Penalties

I Make Yellow Work - Chapter Twelve

I walked in to the locker rooms after school the next day to prepare for the Brenston game. My hair was tied up in its usual ponytail with a braid on the side, and I dressed in my red and white uniform with the fresh new red socks. Emily handed out the red and white bows for the girls on the team.

I laced up my cleats and adjusted my shin guards. The four girls walked out on the field, and I felt confident. Our team was warming up, and Mark was sitting on the bench, still in his red and khacki school uniform. His hair was still combed because he wasn't on the field. He signaled for me to come to the benches, so I jogged over.

"Listen, I don't want anything to happen to you in this game. After the game, we are all going straight to my house for our last game party. Come straight to the benches then run to your dad's car, okay?" He asked.

"Okay." I said. We hugged and I left to warm up Dillion. One of my jobs as our center defender, and commander of the right and left sides, Is that I had to warm up the goalie before I warmed up myself. I ambled over to where Dillion was kneeling holding his "Special" neon green soccer ball that was apparently sacred to him.

"How was your talk with Prince Charming, Cinderella?" Dillion asked, chucking the ball at me. I caught it at my chest and he clapped sarcastically.
I didn't reply to his question as I warmed him up. I remembered how I used to warm Mark up, and we would talk about school or other silly things. I didn't know him like I do now, but now that I do, I like him even more.

Focus Taylor. Soccer game. Not Mark. He Isin't even playing today.

I finished warming up Dillion and then went to pass with Emily. Her blonde hair was perfectly tied in a ponytail, secured by the red and white bows, that I secretly loved. I wasn't fully stretched, but coach called us all over, so I did lunges on my way over.

"Okay guys. We all know about the rivalry with Brenston. I want everyone playing a clean game. No yellow cards, and if you do get a yellow card, your coming out of the game." coach said. We all nodded. We were going to have to be super careful.

We went to our positions and the whistle was blown. I glanced back at Dillion, who was bouncing up and down, warming himself from the cold winds that were blowing around us. My team kept it up the field for about 10 minutes until Blake was passed the ball and it came back to Charlie, who was currently my left wing. He frantically cleared the ball, just as Blake smashed into him, purposefully pushing him to the ground. The ref happened to be watching Blake carefully and carded him.

"Yellow card, Brenston number 23." the ref yelled, and I went to help Charlie up. Mark smiled from the sidelines, and I grinned furiously back. When Blake reached the benches, he threw a fit at the assistant coach.

I thought everything was going to be fine, until the coach put in Blake's replacement.

Paisley.

Blake smirked smugly at me from the sidelines. Fear rose in my chest and I froze. I didn't know whether to be mad or scared or angry. The whistle interrupted my thoughts. One of their players dribbled it past Jordan, who was my right wing. I sprinted to stop it, but the player shot at Dillion. He dove and grabbed the ball inches from the goal. Everyone clapped, but I just flipped my hair and walked away.

The game continued on, and at half time, the score was 2-0 us. On one play, Paisley and another one of her teammates were dribbling the ball towards our goal. They somehow managed to make it past all of our players. By then, I was barking orders at midfielders and my left and right wings. Paisley entered on my side and closed in on Charlie. I watched to make sure she didn't get past him. Paisley's teammate passed her the ball, and it would have been a direct kick to the goal, if I hadn't intercepted.