《Game, Set, Match》{3}

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We have practice every Monday and Thursday after school. Chase's presence simply in school is enough to annoy me but now we are forced to interact. We don't socialise or talk, just send the occasional glare to remind the other that we still hate them.

After 3 weeks of prep and Coach Ray's nonstop screaming, we've finally got our first game on Friday. The team we're up against are called the Killer Cranes. We're going to have to travel down south to Killsbury and play in their field meaning that they have the home field advantage.

Killer Cranes vs Redington Wolves.

Coach came up with the name.

And he came up with the football kit too. It's mainly red and black with a wolf head on the front and our surnames and number on the back.

Nightly

7

The February air is particularly harsh today. No matter how many times I run up and down the field trying to warm up my body, it remains cold, ridden with goosebumps.

"Alright lads warm up's over!" Coach exclaims.

"Coach, I'm on this team too and I am clearly not a 'lad'." Georgia says crossing her arms.

"Sorry las, would you like me to call you princess instead?"

"No, I just- forget it." She huffs with an irritated look on her face. She's the only girl who tried out and made it on the team. I think that's why my girlfriend keeps coming to watch me during practice with her friends.

She's siting on the benches just outside the grassy field zipping up, what I assume to be, an expensive designer jacket. Her legs are crossed and she seems to not be paying attention to her friends' conversation but more on Georgia currently on the field.

Rachel's the jealous type. She hates when I attract the attention of girls in fear that I might leave her for someone else. But I won't. How could I? We started dating a year ago. We were 16. All the guys had a crush on her and I so happened to be the lucky guy she liked in return.

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When Coach is too busy shouting at a couple of year 12 boys for somehow getting one of the balls stuck in a tree, I sneak off to the benches.

"Hey handsome." Rachel calls jumping off the bench and landing a quick kiss on my lips.

"Hey gorgeous." I answer and she beams. Her hair is a warm chestnut brown that falls past her shoulders. Her eyes a clear ocean blue. Even when she's wearing uniform and has pink earmuffs with the letter R engraved in them, she still looks stunning.

"How's the captain of the football team?"

I don't have it in me to say co-captain.

"Tired. I'm already drained from practice. Coach can be really hard on us sometimes."

"He just wants you guys to be the best." Rachel says as she fixes my messy hair. "But if you're not too tired maybe later we could-"

"Oi Nate!" I turn at the mention of my name. "What do you think your doing chitchatting with your girlfriend?! Back on the field!"

I quickly turn back to Rachel, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I've got to go but I'll see you later." I say already running back to the field.

"Tut, tut, tut. Is that the captain running off during practice?" I stop at a halt. Chase has a smug look on his face as he carelessly leans on a tree with his knee propped up on the thick trunk. He throws the ball in his hands towards me and I catch it. "Or shall I say co-captain."

"Do one Chase."

"But aren't you the golden boy? The one we're all supposed to look up to?" He says, sarcasm dripping off every word.

"I said fuck off Chase."

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He laughs and I'm very tempted to throw this bloody ball at his smug face.

"Chase! Nate! Quit yapping at each other like dogs and get over here!" Chase and I abandon our conversation (if you can call it that) and jog over to where Coach Ray and the other guys are standing all huddled up. "Alright, now that your co-captains are here I can continue. I want you guys to do more partner work. Football isn't the type of game where it's one man for themselves. No. Football is about group work. Teamwork. I don't want no ball hogs on that field this Friday you here me? Now choose a partner and get to passing." Coach blows his whistle signalling us to do as he said.

I watch as everyone runs to pair off with someone. Everyone but Chase. He stands there alone, knowing full well that no one's going to actively and willingly choose to partner with him. He's feared.

But he doesn't scare me. And I think that gets on his nerves. He's so used to people running away from him that when I go up to him and tell him to partner up with me he looks confused.

"Why?" He asks as if me wanting to partner up with him is abnormal. Perhaps it is.

"Because Coach thinks you're as good as me and I would like to prove him wrong." I pass the football to him and he presses his yellow football boot onto it.

"And I would like to see you try." He smirks passing the ball back to me.

"It's on."

Maybe Chase knows how to keep up with me but he isn't better than me. I can see why Coach considered Chase for captain though. He's versatile, good at defence and attack (better as attack), works quick on his feet, knows some pretty good tricks and has stamina. He's got all the qualities I have. But I don't see why Coach couldn't have just tossed a coin.

A biased coin.

But the odds seem to be against me.

Hopefully they're on my side on the day of the match.

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