Living for the fat girl [Book 2]

Part 14

A few soccer references ahead so I put a picture up to help if you need it.

(Also I really don't like calling football soccer but I've done so from the beginning so now I feel like I have to keep it up. So if it pains you every time you read "soccer" just remember that it pains me just as much!)

14. Seth

As soon as Amber shuts the door to Arya's room, I feel like strong fingers wrap around my heart to crush it. Whilst my body somehow manages to carry me from the building, my mind has gone numb. I can feel my fingers shaking by my sides and my lungs struggling to take in oxygen as I stride across campus. I can't go back to my own room right now. I somehow need to get rid of this awful feeling of being crushed.

Once I find myself at the soccer field, I locate a stray soccer ball and jog towards it. I attempt to take a deep breath before touching my foot to the ball. Although the sun is already setting, the floodlights are lighting up the whole field. Closing my eyes, I try to block out what has just happened. I need to block her out.

When I open my eyes, I see nothing but the ball at my foot and the field ahead of me. I start jogging lightly towards the goal, dribbling the ball in front of me. As I reach the penalty arch, I gather all of my strength and kick the ball as hard as I can. With a hiss the ball charges towards the goal. A loud bang echoes from the bleachers when the ball hits one of the goalposts and bounces back. Instead of watching the ball roll away, I run towards it. As soon as I reach it, I kick it once more. Now the ball goes straight into the goal, hitting the net powerfully.

Again I run towards the ball at full speed, stopping immediately when I reach it, turn and run to the goal on the opposite side, dribbling the ball skilfully. Instead of stopping at the penalty arch, I run to the corner arc. My lungs now burning with excitement, I position the ball properly, take a couple steps back and shoot the ball in a curve. Once again it hits the net.

Retrieving the ball and shooting it at the goal again, I hear someone running up behind me. Instead of turning to check who it is, I continue shooting the ball until the person reaches me. I recognize Jackson even as he speeds past me, stealing the ball from my feet. To mock me he starts doing tricks, spinning around, kicking the ball high up into the air and catching it with his chest before letting it drop back down to his feet.

"Think you can catch me?" He challenges loudly, his voice booming.

To answer his question, I start running towards him as fast as my feet will carry me. Jackson laughs loudly and just before I reach him, he sprints into the opposite direction, blowing past me. For a second I am dumbfounded but quickly force myself to start running again.

I almost catch him when he stops running at the centre spot, the ball stirring lazily in front of his feet.

"Come and get it then!" Jackson laughs.

Taking a few steps forward, I already know what's going to happen. Just when I'm about to take the ball from Jackson, he will jump forward and take it from me. The smug look on his face proves this. So instead of giving him the satisfaction, I decide on another tactic.