Game Changer ~ ZDH

Chapter 3

"Y/n, come meet everyone!" I hear Daniel shout. I run over while putting my hair in a pony tail.
"This is the team. This is Corbyn, Jonah, Jack, Lorenzo, Owen, Jason, Caleb, Heath, Oscar, Malachi, Derek, Spencer, Aaron, Crawford, and then Zach's over there."
I look over and see Zach leaning against the bleachers, flirting with one of the cheerleaders. "Pfft, what a cliche. A jock and a cheerleader," I say quietly so only Daniel can hear.
He leans down and whispers, "Yeah. That's Stacy. Head cheerleader. She has a thing for Zach but he's never done anything about it."

I nod, then bring my attention back to the group of boys in front of me.
"Hi. I'm sorry I won't remember names unless you keep reminding me. There's just so much people on the team."

A couple of them chuckle and one of them speaks. "This isn't everyone. Some people haven't shown up yet," a tall blonde said.
"T-there's more?" I ask.
They all nod and I just sigh, "I promise I will learn your names. Just give me time?"
"Oh it's no worries. It took us all a while to learn some names too," a tall dark haired guy said.
I lightly smile and nod, "That made me feel a bit better honestly."

I look at the tall blonde and he smiles, "Wanna show us what you can do before coach gets here?"
I swallow my saliva, "Um, yeah I guess."
"Great! Show us how you kick," he said, walking away from the group of boys.
I cross my arms across my chest and follow, hearing a bunch of movement follow behind.

The blonde boy grabs a football and I follow him to the field, where he stops, gets on his knees and holds the football.
"I'm sorry, what's your name?"
He laughs, "Corbyn."
I nod, "Sorry if I end up kicking you instead of the ball Corbyn."
He laughs again, "You're fine. It's all with the practice."

I nervously laugh and take a deep breath, getting ready to kick. I stand as far away as I need to be, then I run and kick the ball. It goes into the post and I just smile.
A loud boom of cheers erupts and I get freaked out a little, not being used to bigger crowds.
"That was sick! Do you think you can teach us?" Corbyn asked. I look around at all the boys standing around me and I shrug, "I guess."

So I slowly went step by step on how I kicked the football. The boys had a go and none of them can make it into the goal; just under it or to the side of it.

"Alright everyone gather around," the football coach shouted. Soon everyone started to clump in a half circle around him.
"Welcome to this years football team. I'm Coach Turner, Coach or Turner or both is fine, and I expect more this year compared to last. We got knocked out in the playoffs, but with our new kicker, it's guaranteed we can make it to the top."

A bunch of heads turned in my direction. I start to feel awkward and sheepishly smile.
"Speaking of, we now have a young lady on the team. I expect you guys to treat her with respect and like a teammate. Got it?"
"Yes coach," the boys said in sync.
"Great. Put out the ladders and start with some footwork," he directed. The boys had started moving around and I'm left there, standing alone with the coach.
"How's our new kicker doing? Been practicing?" Turner asked me.
I shake my head, "I haven't been practicing. I've been studying."

He tilts his head at me, "Studying.. like studying plays NFL teams do?"
I shake my head again, "No. Studying good form, where to kick the ball, how much acceleration and force is needed to guarantee it going in.. that kind of studying."
"Ohh," Coach nods. "Do you do well in school?"

"Uhm, I like to think so. I've been a straight A student since middle school."
Coach nods, "These boys sometimes struggle with tests."
I lightly smile, not knowing how to respond.
"Y/n! Come join our ladder," Daniel shouts.
I look at Coach for reassurance and he nods. I go over to Daniel, who is sharing a ladder with Crawford, Corbyn, a tall dark haired boy, another blonde boy and Zach. 

"Hey, so this is Jonah and Jack," Daniel reminds me.
I smile at them, "Hi."
They smile and nod their heads at me.
Zach then makes his way to me. "Why Don't you show us what you can do Summers," he snarks.
I narrow my eyes at him, "Fine."
I go up to the ladder and do every drill I did playing soccer. I've always had fast feet, so I swiftly fly by the ladder.

"Dang girl you got some speed," Crawford said. I laugh, "Yeah. I'm still in soccer shape right now."
"Oh please any of us can go faster than that," Zach adds.
I go up to him and cross my arms, "Yeah? Show me what you got, Herron." I emphasize his last name, just like he did to mine.
He scoffs and goes up to the ladder. He immediately started doing footwork, but different from what I did.

He went pretty fast and it was pretty clean.
He came back over once he finished, "Drop the soccer footwork and try some football stuff would ya?"
I scoff, "Show me how and I will."
He goes over to the ladder and slowly does it once. I then go over and do it slowly, then go at my normal speed.

"Well how about-"
"Zach bro she can do it. Don't push her too hard man," Crawford said.
"Push her too hard? If she wants to be on this team then she has to do exactly what we do. No babying, no cheating. Coach said to treat her like a teammate right? That's exactly what I'm doing."
"Yeah but he also said to treat her with respect," Crawford answered back.
"Are you saying girls can't do what guys can?" Zach snapped back at him.

"No not at all. But this is her first practice. Don't be such a prude," Crawford said, his eyebrows starting to furrow.
"What'd you just call me?" Zach asked, stepping closer to Crawford even though he is bigger than him.
"A prude," Crawford replies.
I start to see their fists clench up and I immediately rush over to the both of them, pushing them apart.

"Enough! Thank you Crawford for standing up for me but he is right. If I'm on the team I gotta do what you guys do."
"Thank you! Wait- you're siding with me?" Zach seemed taken aback after his realization.
I nod my head, "I mean, you're right. Treat me like a teammate right? Give me what you got."

A smirk instantly appears on Zach's face and I knew it meant nothing good.

For the rest of practice, Zach would challenge me at everything. And I mean everything. It went from throwing, to running, to catching. It just never ended.
We're running on the track, first to get a mile done, and I'm almost at my third lap with Zach halfway ahead of me.
I feel like giving up. I feel like falling to the ground, crying because of all the pain and soreness that is kicking in.

But I don't do any of that. Pain is only temporary. My whole life I've had to prove my worth. Prove myself. Prove that I'm not like my family. Having the sudden urge to give up and let Zach win would eat me alive. I have to prove myself to him that I can do this.

I control my breathing and I start sprinting, just like my soccer drills. I pump my arms, giving me more speed. I've almost caught up to Zach. He's only three arms length away from me, so I push myself harder. I run faster and faster, my feet feeling light as ever.

Soon I finally pass him, and I finish running the mile. I slowly come to a stop and loop back around to the boys, who were watching the whole thing.
"Y/n! That was such a sick comeback!" Jack said, holding his hand up for a high-five. I smile and smack his hand.
"Thanks," I pant in between breaths.
I hear footsteps jogging towards us and Zach finally caught up.
He rests his hands on his head, catching his breath.

"Anything else to try to make me look bad?" I raise my eyebrow at him and crossed my arms. Daniel tossed him a water bottle and he squirts water in his mouth.
He shakes his head, "No.." he trailed off.
I smile and nod, "Good. Do you think we can be teammates now?" I ask, straight to the point.
I hold out my hand for a handshake, awkwardly standing there, hoping he will shake my hand.
He lifts up his arm and placed his hand in mine, shaking it. "Fine, teammates," he says.

I nod, let go of his hand and walk away to my stuff to get ready to go home.