good luck, kid."
"What?" I took my eyes off of you for a second and gave Derek a look. "You can't picture it?"
"How blinded by her are you right now?" He waved his hand in front of my face and I pushed it away as he attempted to connect the dots for me again. "I repeat: cheerleader, guy, out of your fucking league."
"Hey, let's not make assumptions now. She could be into girls and not even know it. Oh my god, she just smiled at me. Did you see that? Were you looking?"
I was in love with you the second you walked into my sight.
"There's a lot going on in this vicinity," he laughed and I shoved him as he taunted me.
"Jerk. I'm gonna talk to her."