“Then we need to converse more,” Tony replied.“Grab lunch after the game?”
“Yes,” her mouth said before her mind processed the invitation.Geez, guess I really want to keep seeing him.It’s a truce, after all.Might as well become friends with the enemy.
Tony grinned.“Awesome.After the game, will you take a shower in the community center again?A long one?”
Giselle froze.Is he referring to when he snuck into the locker room to stuff the ball in my gym bag?Her face grew hot again.He really did hear me and Janice!
She narrowed her eyes.“Already trying to break the truce, Tony?”
“No way,” he answered.“I’ve seen what you are capable of on the battlefield.You make a better ally.”
“Then be a pal and watch your offsides calls today,” she warned.
“Of course.As you mentioned in one of your notes, I watched some YouTube videos and will be sure to use the proper flag technique when I call you offsides.”
Her fierce glare only resulted in his laughter.About to retort, she cringed when her coach called out in a thick Romanian accent from down field.
“Number nine, stop flirting with the ref and get your butt over here,” Jess hollered.“Game is about to start!”Rolling her eyes, Giselle turned and jogged away to the sound of Tony’s snicker.
The first half proved to be everything the Rapids feared.As Janice had observed, the Blue Crush had a weak offense despite terrific passing.However, the Rapids’ hard-charging offense could barely penetrate the Crush’s stifling defense.And their keeper?A damn wall, as Janice had also noted.
As a lead striker, Giselle only had two shots on goal during the first half.The first kick resulted in a feeble roller as two defenders in her face made it impossible to set up a crisp shot.The second attempt, a monster rocket that spun in a tight arc, had been blocked in acrobatic fashion by the skilled Crush goalie.During the half-time break, a winded Rapids team clustered around Coach Jess in a tough match tied at zero.
As Giselle wiped sweat from her eyes and swigged from a sports bottle, she listened intently at her coach’s detailed analysis of the first half.Jess had always been a fantastic leader and example of what a soccer instructor should be.The woman didn’t just holler from the sideline and drill the players until they could hardly stand.Every command during matches held a purpose.Each adjustment during play showed intense calculation.Jess displayed true passion for the sport and addicting enthusiasm that soaked into each Rapid whether at practice or during games.
Giselle nodded at the coaching and change in tactics for the second half.Everything Jess said made sense.The players rested, rehydrated, and pepped each other up to charge out strong for the remainder of the match.
Thirty minutes in, the Blue Crush found an opening on the left wing while exploiting a miscue and bad pass by the Rapids midfielders.Shouts erupted from the Rapids defense as players scrambled to recover.A beautiful pass by number eight on the Crush found its target.Number eleven chested the ball, controlled it in an impressive dribble, and penetrated a defender.Eleven’s powerful leg smashed a shot.Near midfield, Giselle held her breath.The ball ripped toward the goal.Martha, the dependable keeper…deflected it wide!
A Rapids fullback recovered the stray ball.She dribbled and cut toward the sideline, then chipped the ball forward to Vanessa near center field.Already reading the play, Giselle sprinted into Blue Crush territory.Vanessa charged past two opposing players, then launched the ball down range.
Giselle ran to intercept the long pass.From the corner of her eye, she saw her right-wing teammate in a hard charge along the sideline.Using herself as a decoy, Giselle planned to take control of the ball in the penalty arc and hopefully collapse the Crush defense.She would then knock the ball wide to the dashing right wing for a diagonal penetration and shot on goal.
Vanessa’s high pass sailed in.Giselle positioned herself for the setup.Three Crush defenders closed in, all sets of eyes on the incoming ball.Giselle leapt for the header and collided against multiple jumping players.A rush of sweaty jerseys swallowed her in the airborne scrum.A tangle of arms and legs flailed.The ball ricocheted off a defender’s head, and the Crush regained possession.
As the jumble of bodies descended, Giselle’s left cleat landed on top of a player’s foot.Her ankle twisted, and a loudpoppreceded a bolt of hot, excruciating pain.She screamed and writhed on the turf, her foot swollen in a crooked position.
The surrounding Crush players tried to comfort her while signaling to the sideline for help.The field medic arrived to administer assistance, but one look at Giselle’s injury prompted him to call an ambulance.Coach Jess and the Rapids also surrounded the scene, her teammates wearing apprehensive faces and tears wetting some eyes.
The medic did his best to manage pain and control the swelling, but Giselle knew a bad break when she saw one.Her future consisted of an emergency room, doctor treatment, and physical therapy.She hissed in pain and clenched her fists as an icepack and bandages wrapped her foot.
Vanessa squatted next to Giselle, her face pale and eyes full of worry.“I’m sorry for the shitty pass.I should have read their defense better.”
“No, Cap.That pass was a beauty.I had a terrible angle on the ball, and their defenders got to it first.It would have been a perfect execution to the right side.”
“That’s my girls,” Coach Jess commented.“The play was fantastic, just some bad luck.You rest up now and recover, Giselle.Vanessa, go to the sideline and rally the team.We still have a match to win.Number nine’s spirit and energy are with us.”
“Don’t forget beauty and brains,” Giselle said, then winced as she started to laugh.
Tony appeared and waved his flag in the air.“Obstruction on the field,” he announced.“Debris must be cleared to resume play.”After slipping the flag stick into the waistband of his shorts, he bent down and scooped Giselle into his strong arms.
“Hey!”she shouted in embarrassment as he cradled her in a walk.Adding to her chagrin, both teams laughed and whistled their approval as the crowd dispersed.“I’m not debris or a little kid.Put me down!”
“Interference from number nine,” Tony continued in a monotone voice.“Red card and immediate expulsion.”
The silly situation—and Tony’s foolishness—cracked Giselle’s armor and made her laugh.She relaxed in his grip, nothing more than dead weight wearing a useless foot.
“Is this in the soccer playbook?”she asked as they approached the opposite sideline.He carefully set her down on the grass.Her foot throbbed and seized her in a fierce ache, but she tried not to show it.
