The Demigods Adventures at Goode High School {DISCONTINUED}

Chapter Ten: OLIVIA

Monday, after school, Olivia had her first real practice. Charles met her, again, outside the field house to walk in together. He informed her that they had practice 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and games occasionally sprinkled through. He then explained that Mondays were strategy days. Coach usually set up some weird, untraditional game involving teams where you were forced to quickly create strategies to win. Olivias eyes lit up when he mentioned the winning part, she hoped her and Charles would be on the same team so she could win her first 'Strategy Monday'. She still barely knew the other kids on the team, so she only really felt comfortable with him, even though they'd only known each other a few days. Once they'd gotten changed in the locker rooms, Coach Sydney called both of them into her office after instructing the other players to set up for something called, 'hell minute' which Olivia didn't seem pleased to hear.

They walked into her office and sat down on the small bench in the corner of the room shoulder to shoulder.

"Olivia!" The coached turned around in her swivel chair sharply holding up a blue jersey , identical to the one Charles was wearing minus the #12 and his last name, ADDISONS, on the back. Instead it read #14, BARRE. "This is your jersey, you wear it to both practices and games, don't lose it." Then she handed Olivia the jersey along with a clear package with an identical jersey in white and a reversible blue and gray pinnie. "Your home jersey and pinnie"

Olivia beamed and slipped on her gray jersey, pulling her other shirt out through the sleeves. It was her first real soccer jersey, she felt giddy.

"You'll be a second liner for now. But I could see myself moving you up if needed." Coach sighed. "Whats your position?"

Olivia froze. She didn't know. On the island she had played everything, offense, defense and goalie alike. She thought for a second.

"Center midfield." The coach cocked an eyebrow but didn't speak. Center midfield was one of the hardest positions to play. Constantly running back and forth, playing both offense and defense. "But I'll play anything." she added.

Charles shot her a look that she couldn't quite decipher. When she looked at him, all she could think about was their plans after practice. He had asked her to hang out with him on Friday and had hardly said anything about it since. He cleared his throat, as if trying to be noticed.

"Charles is our starting center midfielder. So we will work that out if you need to be moved." The coach waved her hand at them to leave as Olivia felt a pang of guilt. She didn't want to come onto his team and immediately steal the best position from him.

They walked back on to the field and found the other teammates lined up along the length of the first field with their water bottles at their feet. They all looked nervous. On the far end of the other field, cones were littered all over about a foot apart in every direction.

"What's going on?" Olivia asked.

"Hell-minute." He led her over to grab their waters. "Everyone lines up on the line as Coach yells out exercises. You do them full speed for a full minute without faltering. Coach blows the whistle, if you completed the exercise without stopping, she calls your name for you to run all the way to the other field, grab a cone and make it back within 45 seconds. If you miss or don't complete the exercise, your out. No breaks, no stopping or you're out. Last few going are the team captains for whatever we're playing and trust me being a team captain sets you up for success the rest of practice."

"Sounds like fun." She muttered. A pit of anxiety began to form in her throat making her feel like throwing up. She didn't mind hell-minute itself, just the embarrassment that would go with losing. She would NOT lose.