Page 61 of Striking Heat
I nod because he’s not really talking to me. He’s more focused on finding Danny. I walk back over to where Cassie is standing.
“I’m not sure why you think he’s so attractive, Cas. He’s, like, not even a person,” I tell her.
“Are you ever going to let me live that down? I said one thing about him one time. And that was before he ever spoke.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Come on, everyone, gather around,” Coach Watts says. “Iwant to make sure everyone understands the lineup and what we’re doing tonight.” He says the same thing every time we play, even though the lineup hasn’t changed and we’re running the same formation.
I look up and see that Danny is, in fact, in the box with August. He holds his hand up and waves. I just nod in his direction. He’s sent a couple of messages since our night together, before I left for Utah, but I haven’t given him much of a response, just a few words here and there. It hasn’t slowed him down, though. He keeps on reaching out.
The national anthem plays, then we take the field. San Diego has a tough defense. They’re also the first ones to strike. Their striker, Crawford is amazing. I watch her carry the ball up the field straight past Cassie and Amelia. She finds a gap and sends it past Hendrix.
And we’re down by one.
The game has barely started, and I can see the fans aren’t going to be very forgiving to us tonight. Some of them are shaking their heads. I can’t decide if it’s because we’re losing or if they’re blaming the players for it. Something has to turn it around.
I do my best over the next forty-five minutes to make something happen. I get a few good shots off, but nothing goes in. We go into the tunnel, and everyone’s heads are down. No one likes to lose, but the morale is definitely different from the other losses we’ve sustained.
Coach Watts goes through the normal pep talk, but no one is looking up to meet his eyes.
“Coach, may I please say something?” I ask him.
He looks over and says, “Of course. Please, come on up.”
I stand in front of the team, and no one is looking up at me. I clear my throat, and only a few of the girls are looking in my direction. “Guys, I need you all to look at me, please.” Once they look up, I start talking. “Yeah, we’re down, but it’s only by one. I know some of you are thinking this is how it starts for us, and youwould be right. But this isn’t how it has to end for us. We can still win this. We have forty-five minutes to turn this around and we’re going to.”
I sigh. “If you’re sitting here thinking we’re going to lose again, then that’s how it’s going to end. But it doesn’t have to. Pick your heads up and let’s go. We’re going to turn this around. We’re going to show the people of Tampa that we’re here because we deserve to be. Now let’s go, family on three! One, two, three, family!”
The morale appears to have picked up a bit. There are some smiles, and a few of the defenders are strategizing with Coach Andie.
“Good speech, Mac,” Coach Watts says. “I really appreciate it. Think I can count on one of those before every game?”
“I think you can count on me to say a few words at halftime, but I hope it’s not because we’re losing the game.”
“Agreed,” he says, patting me on the back. “I’m proud of you. I’m proud of how you’re handling everything. With the press, Danny, the team. You’re doing a great job.”
“Thanks, Coach.” I feel a little guilty that Danny and I are sleeping together, and that’s not exactly ethical of him or me.
We make our way out of the tunnel. It’s time to start the second half. There’s a bit more energy from everyone on the field and on the bench. The bench isn’t slouching and sitting back. No one is staring at the ground. They’re focused on the field again.
I jump up and down, trying to get the blood flowing in my veins. We’re going to turn this around.
And turn it around, we do.
Cassie dribbles the ball up the field and gives me a beautiful through ball. I manage to take a shot, but it goes a little wide.
“Come on, girls, we can do this!” Cassie yells. She’s pushing the defense up to leave them offsides.
The next play goes a bit better. Cassie dribbles the ball up the field after being fed a beautiful pass from Amelia. She sends it upto Kelsey, our left wing. Kelsey crosses it and I finish it. The ball floats into the net out of the goalies reach. We are on the board! The girls are surrounding me and we’re all hugging.
“Let’s go!” I shout as we head back to our spots. Kelsey is walking near me, and I hurry over to her. “Nice pass. Let’s do it again.”
“You bet your ass,” she says lowly, winking at me.
The game continues to turn around. I’m able to net another. For the first time, we’re up. I can’t believe it. It feels like a long time since we’ve gotten a win, and we need this. The city needs to see us as winners.
I think it might be a one-point game, but I’m fed a beautiful ball by Kelsey. I rush in trying to shoot the ball, when I’m taken out by the opposing team’s goalie. She rushes out, knocking me to the ground. I have no idea where the ball goes. I just know that I’m on my back.
