Soccer Camp

2. The Invite

I entered onto the soccer field drowsy and tired.

“Morning” Matt sang. “I like the look, its borderline homeless and road kill” he smiled giving me a one armed hug.

My body tensed up, confused as to why he felt so comfortable entering my personal bubble.

“Thanks…?”

He laughed. “Where are you off to now?”

“I’m not sure” I admitted. I opened my slip of paper and tried to run through it. I was honestly confused as hell.

Matt, sensing my confusion, took the paper from my hand. “You’re with group B today. They are over the west end, straight down this path.” He pointed in the correct direction and I felt grateful. “All you are doing is supervising. Let the soccer member do everything, I’ll see you at lunch.”

I nodded my head and head off to the direction he pointed in.

I walked around aimlessly, asking everyone in sight, until I found where I am suppose to be.

“Hi” I said awkwardly to the first person I saw.

“Hey” he smiled as he turned around to face me.

I froze as my heart began to beat and as I heard his sexy Spanish accent. He stood well over 6 feet. He had curly black hair with piercing blue eyes. His rosy pink lips were pulled up into a smile that stopped my heart.

“Are you alright?” He asked, concern flashing across his face.

“Can we help you?” A girl behind me asked. I turned to face her, recognizing her from the orientation yesterday.

“Umm…” I stumbled before handing over the piece of paper in my hand, struggling to find my voice.

“Team B, This is Team A.” She pointed to her left to the other end of the field. “Over there”.

I nodded and hurried over to the other end of the field.

“You’re late” the guy called as I walked over to him.

“Sorry” I mumbled.

“Alright” he shouted, turning to about ten children under the age of twelve on the field. “We’re going to start with a few drills.” He called.

I stood there awkwardly as I watched him demonstrate the drills. As the day went by, I felt the heat as it slowly became unbearable. My skin felt wet against my legging and t-shirt. In an attempt to cool myself off, I took a walk over to the water fountain.

As I leaned against the wall under the shade, I watched as the guy I met earlier passed the ball back and forth with one of his kids. Both Team A and B practiced on the same field but they conducted different drills.

As I continued to stare at him, I noticed as his head turned towards the sky, and as he followed an airborne object. Wondering what he was staring it, I looked up as a soccer ball landed on my face.

I fell to the ground in pain and shock. “Are you okay?” Someone asked.

“I’m fine” I stood to my feet with my palm to my right eye.

The girl who helped me up turned back to the crowd of people that now surrounded me. “Yale I told you to keep your ball under control.” She yelled.

“Its fine” I promised as I tried to move my hand from my face, blinking a few times.

It felt like a pile of needles in my eyeball socket hitting my eye all at once.

I looked up using one eye as the guy I was staring at entered into my line of vision. “Let me see” he said as he held my chin while using his fingers to massage around my eye.

I closed my eyes, not in pain, but in pleasure as his fingers teased my skin. I gasped in shock as he placed something cold against my skin.

“To keep the swelling down” He murmured softly, his deep voice reaching somewhere else. “Take the rest of the morning off.”

I stared at him as he walked away, instructing everyone else to head back to the field and continue the drills.

~

“Amber” Matt called from the table he was sitting at. I held the tray of food in my hand, looking for somewhere to sit. It was like high school all over again, except someone was actually inviting me to sit with him and his friends.

I walked over to his table slowly, not sure if he was going to embarrass me in front of everyone or truly ask me to sit. He slid over on the bench and patted the seat beside him.

“I heard you got hit, how are you feeling?” He asked as he moved my side bangs out of the way. The swelling went down but it was still bruised around the eye and it still looked awful.

“Better now” I admitted as his friends stared at me. I felt like I was a blue triangle in a sea full of red squares. I held my head down and focused on my food.

“Did you try covering it up with make up?” he offered.

“I don’t wear makeup.” I replied as I took my sandwich into my hand and took a bite, my eyes still trained on the table.

“Excuse me” someone said tapping on my back. I turned to see a young boy with red hair.

“Yeah?” I smiled despite the aching pain in my eye.

“I’m the one who hit you in the face with my ball” He pouted. “I’m sorry”

The people at my table began to laugh and I felt my skin getting red. I didn’t know whether they were laughing at me or in general.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” I comforted despite my emotions.

“I’m Yale” He smiled, apparently feeling better.

“Amber” I nodded.

“Do you want to sit with us?” he asked as he gestured back to his table. The guy I’ve been staring at this morning was talking to the kids at the table, laughing and joking around with them. I shook my head no. “Thanks anyways.”

“But Jesse wants to talk to you.” Yale begged.

“Jesse?” Matt beside me asked as he looked over at me. Everyone at the table appeared confused as to why this person wanted to talk to me. “Go Amber” Matt pushed.

“No, tell him another time.” I smiled at Yale, turning in my seat. I didn’t even know who this damn Jesse was. I was not about to get up out of my seat to find out.

“You’re turning down a lunch invitation from Jesse Rosen?” Matt laughed.

I ignored the looks at the table everyone was giving me and continued eating my lunch.

“Hey,” I looked up from lunch and stared into blue eyes.

“Hi” I choked.

“How are you feeling?” He asked as he stood by my table. I felt as if the entire cafeteria had their eyes trained on us.

“Better” I managed to get out.

“I’m not sure if you’re doing anything later, but the kids and I are headed down to the lake this afternoon. We would like for you to join us.”

I swallowed the food that stopped at my throat.

“We’ll be there” Matt answered for me. Jesse nodded, flashed a smile, and then headed back over to his table.

“You just became the most hated girl on this camp.” Matt laughed.

~

“He only feels sorry for me” I told Matt as I looked for my bathing suit. “I don’t even understand how this whole camp works” I admitted as I thought about the trouble I had today finding team B.

“You weren’t paying attention at the orientation?” Matt asked as he flipped through my book on my bed.

“Not really. It all got confusing after people talking about their boyfriends and kissing people they just met.”

He chuckled. “By the way, was that the first time someone kissed you?”

I stopped searching and turned to him with my hands on my hips. “Why?” I asked defensively.

“It was like kissing a wall” He said calmly as he continued to flip through my books.

My skin felt hot and heated. Embarrassment washed over me at the thought of Jesse’s lips on mine. I hope he doesn’t say that I kiss like a wall… What does that even mean?

“If I didn’t know better Amber, I’d think you were a geeky bookworm.” His eyes were still focused on the books. “But I do know better and I don’t think that’s who you want to be for the rest of your life.”

“And why not?” I asked as I found a t-shirt and shorts. I motioned for him to turn around which caused him to smirk. He turned back to the books in his hand and I quickly changed in the corner.

“Because it’s boring. Here you can be anything you want. No one knows you here, you’re new, and it’s like a fresh start.” Matt coached.

“Why are you trying to be my friend?” I asked insecurely. Was it bad to say I didn’t have any friends?

“Because I like you. Whether you agree with me or not you have style. You might come off as a little snobbish but it works.”

“I’m not a snob” I defended. “I just like to keep to myself.”

“Well, we’ll have to put an end to that” Matt smiled.