Preference

I've always been the kind of girl with a loud and bubbly personality. I have maintained a 4.0 GPA so far. I'm a major sporty girl. I play soccer for the Cyclones (U-17), I ski and race competively, and finally got talked into trying out for the girls basketball team and made it.

I'm also into hanging out with friends and having a good time. The one major thing that I want you to know is that I'm SO NOT INTO BOYS!!! Okay, yeah, I'll admit that I have quite a few guy friends that I sometimes hang out with, but I have NEVER taken the next step...a relationship. I mean you always hear about the quarter back of the football team go out with the head cheerleader...you know captain with captain. But that not me, that's not the kind of girl I am.

One thing that I have fantasized is having a friend (preferably a guy) who understands me, (because most girls my age are all into boys and that's all they ever talk about and its really annoying, guys are more fun to talk to), someone who cares about me, and most of all, protects me (but not to protective), because I tend to be a klutz. Add my blondeness to it, and oh my god, you have me: a major blonde klutz. I got ALL of that, plus more when I met...him.

My name is Allison. For short you can call me Ally, Al, or whatever else you want as long as its not nasty or to mean. It doesn't matter to me. As you know, I'm a major sporty girl, and so blonde, its not even funny. Well that's not what everyone else seem to think, but whatever right? Anyway, O am living with my parents in Missoula, Montana and currently attending Big Sky High School.

Nothing majorly exciting happening in my life right now. Wait, what am I talking about? My soccer team made it to the championship game!!! Im so excited for the big game. It's this weekend. Big games seem like they take forever to come, so you try and get your mind off of it by keeping occupied. But the day is slowly sneaking up, just waiting to bite you in the butt when your not to focused. Well, that's how my luck runs (if I even have any). Sorry, I like to babel on a lot, but hey, what can I say? I'm a happy and talkative person.

Chapter 1: Game Day

Finally, the big game. I was anxiously waiting for this day to come. It seemed to take as long to come as an old crippled grandma walking with a cane to get her mail. Just kidding, but damn, it took forever. Laugh out loud (LOL).

5 minutes till game time!!! My coach, Coach Jamie, was telling us our positions.

"Goalie; Abbie (Abbes). Defense; Kirsten (Kris) and Jackie (Jack). Stopper; Jaleyne (Jaleno, JJ). Sweeper; Ashley (Ash). Forward; left side, Sara (Sara), center, Allison (Ally, Al), and right, Melody (Mels, DD)," Coach Jamie stammered out with nervousness.

I was excited and so nervous that I was stammering and shaking as the "starters" (the ones who are starting the game first) were coming up with a game plan to beat the Eclipse for the championship title. We were getting ready to take the field. Everyone huddled up in a tight circle and put one hand in the middle.

"1, 2, 3 Cyclones!!!" the team screamed with enthusiasm. Then we walked onto the field and took our positions.

"Come on girls! You can do it! Just think of it as another game! Come on, keep your heads on straight. Wooed-Wooed!" screamed Coach Jamie, trying to encourage us, but we didn't really pay all that much attention to what she was saying. I heard one of the Eclipse girls give a smart-ass smirk. The one thing that really passes me off more than anything is bad sportsman ship. My face reddened, my entire body tensed with a shot of adrenaline, and I was biting my bottom lip so I didn't do anything that I would regret.

"Hey, Ally," I turned my head in he direction. "Are you okay?" Melody asked with caution. I tend to have a bit of a temper, so I can totally understand why she was so cautious.

"Yes, super," I tried to sound believable though tightened teeth, managing not to let anything else slip right on through.

"Captains please," the referee said in a tone that sounded as he was here unwillingly.

Me and the girl who gave the remark stepped to meet each other in the middle off the field, standing face-to-face, with the referee standing right to the side of us. I gave the girl a stare full of disgust. She was giving me a stare. But as I kept staring at her, I could tell by her the way her eyes were, that she was underestimating my team. I couldn't help myself, so I "accidently" let out a laugh with no humor, only disgust. Okay, well maybe a bit of humor because of her attitude towards my team. While I was giving me little giggle, the referee looked at me impatiently. As soon as I noticed he was staring at me, I froze. My face turned serious again.

