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ADRENALINE FLOODED THROUGH HER veins. The faint sounds of cheering could be heard over the blood that pumped loudly in her ears, her body limber and feet light, bouncing on the tip of her toes like a spring. Her gaze remained locked on to the ball as it glided across the field, waiting and watching for an opportunity to grab the ball.
That very opportunity arose when she noticed that she could receive the ball from her teammate, best friend and secret girlfriend, who was weaving around the field to avoid the incoming opponents that all desperately wanted the ball for themselves.
"Shauna!" Nola cried across the field, the sheer volume of her voice grabbing the Shipman girl's attention. The two made brief eye contact as Nola eagerly swung up her arms, beckoning for the ball. "I'm open, pass it!"
The ball spun in her direction. Blades of grass began to kick up under feet as she ran with the ball, her cleats digging into the earth and pulling it free from the ground. The muscles in her legs burned as they stretched, aching as she sprinted through the field. Her body spun to avoid members from the opposing team from stealing the ball as a blast of cold air brushed against her flustered and hot cheeks.
Nola's breath quicken in pace as the call of her coach echoed in her ears. "Let's go, Rilke!"
"Nola! Nola!" Her eyes glanced up quickly, darting back and forth between the ball and her other best friend, Jackie, who waved her arms in the air as she jumped to catch Nola's attention. The score was tied 3-3. Jackie was the closest open teammate to the goalpost. This was their opportunity. They had this.
"Heads up!" The Rilke girl yelled out as she swung back her leg before bringing it forward causing her foot to collide against the ball extremely hard.
The ball flew high in the air, bouncing off of Jackie's forehead and into the back of the net. For a singular moment, everything seemed to slow down for the brunette, her hearing becoming muffled as she watched the ball made of synthetic leather crash into the nylon net.
Then just as quick as it started, the slow motion disappeared and the sound of the crowd cheering for them as they won the game pierced through the metaphorical film that wrapped around her ears.
"Oh my god! Jackie!" Nola ecstatically bellowed as she ran downfield to the girl, falling to her with such force that they both almost tipped to the grassy ground branch them. "You did it! You did it!"
Their fellow Yellowjackets surrounded them in seconds, everyone joining in on the group hug. Screams of joy could be heard from every single girl as they swarmed round each other, jumping up and down on their toes, doling out high-fives while cheering their successful win. They had done it. This was the moment the Yellowjackets qualified for Nationals!
