Chapter 80 Chapter 80 The Final
We are gathered in the damp, sour-smelling locker room. The odor mixes with all of our perfumes and body sprays, turning the air thick enough to make me queasy. I am not nervous, I repeat in my head. We are good. We’ve got this. And even if we lose, we still made it to this point.
Coach Jones gives his speech, pacing as he goes over the things he wants us to focus on. He tells us to play clean—but when he says it, he looks directly at me. It’s not my fault the other teams always have it out for me. Sometimes you just have to fight back. I take no shit, not when I play.
There’s a scout here from the national team, and a few from colleges too. I give two shits about that. I’m done playing sports once I’m out of here.
The team heads out to stretch and warm up. I put my headphones on and blast my music as loud as possible, letting it drown everything else out. I slide my phone into the pocket of the short tights under my uniform shorts. Our school colors are baby blue and black. Today we wear the baby blue jerseys and shorts.
Janet braided my hair into double French braids to keep it out of my face. A ponytail wouldn’t have cut it today.
I lie back on the wet grass and feel it between my fingers, the damp coolness grounding me. I close my eyes and focus on the smell, the rhythm of the music pulsing through me. For a moment, everything narrows—just sound, and earth.
Then I sit up and stretch with Mia. We run through short drills, quick passes, and then move into the scare tactic.
Each of the forwards—me, Tiana, Mia, and Yesenia—takes a turn going up against the whole team. The goal is simple: break through everyone and score.
I go last, because I’m the show-off.
I turn my back to my team and start moving backward. I can’t see them, can barely hear them through my music, but I can feel them—shifts in the air, the rhythm of their steps. I move through them anyway, spinning, slipping past, knocking the ball between legs, cutting angles they don’t expect.
I break through the last defender and glance up. The other team stands across the field, frozen, watching instead of warming up like they should be.
I kick the ball up and send it into the goal with my head.
I can hear Coach Jones complaining from the sideline even through my music.
I throw my arms out to the sides. My girls drop to the ground and bow to me. I bend at the waist, accepting their worship like I’m some orchestra conductor.
Coach calls me over—probably to scold me. I skip toward him anyway. He just shakes his head. His normally red cheeks look even more blotchy in the cool air, his blond hair spiked up, his green eyes sharper against the field.
“Too much. You’re only putting a target on your back.”
“If they’re watching me, they’ll miss everone else.” I shrug at him.
He exhales, but there’s a smile tugging at his mouth. “I’m going to miss coaching your stubborn ass next year, kiddo. Give them fucking hell today.”
For the first time, I think he actually likes me.
Coach Jones is always on my case, always yelling—but today he’s encouraging me. He slides the captain band onto my arm and pulls me into a quick hug.
By halftime, I’ve scored twice. Coach was right—they’re on me like bees on honey. Mia has two goals too, and Tiana has one. The other team has none. We’re pummeling them.
I make my team lie down on the grass near the sidelines.
“Feel the grass under your fingertips,” I say, pacing in front of them. “This is where it ends for most of us. That’s it—there’s no tomorrow. Leave it all here. Blood, sweat, and tears. I want it all from you.”
Mia keeps glancing at the stands.
“Mia! Focus!” I stop in front of her.
“Who the fuck am I?”
“My captain!”
“Where did I come from?”
“You fell from the heavens!”
I can’t help it—I crack a smile. Janet laughs behind me, and I hear a few people in the stands laugh too.
“What does that make me?”
“The fucking Devil!”
“What does the Devil do?”
“She punishes!” Mia grins up at me.
“Let’s go punish Carson City for thinking they have the right to be on the same field as us!”
My team jumps up, fired up. We take our positions again. Coach winks at me, and the game resumes.
Mia keeps looking toward the stands as we run.
“What are you staring at?” I ask.
“Bitch, I think I saw Dimitri—and he’s sitting next to a whole row of hot-ass guys!”
I glance over.
Fuck me.
It’s all ten Pavlov boys—and their father.
Dimitri’s eyes lock onto mine, and he gives me that half smirk, the one with the single dimple.
Yesenia comes sprinting toward me with the ball and passes it off. “Don’t fucking look at my dad because—” she pants as I pass it back—“Grant is here. With Ryan. My dad invited him. He’s been staring at you this whole time.”
I don’t even dare look. I have no idea where Yesenia’s dad is sitting, and I’m not about to find out right now.
She kicks the ball back to me. I take the shot and score.
We bump chests, adrenaline spiking, and I sneak a glance toward our section.
Grant’s eyes are wide. He’s holding Ryan, who’s happily shoving popcorn into his mouth with tiny hands.
My chest tightens.
I am in so much shit. Whatever.
Tiana steals the ball from Carson City, and we move together. I’ve got double coverage on me. I try to break through, weaving between them, but they stay glued to me.
Then, in a split second, everything shatters.
One moment I’m running.
The next, it’s like lightning strikes—and I’m on the ground.
Pain explodes from my knee, radiating through my entire body. Tears pour out of my eyes before I can stop them. I cover my face and scream.
My vision blurs. The pain crashes over me in waves, relentless, crushing. My body feels like it’s on fire.
I force myself to look.
My fucking kneecap—my left leg—my kneecap is sitting on the side of my leg.
That is not where it’s supposed to be.
A blonde bitch stands nearby, smiling at me while I choke on the pain, still biting my hand to keep from screaming again. I roll side to side, trying to escape something I can’t escape.
The medic sprints onto the field with Coach Jones. I can hear them calling for a stretcher, but their voices sound distant, muffled—like I’m underwater.
They lift me off the ground. I swallow hard against the knot in my throat, gasping.
She kicked me. Right in the knee. Dislocated my damn kneecap.
She will pay for this. I swear it to myself.
The ref signals a penalty.
Mia steps up to take the kick.