"Heads or tails Cyclones?" he asked bored, unwilling to be there. It was so obvious. It stuck out like a daisy in a patch of roses, or something like that.

"Um...tails?" I guessed, with hope.

"Sorry, its heads," he said.

The Eclipse captain turned to look over her shoulder at her team, and then turned back around standing face-to-face with me with a dirty, nasty, fugly (fucking ugly), evil smile that sent chills down my spine. I became to have the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you that something is not right. That was the feeling that I had when I looked the Eclipse captain.

"You get kick off," the referee said whole heartedly. He looked as if he was going to start drooling over this girl. I though tot my self, what's so great about her?

Starting of the first half and the referee backed up a bit so the Eclipse to get kick off. The captain of the Eclipse team started laughing with evil in her tone. For some odd reason, when she was laughing, I was only watching her eyes. Don't ask why because I really don't know. Anyway, when she was laughing, her eyes were a beautiful pacific blue, but when she was sone laughing and got serious again, her eyes became a dark blue that could've been mistaken for black. I stood there staring at her in astonishment and a bit of fear struck me, and again sent chills down my spine. I still stood there, not moving an inch. I didn't even blink.

"Allison. Come on, yo have to get out of the middle circle!" Melody hissed at me. I didn't respond. I still stood there, froze stiff. Melody looked at Sara quick, then they both ran to my side and shook mu shoulders saying my name.

"Allison? Hello? C'mon, the referee is becoming impatient," Sara whispered in my ear. The weird thing was, was that I could hear Sara perfectly, but I just couldn't move. It eas like I was paralyzed.

"Allison? Allison, honey are you okay?" Coach Jamie yelled across the field in panic. I tried to face her, but I couldn't move. I threw my self in Coach Jamie's direction. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground facing in Coach Jamie's direction. I heard murmurs, whispers, and gasps of the people in the crowed. Sara and Melody were at my side in an instant.

"Oh my god! What is wrong with you? Are you okay? Do you need to sit out for a while?" Melody was talking so fast, that I didn't really understand her. But I did notice the fear in her voice.

"No, I'm fine," I said with a bit of confusion. Why am I on the ground? Why is everyone staring at me like I'm and idiot?" I asked myself. But the question that I most wanted answered was, what happened?

"Allison?!? Stay focused!" Melody was screaming now with anger in her voice and less panic. Instantly, I said, still a little confused, "I'm fine," then my voice went to a whisper, "What happened?" I asked Melody.

"I'll tell you later. Right now we have to start the game!" she said relived.

"Promise?"

"Promise. You just might have to remind me. Kk

"Kk. Let's start the game!" I screamed. The 1st half of the game was going on. For some reason my head just wasn't in the game.

What happened? I don't remember anything. Omg, this is really starting to freak me out!" Those questions kept repeating over and over in my head. Then, I heard a whistle blow. I looked up just to see my team scowling at me. I was disappointed in my self. I for some reason just couldn't get the questions out of my head.

"Allison?" asked Coach Jamie, she seemed kind of angry. All I thought of was oh shit. I screwed up.

"Yeah?" I asked sheepishly.

"Can you come here for a second? I think I need to talk to you. Alone," she emphasized on the last word. All of the team glared at me and then walked away from me and Coach Jamie. I slowly walked over to Coach Jaime with my head spinning because I had so many things running through my head at once. I slowly reached Coach Jamie.

"Sweetie, are you sure your okay? You looked like you saw a ghost out on the field," she questioned me.

"Seriously, I'm fine. I don't clearly remember anything." I tried to sound confidently. But I wasn't okay. I had that deep creepy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Oh, okay then. Just making sure. So, can you still play?" she asked, eagerly awaiting my answer.

I stammered a bit at first, "Yeah I can play. Can I just run to the bathroom really quick to recoup my self and get my head back on straight?" it sounded as if I was almost begging.

"Yeah, sure, of course. You only have 10 minutes," she reminded me.

"Okay, thanks, I'll be back soon," I said as I sprinted off to the bathroom.

