Weekend Goal

Chapter 11 - Lunch

My mind is restless after the events during the game. Cooper's behavior puzzled the hell out of me. Is he trying to punish Rose? Willow doesn't have an ounce of the skills and leadership Rose has. We lost the game because her crap instructions had everyone leaving my left open.

"Sanne, a word..."

I stop walking towards the showers and turn around to face Cooper. If he gives me the crap he gave to Rose, he can shove his club up his-

"Great start! We should work on your left some more. We can start on Monday, I have time," his eagerness is at the edge of creepiness.

"My left has nothing to do with this. I had no defense. Willow kept calling people to head down, leaving me three to one."

"Are you doubting my decision to make her captain?" He looks taken aback.

"It's a stupid one."

Cooper stares me with shock on his face and his mouth hangs a bit open. I don't care if he can't deal with my bluntness.

"I know what's best for my team," he says but doesn't sound convincing.

"Not today it seems," I say and continue walking to the showers while behind me I hear stutter sounds.

As I enter the room, my teammates—in different stages of dressing and undressing—become still, but upon seeing it's me return to their chat.

"That should show her," Willow continues what she was saying to Kasey. "Finally Cooper is seeing her for what she really is, a manipulating bitch. Not even a toss in the sheets can save her rep now. Right, Sanne?"

"I don't know who you are talking about and I want you to leave me out of it," I say firmly and Willow looks at me amused.

"Are you taking Rose's side? She hates you!" She laughs in a way that adds to my irritation.

Even if it was true that Rose hates me, I don't want to fuel their gossip. Some people click and others don't and it's obvious that she and I fall into the second group, yet that isn't enough for me to wish her ill. After seeing Rose's behavior when I went to see her at the cafe, I've been wondering what's affecting her. We all battle something in our lives and these people should be her support not her critic, and this coming from Willow, her so-called best friend, makes me suspicious and uncomfortable. Not wanting to be here any longer, I grab my stuff and don't even bother to shower. Filthy and sweaty I walk towards the exit. As I take the corner turn, I see Lachlan standing by the fence. He waves and smiles at me when he sees me and then his face turns into a confused one about the state I'm in.

"Are you in a hurry?" He asks.

"Sort of. I don't want to mingle with some people. What are you doing here?"

"I came to cheer for you. Your game is better than ever. Even those two goals were out of your hands. What's the deal with the captain? Does she even know what she's doing?"

I look around to see if anyone from the team is leaving but we are alone.

"Rose is usually the captain, but Cooper put her on the bench. I don't know what new game he's playing but I don't like it a bit."

"I saw him talking to you after the game. Was he mad your team lost?"

"No. He was offering me extra training, but I don't need that. What I need is to have Rose back, telling people what they need to do, for example, not leaving me ambushed."

Lachlan lifts an eyebrow.

"Oh, shut up, Lachlan!"

"I didn't say a word!"