American Girl, Brazilian World

Chapter 25

Second game of the season, and I'm going against my rivalry, Real Madrid.  A lot of pressure is on me, and it's very nerve wracking.  I won't let them get the best of me though.  I'll kick butt and we'll show them who's the best team in the world like we always do.

"Hey girl, you ready for the game?" my teammate Emma asks as she approaches me.

"Yep, ready as I'll ever be.  I'm a little nervous though," I answer, looking at the ground.

"Seriously?  You've been practicing with the FCBMST!  You're got more experience than all these rookies on our team now, and you're the youngest one of them all!  What could happen?  If that doesn't make you feel any better, I'm sure you're new little boyfriend can help you out," she says sarcasrically, smirking as she walks away. 

Was she trying to be rude?  Why would she be rude about my boyfriend?  Ugh, whatever. 

As we warm up, we get in a group.  When I'm about to go jog, I hear, "MACKENZIE!!" 

I spin around to find the whole FCBMST here, my parents and sister, and Alexis and Harry all waving frantically at me.  I laugh and wave back at them, and jog off with my team to warm up.

Finally, we got to the last part of warming up, where we get to take shots.  This is my favorite part of the whole thing being the forward that I am, which is probably why I probably have a huge grin plastered on my face right now.  Once it's my turn and I receive a ball, I accelerate across the 18 yard box, preparing to shoot with my right foot since I'm on the right side.  I wind up for the shot, and slam my foot into the ball and kick it up into the air.  Somehow by luck, it curves perfectly into the top left corner of the goal.  I smile and clap, not celebrating much for the great goal as always, and walk back in line.  Then I heard Neymar hooting and hollering.

"WOW!  HOW ABOUT THAT GOAL, LEFTY?!" he screamed. 

I felt heat rise to my cheeks in embarrassment as I smiled at him in the crowd.

Of course he's looking back at me with a cheeky smile, to make me even more embarrassed.  Then, I hear my coach holler at us, and the team and I jog over to him, to have our talk before the game.

"Ok, just like we practice guys.  Use your lines drills, wall passes, etcetera.  Play aggressive, get first to the ball!  Do whatever you have to do so we can go home with the win!" he exclaims, and we shout and cheer in agreement.

"However, for the first game of the season, the starting lineup will be a little different.  Everything will be the same, except, Mackenzie, you'll be sitting out and Emma, you'll play her position."

WHAT?!!

"What?!!!" I ask in disbelief, trying my best to ignore the smug look on Emma's face right now.

"Yeah..  Sorry, Mackenzie, but...  You just haven't been as focused as the other players..," he says awkwardly.

Is he serious?!!!

"Are you kidding?!  I've been working my butt off, trying to improve by practicing with both this team and the men's team!  How can you accuse me of not being focused on the sport that I love?!" I yell at him. 

He just simply laughs, making me want to hit him really hard in the throat.  "Yeah, I totally believe that when the news shows that all you've been doing is hanging around with your new little boyfriend, going to parties, anything not related to soccer basically," he scoffs, rolling his eyes.

How did this guy become the coach of this team?

"Will I even get to play?" I snarl at him as he narrows his eyes at me.