by Breanna Carter
State championships... ah what a joy. Anastasia and I were so anxious to get on the field and feel that rush again; it was hard to wait a whole month! We trained hard the whole month, scoring as many goals as we could, defending as many goals as we could, running until we collapsed. It was great. A month is no time when you're training, but a month lasts forever when you're excited about something. You'd think that they would cancel each other out, but they didn't. So we worked hard and trained and got giddy about the competition. The cool thing was that the coach was no longer mad at me for fighting. She just made me promise that I would not try any of that stuff at the state championships or I'd be kicked off the team for good. I told her not to worry, I'd learned my lesson.
When the week of the championships came around, we had so much adrenaline that we could run twice as long without collapsing and we could do tons more exercises. Our coach made sure that we ate fruit for breakfast every morning by calling us, and if we said that we didn't have any, she'd bring an apple up to school for us to eat. It was pretty cool, being on a team like this, especially with all of the praise we got.
An even cooler thing was that the boys' soccer team was going to Baton Rouge with us. They were traveling in a separate bus, but we were all going to be in the same hotel so we could all go swimming after we won the championships. We had another scrimmage that Wednesday for the school to see, and obviously the boys had stepped it up a bit because we tied this time. I guess that couldn't be a bad thing, as we were both extremely good teams, and the boys were supposed to be stronger and faster than us, so at least they would win the championship.
That Thursday, we went through half of the school day, having our pep rally during 4th and 5th period, then leaving right afterwards with the gym cheering and clapping us on. We had people make a little tunnel for us and as each person went through everyone slapped them on the back, wishing them luck at the game. We came out of there really feeling like the toughest shit in the world, and knowing that if we didn't win the state championships, the people who did were good enough to be professionals.
We had a five hour long bus ride ahead of us. I'd been to Baton Rouge only once before on a school trip for this gifted class I was in. Yeah, when I was in fifth grade I was gifted. Lucky me. Of course, a five hour long bus ride can't be that boring when you're sitting in the back by the window with your best friends surrounding you. We all gossiped and played the mafia game where everyone gets a card and that decides whether you're the mafia or not, and then the mafia wakes up and kills someone. It was a really spiffy game, seeing as we were all immature. Later on the bus ride, we begged the coach to let us share the next bus ride with the boys, but she wouldn't let us, which sucked. So, we decided to tell stories about bad work experiences or bad school experiences. Everyone wanted to know if I really got kicked out of school or if it was just a rumor. So I had to set them straight and let 'em know that it was true, but not a cool thing at all and I'd never even get near any weed again.
We finally arrived in the lovely city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I really hated the Deep South because it was filled with people who talked weirder than me and it was always hot down there. I do admit, though, that it was slightly bigger than Shreveport. I wished that our state championships were in New Orleans. From what I've heard, that's a much better city than Baton Rouge. But the championships weren't there, so I had to be content with what I had.
We stayed in a nice hotel, one that towered over us as if it were a skyscraper or something. I threw my suitcase over my shoulder and grabbed my soccer bag, then followed the coach inside where she handed us each our keys and told us that we were having a special dinner at a nice restaurant in an hour, to get dressed in decent clothes and meet her downstairs at 6:30. We all nodded in agreement and I decided to walk up the stairs since the other kids wanted to ride the elevator, and I could probably use the extra exercise. I did not, however, beat Anastasia and Jayna to our room because they were the first to get on the elevator. Lucky them.
The room was spectacular. It was fairly large with a refrigerator and a couch and two different TVs and two double beds with a lamp beside each one. I claimed the bed closest to the wall, and Anastasia claimed it about the same time, so the other two were stuck sleeping next to the couch. I decided to go ahead and change into my skirt and long sleeved shirt, so I'd look halfway nice for the dinner, and then I brushed my hair and stuff. The others were still going through their things, putting them into the drawers and stuff, but I figured that was pointless since we were only going to be there for two days. I watched Friends until they decided they were ready to go, and I turned the TV off and followed them downstairs to the lobby. There were a few groups of people scattered around everywhere, and we headed towards the one that consisted of Ashton and some of the girls from our team and another boy or two. I grinned as I saw Ashton.
"Well, you're looking nice today," a boy said, smiling at me.
I blushed. "Thanks."
