Rules were made to break

Speachless

I put my hair in Dutch braids with red hair ties at the bottom. I didn't put on any makeup, I rarely did. I just don't see the point. For pictures we wore our all white uniforms. When I got out of the bathroom Kayley was eating a protein bar.

"Finally, you do realize that I have to take a shower too?" Kayley asked.

"Sorry wasn't paying attention maybe you should walk up sooner," I responded and walked over to my lacrosse bag. I grabbed my lacrosse stick. It was all black with purple laces. Most people think that I just did it because of my name but purple really is my favorite color. I tightened the strings and made sure everything was laced correctly before I sat down to on eat something.

By the time Kayley was done getting ready it was already 7:55 and we really need to hurry up. When we got to the room our coach was looking at her watch. "Cutting it a little close girls," the coach mused.

"It was Violeta's fault. She was in the bathroom for like three hours," Kayley blamed me.

"I was not. It was like 20 maybe 30 minutes and I woke up at 5 this morning so what were you doing. Oh wait, sleeping," I mocked her. Kayley rolled her eyes and we both laughed.

They took a photo of the whole team, defense, offense, and then individual photos. It took forever. When we were done, we went out to lunch as a team. People were snapping pictures of us and a few people asked Kayley and I for our autographs. I honestly hadn't realized that people would recognize us in public.

After we finished eating lunch, Kayley and I headed back to our rooms and we chilled. Watched TV and TikTok until around 3. We had the nominations announcements, which was semi formal. I put on a plain white long sleeve sweater, a black skirt, and white air forces. The team was all sat at the same table and we ate dinner when we got there.

After everyone ate dinner, there were guest speaker that basically all said the same thing: Work hard. None of the speeches really stood out at all.  "If I could have everyone's attention," the speaker paused and waited for the voices in the room to die out.  "So for those of you who have never been to one of these, welcome.  First set on nominations go to best defensive line.  Nominations go to: James Madison, Northwestern, and Syracuse."  There was clapping and cheering from the teams that were nominated but it was all kind of low-key which I was not expecting.  

"Next, best offensive line: Boston, Denver, and Cincinnati."  Our table cheered, I don't think that any of us were expecting that but we should have been because we were in the championship. 

"Third, we have rookie of the year: Kayley Coffman, Jenny Lewis, Dani Peterson, Michelle Patterson, and Violeta Kelce."  Wait, did I just hear my name?  My entire table was celebrating but Kayley and I were just looking at each other.  We both knew that our names were in there but it hadn't really set in that we could win.  At least before now.  

"Last but definitely not least, we have player of the year: Lana Hanover, Gabby Gates, Brianna Brown, Olivia Lycan, and Jade Thorpe."  I looked at Lana and she was celebrating, but they all knew that she was nominated, she won the award last year.  The first junior to ever get it.

"That concludes the nominations.  Good luck to all of the nominees and to Northwestern and Cincinnati in the championship next week."  There was a mass thank you from the crowd.  I was concerned about the championship but not because of who was going to win but because it could change who stands where in regards to rookie of the year and I didn't want that.  

I was wandering around the hotel that night, slightly put off by the fat that it all came down to one game.  Everything that I had been nominated for and everything that Kayley had been nominated for.  We don't exactly get along off the field but on it, we are inseparable.  Every play that we make in like a machine, we know exactly what the other will do next and what we should do.

"Don't think about it too much," Lana's voice rang through my ears.  Only then had I registered that she was in the hallway with me.  

Lana POV

I remember exactly how my first awards went.  It was awful.  I got all in my head and I didn't ant t disappoint anyone and I completely ruined he championship game.  But many just say that was because I was an offensive end and not a center.  

"What are you telling me to not think about?" Violeta asked me.  I sighed.  

"The awards, Kelce.  Don't think about it.  You cant change anything in fact the votes are already cast, the championship game cant change any of the standings," I lied to her.  The championship game is the most important game when it came to the award standings but she did not need to know that.  

"Why would you try to help me?" She asked me.  

"How am I supposed to enjoy beating you if you aren't playing at your best?" I asked her lightening the mood a little bit.  She laughed before her face went serious again.  

"But seriously, why are you helping me?" She asked me again.  

"I want to see you do good so that I can bring you with me this summer.  I was invited to host lacrosse camps cross the country and I think that people would want to earn from you and I know that you are building your platform in every way that you can.  I also want to be able to say that I left a mark on this league and if that means dumping everything I know into your head then I will.  I know a great player when I see them.  I knew that you would be a problem the second that you actually thought that you could play against me and then you were mad that you almost beat me but didn't.  Every time you walk onto a field you are better than the last time, that is the definition of a good player," I ranted.  I didn't mean to unload all of that onto her but she needed to realize that I was serious in a way that didn't cause her to break under the pressure.  

I left her standing there unable to speak.