In Striking Distance

Chapter One | Trap

COACH HILL'S DRESS shoes echoed across the tunnel floor as he stormed into the locker room. The carpet dampened the sound, but Thea could see the anger blazing in his eyes.

"That was fucking embarrassing," he tossed the match sheet and papers spilled across the dressing room floor, "I expect better from all of you, especially against Seattle. A 6-2 loss is simply unacceptable!"

Thea avoided her coaches gaze and leaned back in her foldable chair. The metal pressed into her neck uncomfortably. Her bones felt weary, and a dull throb was beginning to form at the edge of her temples.

Hill pointed towards the doors, "If we continue playing like that, we might as well forfeit the match before it begins."

Thea knew her coach wasn't wrong. There was something about the team, and the way they played. Errant passes, fumbling with the soccer ball, ignoring each other on the pitch, it was a mess. They were in danger of reaching their sixth loss in a row and Thea knew she didn't want that.

She glanced around the room at her teammates and saw the weariness and despair reflected in their eyes as well. There was no answer on how they could improve. Every tactic they tried seemed ineffective, and the frustration kept building—with everyone. 

Hill continued his rant, speaking about the lack of respect they had for the crest on their jerseys with the pathetic effort they had displayed. She could see some of the girls in the room had tuned out their coach, and while Thea didn't say it outwardly, deep down, she knew that was also a huge problem.

"Hit the showers, I want you all here at eight tomorrow," Hill concluded, his gaze drifting to each of the girls.

Thea wasn't sure, but it felt like his disapproving eyes lingered on her a second longer than the other girls. She knew that she hadn't had the best game, but she also wasn't placing the loss entirely on her shoulders. She'd been substituted before half time and her replacement Jess, hadn't played much better.

Thea leaned down to untie her cleats, pushing away the intrusive thoughts. If her coach wanted to say something, he would. But until then, she would not dwell on the possibility of her play, even when it was slightly eating her up alive.

She was vaguely aware of Hill and the other coaches leaving the room and she almost sighed in relief. It felt like her execution had been delayed another day.

The room was silent as the rests of the girls undressed themselves.

The silence unnerved her.

Once upon a time, there used to be music and laughter, and now all she heard was the quiet sound of laces being untied and cleats being thrown into bags.

"Something needs to change," Lauren, their team captain spoke up.

Thea continued to toss her jersey and shin guards in her duffle bag.

"We've been fucking saying that for weeks now," another player piped in angrily. "Saying something has to change won't make a difference but maybe if you magically regain your ability to score, we won't be losing so magnificently anymore."

Thea blinked back the shock on her face. To hear someone address their captain in such a direct and hostile manner was something she certainly hadn't expected.

"That was uncalled for Jess!" another player shouted.

Thea shook her head; this was the last thing this team needed. She wasn't foolish enough to ignore the chasm forming between players. They were all frustrated with the results on the pitch but having her teammates turn on each other wouldn't help them.