Living in Sin (On Hold)

Eight _ Secrets

Nicole

I easily dribbled past another defender and laid the ball to Adam before running forward and he smoothly passed it back to me. There was only one defender between me and the keeper now. But it was Coach?? Weird.

Still I kept my focus on the ball. I looked back around and found Adam running in my support behind me to my right, along with a couple of the other’s team defenders. I took a chance that Coach would be following my eyes so before he had time to think, I slowed my pace a little, left my right leg a bit behind and feinted a back-heel pass to Adam.

And just like that, he ran in Adam’s direction without waiting to see if the ball actually left me. I didn’t spare him a second glance as I lifted the ball with a swift right heel. I bet he was just standing there in awe as the ball flew over my head and fell perfectly before me in my track as I picked up my pace again towards the goal. I didn’t know why but everything was going perfectly for me on the pitch, except of course that coach thing.

Normally I wouldn’t look at the goal keeper as I knew a ball driven with the right force in the right path gave the keeper no chance. But I just felt compelled to see who it was and Coach scared me again standing there in gloves in front of the goal. What the f*** is this, some kind of Matrix shit? I just saw him back there and now he was there, looking indifferent as he held his stance.

Hell, what do I care, I thought, as I shrugged it off and averted the gaze back to the ball. I laid it forward a little, getting just enough space for me to get the right momentum kicking it. And right before I kicked the ball, the moment my eyes landed on it, I was struck with shock. Why, it wasn’t the ball but the coach’s face itself! And before my boot hit it, he shouted, ”You’re off the team, Taylor!!”

Then something hit me hard on the arm and head.

I woke up to find that something didn’t hit me but I hit it, the floor. Getting up, a smile crept its way up my lips as the dream replayed. I bet the rest of the team must be getting the impact, too. Coach, he’d been practically driving us insane. If it hadn’t been for the state of denial we were in, most of the team would already have given up.

We thought Friday was tiring. That was until the training match ended yesterday afternoon that we started voicing our second opinions. The practice during which we only had 3 short breaks, started at 7 in the morning and lasted 4 hours and man, was it shattering!

I would never have gotten home in that state if it hadn’t been for Jeremy who was wise enough to have his friend come pick him up. The rest of the day, I spent sleeping it off. So here I was, awake at five in the morning, somewhat freshened up but still not sure I was up for another day of backbreaking practice session.

A loud horn blared from the front of the house and I knew Jeremy was here. I gulped down the rest of the milk and grabbed my phone before rushing out the door. There was no need to bring anything else since I had everything I needed for the practice in my locker.

“Hey.” I got in, greeting Adam in the backseat. Wait, Adam? And there I found Jeremy sprawled across the back seat.

“Hey.”

“Why are you driving?”

“Why shouldn’t I be driving?” he reciprocated as the car got back onto the road.

“Well, who’s gonna drive us back home? Surely not you, seeing how you went home yesterday.” I said, kicking Jeremy’s leg over to the other side so I could sit properly.

“True.” Jeremy stated, eyes still closed.

“Well, coach emailed us something about not to bring anyone not of the team.” Adam piped in as he stepped on the accelerator and the car started whisking past other few ones on the deserted road.