Game time!
Game time. Seconds before the whistle is about to blow and you feel that sudden calmness of your mind, just before the chaos kicks in. The game is about to start and nothing else in the world matters. The nervousness fades, all your thoughts fade, and your left with one mission: to win. The meditation of soccer, that is why Adam played. And as he stood in his position, bouncing slightly on his toes, he remembered why he loved the sport so much. Game time.
The whistle blew and the game was on. Adam was filled with excitement, aggression, drive, desire, passion. Only soccer could do this to him. He was eager for a chance to get the ball, to prove that he fit in.
Minutes in and the ball was passed to him. He prepared himself to receive it, but the pass was intercepted. Adam sighed. Already a mistake. Shaking it off, he ran back again to help defend.
At halftime, the score was tied. Everyone was beginning to feel anxious, but none more than Adam. He hadn't played his best and he could not let it be his fault if they lost. He didn't know if he could handle the blame.
Mr. Parnell hesitated as he called the last few names for the second half line up. Adam hadn't been playing his best, but he had seen Adam at practice. Maybe all he needed was a chance. Mr. Parnell decided to give him a few more minutes. If it didn't work out, he would just put in a substitute.
The whistle blew and right away the ball was passed back to Adam. This is your chance to show everyone you can play, he thought to himself. Don't blow it. He began to bring the ball up the wing, running with the speed he had worked on for so long. He beat one player with pure speed, but the next defended was coming to him. Without thinking, he stepped over the ball and pulled it back in a perfectly executed Maridonna move. The defender instinctively stuck out his foot to stop Adam, clipping Adam's heal. Adam felt himself lose balance and tumble to the ground. The fall hurt, but he needed to get up. He wouldn't be a wimp. As he turned onto his backside to push himself up, he saw a hand extended to him. He looked up to see Rick staring at him…concerned? Adam took his hand and let Rick help him up.
"You okay?" Rick asked.
Adam nodded, still shocked that Rick had come to help him out. "Does this mean you don't hate me?"
As the referee ran over, blowing his whistle for a foul, Rick admitted, "You're part of the team. I don't hate my teammates. Now go ahead and take this kick."
"Wait, you want me to take the kick?" Adam asked nervously, as the referee moved the ball closer to the spot where the foul was committed.
"I trust you," Rick said as he jogged away. Before Adam could respond or ask him to take it instead, Rick was gone.
Adam starred at the ball in front of him. He backed up a few paces, slowly, and all of the noise faded. He focused intently on the ball, then glanced up at the goal, barely seeing the other boy's shoving each other in front of it. Right now it was just him and the goalie. He picked out where he wanted the ball to go, started his run, swung his foot into the ball with a satisfying smack, and…
It was surreal. The cheering, the teammates running towards him, Mr. Parnell jumping in the air. He didn't celebrate. He was too shocked. He just stood there, stunned, watching the goalie angrily dig the ball out of the back of the net. He felt himself being attacked by his teammates. Rick high fived Adam as the other players on the team patted him on the back. As the jogged back onto their side of the field, his teammates were still saying, "Good job" and "Nice one!" He bounced up and down with excitement as the play reset. He could hear Drew cheering from the sidelines. The feeling of being important, special, great; Adam never wanted it to end.
So this will not be the last chapter JUST KIDDING! I have more things to say. But don't worry, I won't drone on forever. I will be wrapping it up with probably next chapter, maybe one more after that. Review and tell me what you think. Don't be afraid to say what's on your mind or suggest ideas!