"Oh geeze," Jayna said. "Get a room." She rolled her eyes and I blushed more and laughed uncomfortably.
I was glad that the coach came into the room and began talking before I had to reply to Jayna's statement. "Okay everyone!" she yelled over the crowd. "Listen up. You can choose which bus you're on for tonight, but that means we're not going to be checking the roll, so if you miss the bus, you're walking back to the hotel."
I giggled, still feeling uncomfortable. I felt the boy's hand on my shoulder and it made me a little nervous, but didn't bother me. I mean, there wasn't a chance of me and Ashton, so maybe this guy, who was cute, might I add, was a potential boyfriend.
We were all dismissed from the hotel and got on the ugly yellow school buses. This time, for some reason, I ended up sitting in the back next to Ashton. That was totally weird for me because, uh, I figured that Anastasia would snatch the seat up before anyone else. But hey, I wasn't complaining. We just sat back there giggling about dumb things that either Anastasia or I had done, and Ana joined in, along with the guy who was sitting next to her, and it was loads of fun. I wished so desperately that Ashton was single and interested in me. Or at least interested in me. But, I knew I'd always be like a little sister to him and I just sighed, wishing that things didn't always happen the way they did.
"What about at that one game, Bri? The time that you were going to kick the ball, but instead you slipped and fell flat on your ass! Remember that?" Anastasia said, laughing hysterically.
I glared at her and opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the dumb coach talking again and telling us to follow her inside because she had reservations.
Dinner was uneventful. We, uh, ate. I guess that's what most people do at dinner. The coaches pep-talked the team and congratulated everyone for making it that far then proposed a toast to our winning the next day. I had steak that night, steak and a baked potato and a chocolate fudge brownie ice cream thing for dessert. It was sooooo yummy and I knew I wouldn't forget that night for the rest of my life.
After we got back to the hotel, everyone scattered, ignoring the coaches that yelled at us to be back in our rooms by eleven. I didn't figure anyone would be back, but it didn't matter to me. I had my heart set on going swimming with Anastasia and Jayna and Ashton and his friend Trey and a few other people from the soccer teams. I quickly ran up the stairs to my room, racing with Anastasia who also decided to run up the stairs, and I beat her by a couple of steps, only 'cause I had already been up the stairs before and she hadn't.
I inserted the key into the lock and we raced inside, seeing that Jayna was once again, already there, and already changed into her suit.
"What took you so long?"
"Stairs!" Anastasia exclaimed, grinning.
Jayna rolled her eyes at us. "Well, hurry up and change! I've got my eye on this Trey kid and I want to get down there and see him!"
I grinned then I changed into my swim suit, put some shorts on over it, and we walked downstairs to the indoor pool and jumped in.
Friday morning, we were awakened bright and early by the loud ringing of a wake up call from our coach. She told us to be dressed in some workout clothes, then to come to the lobby, using the stairs, and be there in five minutes. I groaned, but dressed myself quickly because Jayna and Stacie said that she timed us. I thought that was weird. None the less, we dressed hurriedly, then left our room, practically running down the hall and meeting some of our teammates on the way to the stairs, then we ran down the stairs and made it to the lobby where nearly everyone else was already sitting.
"A minute late, girls. That's two extra laps today."
My mouth dropped. Two extra laps? I didn't complain, though, just followed everyone to the continental breakfast and ate some cheerios, without sugar, a banana, and a glass of orange juice. Everyone had to have at least one fruit and either a glass of orange juice or milk. Then we got on the bus and we went to an open field, where we filed out, single file, onto the field. First she had us doing push-ups, then sit-ups, and then we did these other exercises, then we ran. We all ran a mile, and then those of us who were late had to run two extra laps, and some other girls had to run another mile. Finally, we were able to sit down in the grass. Everything had happened in such a hurry that I had no idea what time it was.
"Good work, girls." She looked towards Anastasia and me. "I know this is new to some of you, but in order for us to be the best, we have to be ready for anything. We have to be able to work fast and think fast. This morning we're going to practice thinking fast, making quick decisions. We're going to exercise our minds as well as our bodies."
I raised my eyebrows to Anastasia who just kind of shrugged.
"We're also going to learn the importance of teamwork and communication." She paused. "All right everyone, on your feet!"
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