"C'mon Allison. What the hell is wrong with you? C'mon, you letting your self and you team down. C'mon, get your head on straight. This is the championship. Don't loose it because of something like this. You've got this far, don't blow it because of this," I repeated to myself over and over again till it was beat in my head. Once I thought I has my head on right, I snatched the door open and took off out of the bathroom. As soon as I sprinted out of the door, a guy was walking in front of the bathroom and I ran into him with a of the momentum from mu speed. It knocked the wind out of me and I fell on my back. I just laid there for a second, and then the guy came over to study me.

"Are you okay?" his voice was so soft it was comforting.

"Y-yeah, I think so," I stammered while rubbing my back.

"You sure? You hit me pretty hard," he sounded a little concerned.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Well, I kind of have to be. I have my championship game right now. Thanks for being so concerned." I said, trying to reassure him.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, your welcome. Just wondering, what team do you play for?" his voice kind of trailed off at the end. As he said that, he reached for my hand to help me up.

"Oh, thank you. Um...I play for the Cyclones on field 9," I said, playing around with my hair nervously. But the guys face was so beautiful to be real. I felt like I was dreaming, and feared that if I woke up, the beautiful face would disappear.

"Okay, I'll see if I can come watch you. Can I ask for your name?" he asked, but seemed to question what he had just asked.

"Um...sure. My name is Allison. What's yours? Can I ask?" I said laughing.

"Yes you may," he laughed, "my name is Stephen," he voice smooth.

"Oh cool, I like that name," I sounded like an idiot. That was the best I could come up with? Omg, there is something wrong with me.

"Thanks, I like yours ..."

"Oh crap! I have to go! My game!" I said loudly.

"Okay, I'll watch your game and catch up with you later?" he asked hopeful.

"Yeah, yeah, that's cool. Sorry, but I have to go! Bye!" I said as I turned around to run to my game.

As I reached the field, everyone was talking their position in the field.

"Allison. Center forward!" Coach Jamie yelled across the field.

"Okay," I replied with enthusiasm.

"Cyclones, you get kick off," the referee said bored (again). I was jumping up and down trying to shake off what had happened earlier. I knew what was going on now since I had gathered my self together.

"Let's go cyclones! Whoo!" someone yelled from the crowd. I turned towards the crowd to see the beautiful face of Stephen. As Stephen and I locked gazes, he smiled a crooked smile so beautiful that I only stared at him with an idiotic expression.

"Oh, no way! Are you serious? Allison?" Sara asked me in disbelief. I turned to look at her and lost the beautiful image of Stephen's dreamy face.

"What?" I was trying to sound as if I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Allison, I didn't know you were, ya know...into someone!" She smiled as she said it.

"Pshh...no," I lied horribly.

"Yeah, un-huh...sure," she was still laughing. I turned to look at Stephen once more before the second half started. Our gaze met again, but unwilling, I pulled my eyes off of him and started to focus on the game.

"Ready..." yelled the referee. Beep!!! The sound of his whistle. I walked up to the ball, faked to pass left, but passed behind me to Galen. As soon as the ball left my foot, Melody, Sara, and my sprinted to the other end of the field between stopper and sweeper. One of the Eclipse girls charged Galen. Galen did the scissor move, and faked the girl out. Then she kicked the ball as hard as she could to the other end of the field where Melody received the pass. Sara went down by the goal post, and I ran to the middle between Melody and Sara. So, it looked like a diagonal line down the field when you looked at the forwards.

"Sara!" Melody screamed. Melody looked up, pretended to keep dribbling. Stopped the ball. Backed up and kicked it across the field to Sara. An Eclipse defenders were on Sara in a second. Sara was trapped so I had to get open for a pass.

"Sara! Split to middle!" I yelled loud enough for her to hear me. Sara passed the ball to me. I received the ball at the arch attached to the goalie box and slowly dribbled down closer to the goal.

"Cross, cross, split!" I exaggerated every word. Cross, cross, split is one of our plays. Sara and Melody got 10 feet away from the goal posts.

