Out To Get Her

16| Tough Break

"GO DYLAN, YOU'VE got this! That's my best friend!" Alex proudly proclaims, voice raised so as to not be drowned out in the crowd.

The score is tied at 1-1. The new striker is proving to be a bigger threat than Alex expected him to be. Nothing Dylan can't handle though.

"Go Dean!" She cheers as he sprints up the field alongside Liam, who has the ball.

Liam passes, Dean launches the ball. It flies through the air and slams into the cross bar, ricocheting to a defender's feet. It's sent back down the pitch.

"Unlucky," Alex murmurs with a frown.

Red Hill is beginning to look dangerous as they pass back and forth in Crestview's half. They're gaining rhythm, and any attempts made to reclaim the ball are unsuccessful.

It is sent forward through the line of defenders and the play is in motion. The striker sprints for it, closely followed by Robinson, but the pressure put on him does not deter him from launching the ball into the back of the net.

"Shoot," Alex murmurs, Red Hill now has the lead. Dylan picks himself up off the floor and retrieves the ball to drop kick it to the center of the pitch.

"You've got this, Dyl!" She hollers.

He distractedly gives her a thumbs up, before focusing back on the field as the whistle blows.

Timothy Parker passes the ball to Liam and they steadily work their way up the field with Dean close behind.

They're working towards the box when the ball is lost to Red Hill's number four. The players reverse directions as Crestview is forced to defend.

Within moments, the same scenario is playing out with the through ball and the same striker running it down. He passes to his teammate at the last moment, and the ball finds itself in the top left corner. The score is 3-1.

Alex finds herself grimacing as the whistle blows for half time. She watches as the boys huddle together and Coach Kendrick gestures wildly.

Adams heads onto the field in place of Robinson, and everyone returns to their positions.

The game continues, with Riley soon preventing another attempt on goal by stopping it before it starts with a well timed tackle. The ball finds it's way to Timothy's feet and he sends it across to Dean. He prepares to take another shot, but is tackled brutally and taken down. He takes a moment on the ground, but gets up and brushes himself off. He takes the free kick and the game continues. Timothy manages to take a shot, but it goes wide.

The goal kick is taken, and the approaching offense rains down on the midfield. Riley manages to hold the new striker back a bit, by not letting him pass, but eventually he manages to get around him. The attack continues down the field, and the defensive line does their best to hold them in place, not giving them any openings. A shot is taken, but Jensen heads it out, leaving Liam to recover it.

The game goes on relatively in a stalemate for the rest of the half, Crestview can't seem to find openings and it becomes very much a possession game. That is, until the last eight minutes when the striker manages to score a free kick. The game ends at 4-1 to Red Hill.

"It was a solid effort, you guys played really well," Alex hands Dylan his water bottle as he comes to a stop beside her.

"It was a bloodbath."

"You guys held formation, it was a great team effort and one loss isn't going to wreck the whole season."

"If we can't beat Red Hill, what chance do we have?" He scowls.

"C'mon Dyl, It was one bad game," Timothy ruffles his hair in passing.

He claps Tim on the back before resuming his focus on his best friend.

"It really wasn't that bad, Dyl, nobody expected them to be that good. I certainly didn't think that striker was going to pose such a threat-"

"Because you don't understand soccer!" Dylan bursts out, throwing his gloves at his bag a few feet away.

"Calm down," Alex raises her eyebrows at him.

"I'm sorry," Dylan mutters, promptly spinning on his heel to storm over to his bag and haul it to the locker room. He'll need a few minutes to cool off, Alex knows, because he gets very competitive when it comes to soccer, and every loss he takes personally.

"Tough break," Dean comes to a stop beside her, "He just needs a minute."

"I know," Alex smiles at the exhausted boy as takes a swig from his water bottle, "You played well."

"It wasn't enough," his eyebrows furrow, "But thank you."

"It was enough to play a great game. You guys were tough to beat."

"Can't argue with that," he chuckles, running a hand through his damp hair, "I'll see you after."

"See you," Alex watches him walk away, before turning to pick up Dylan's glove that he left behind in the grass.

"You don't understand soccer," she repeats to herself, "Tell me how you really feel, huh, Dyl?"

"You know he didn't mean it."

Alex startles as she turns around, not having expected anyone to hear her, "Riley."

He half smiles, running a hand through his sweat slicked hair, "That's my name."

"I know," she refers to his original statement, "But when people are upset, the truth comes out. Maybe he didn't mean for me to find out that that's what he thinks, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any truth to his words."

"Maybe. Or maybe he just wanted to lash out at someone."

"Sure. Let's not talk about it any more, it's not important."

"Whatever you say," Riley takes a step backward, still facing the bewildered girl.

"You're going to fall," She warns.

"Nah," he winks, "I don't think I will."

And much to Alex's dismay, he makes it all the way to the locker room without face planting.