"Melody," I said loud enough for her to hear me. As soon as I saw Sara look up, I passed the ball to her. Sara passed back to me and I passed to Melody. We did this a few times, switching up the order to confuse the defense. Next time I got the ball, I took a few dribbles with it till I was at the penalty mark. I stopped the ball...took a few steps back to posture as If I was going to shoot...ran up to the ball and passed to Sara. She was wide open with a perfect, easy shot at the goal. Sara got the ball, turned white and froze.

"SHOOT!!!" me and Melody yelled at the same time. As soon as we said that, she postured to take a shot. She took a few steps back away from the ball. Then took one step with her right foot. With all of her force, she kicked the ball as hard as she could with her left foot and followed through.

"Ahhh!" we all went wild. Melody has scored the only point so far.

"Good job!" I cheered her on.

"Why did you pass to me?" she asked with curiosity.

"Because you were wide open. I was covered with defense. Why, are you mad?" I questioned.

"Oh no, no. I'm not mad. Just shocked because usually take those shots," she said.

"Yeah, but that's only for fun. But this is the championship game, it wasn't worth the chance of missing because I wanted a moment of fame. I can't do it all alone. I need my team. You did good though, it's your time to shine," I said reassuring and laughing.

"Oh, okay. Well thanks. It means a lot," she said excitedly.

"Welcome," I said with a smile.

"Good job girls, keep it up!" Coach Jamie encouraged. I looked at Stephen, he smiled the crooked smile. I was surprised because I have never had the feeling that I had about Stephen before. I was a feeling that I have never felt before. Then I looked at the other team, and the same girl gave me that evil, disgusting glare. All I did was laugh, That made the girl so mad, that her face turned red. Beep! The blow of the referee's whistle sounded for the game to start again. The Eclipse team got kick off since we scored.

Last five minutes of the game. Oh my god...so much pressure. I had the ball and was dribbling down the middle of the field from mid-field down to the arch above the Eclipse's goalie box. Defense was slowly creeping up on me. I looked up just to double check and make sure Sara was paying attention so I could pass to her. I made a pass to Sara. She received the pass, and got the ball in control. Then, as one slow second passed, Sara inhaled a deep breath....BAM! The ball was in the air, heading straight for the left side of the net. The goalie jumped to reach for the ball. But she missed! Sara had scored a goal. Beep! Beep! Beep! That was the sound of the referee's whistle. The game was over...and we won!!!We won the championship (2-0).

"Ahh. Sara!" I screamed with shock, but more excitement.

"OH MY GOD!!! Did I seriously just score a goal?" her eyes lite up with joy.

"Yeah, yeah you did!" I screamed at her, trying to convince her.

"Ahhh! No way!" Sara cried in disbelief.

I grabbed her shoulders and calmly said, "Yes..you did!"

"This calls for a group hug!" Coach Jamie called as she gathered us all together.

After the group hug, we all talked and hugged. Then five minuets of that, we had to go get out pictures taken.

"Line up in two lines. Tallest in back, and shorter ones up front. And captain(s) in middle please," the camera man said in a calm and harmful voice.

Since I'm only 5 ft. 1" and captain, I got to kneel down in the middle of the front row and hold the soccer. Once everyone was in a good spot, the camera man set up his camera.

"Ready? 3...2...1." Click!!!

"Okay, one more picture. Ready? 3...2..." As the camera man was counting down and on two, I say Stephen's dreamy face by the camera man. My facial expression changes dramatically from a smile into a love struck, far away gaze as soon as my eyes locked on his face. Click!!! The camera man had taken a picture with my lock struck gaze. Oh shit, I said to my self. The click from the picture had startled me and brought me back to reality. I saw Stephen give a quiet, humorous chuckle to his self. Pictures were over, so I walked over to where my team was.

"Well, hey, I got to go. Bye! Good game everybody! See you at practice!" I said over my shoulder as I started to walk away. When I was on the other side of the fields, my mom called.

"Hey, Allison?"

"Yeah?"

"Hey, I'm going to be about 10-15 minutes late sweetie. Sorry, but I to do something important before I can leave. Ok?"

"Y-yeah, that's cool, I'll just watch some game for a bit."

"Ok, I'll call when I get there."

"Kk, bye."

I was right by the field where the Cyclone boy's were playing the Phoenix. I bet the Phoenix were winning. I'm not trying to be mean or anything.

After a few minutes of siting in the grass, watching the game, I heard footsteps. I turned my head and saw the gorgeous face and body walking toward me with a smile on his face. My face turned bright red with embarrassment from the pictures earlier.

"Hey."

"Um...hi," Uh! Why did I have to sound like an idiot?

"So..." he sat down beside me in the grass and laid his feet out in front of him like I had mine. Laid out straight and crossed over each other. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing much, you?" I looked at him. Bad mistake. He looked back at me and smiled. I am surprised that I didn't faint. He was hot. Really hot!

"Same here...nothing. So, you won the game, right?" I nodded my head like a bobble head dog on the dash of a mini van. I quickly looked at my cleats.

"Congrats!"

"Thanks," I said.

Awkward silence.

"Just wondering, why are you still here?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"My mom'll be here in about 10 minutes to pick me up. She had something important to do before she could leave work I guess.

"Oh."

Another awkward silence.

Then, he started whistling a familiar tune from my favorite song; "Save Me" by Nickelback. I began to hum the tune along with him, and he started to laugh. My face was hot and I looked down.

"You like Nickleback?" I nodded.

"Yeah, they're pretty good. They don't have very many songs that I don't really like."

"What's your favorite song?"

"Um..I don't really have a favorite song. I like a huge variety. What about you?"

"Oh, lets see...probably "Gotta be Somebody" by Nickleback.

"Nice." Nice? What the hell is wrong with me? Why cant I even talk right?

"Yeah." Another gay baby.

Then my mom called me and said that she was at the fields to pick me up.

"Aw, shit. My mom's here. I have to go." I stood up and looked at him one more time. Let's just say that my heart turned into applesauce.

"O ok, well do you have a cell phone and texting?" he asked anxiously.

"Oh, yeah, do you want my number so we can text?"

"Yeah, here type it in on my phone, and I'll put my number in yours." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his phone, then handed it to me. And I handed him my Blackberry Storm.

"Whoa, you have an iPhone?" I exclaimed.

"Haha, yeah," he said as he was putting his number in my phone.

"Um." I looked at all of the little icons on the screen. "How do you do this?" I confessed bashfully.

He chuckled and put his hand around mine and tapped the little icon with the phone on a book.

"Right," I said astounded with my self. He laughed as I punched in my name and number. It took me a few times but I got it. I handed him his phone and he gave me mine.

"Well," I said looking over my shoulder at my mom's red corvette. "I guess I better get going before I get in trouble." Damn it. I didn't want to go.

"Oh, well bye." He smiled crookedly at me, which let's say, didn't help my apple sauce heart any.

"See ya." I turned around against my will and walked to my mom's car, slowly dragging my steps. I looked over y shoulder and smiled a true smile. A smile with meaning to it. This day couldn't any better.

"Omg, what is the matter with me? I have never felt this way before about ANYONE!!! What is it about Stephen that makes my heart turn into applesauce. What is it about Stephen that's make me have this love struck face when ever I look at him? Is it his gorgeous, dreamy eyes? (They are to die for). Is it his muscles? (You could see part of his arms because he was wearing a short sleeve). Or was it his...BAM!!! I had walked right into a sign while thinking about Stephen. Before I could open my eyes, Stephen was at my side helping me stand up.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he was laughing.

"Never better," I said laughing right along with him. "I'm just a klutz!"

He laughed and helped me to my mom's car. I opened the door and Stephen smiled at me.

"Well, I'll talk to you later. Try not to run into anything ok?" he laughed.

"Well, if I promised that, I wouldn't be able to keep it." I melted into the car giggling. I was still love struck in the car, but mom was busy talking on her cell phone to notice. WE waved at each other. When we were pulling out of the parking lot, I glanced out of the review mirror to see Galen, GALEN, hug Stephen and kiss him. MY apple sauce heart froze solid