There was a pile of people hoarding the media box, much more than there should have been for a preseason women's soccer scrimmage. I rolled my eyes and ignored them. There was enough riding on this game without the added stress of my failures getting plastered across the Internet.
Sofie and our co-captain stepped forward to do the coin toss, and then we took the field to cheering fans. I marked my position and shook out my arms, trying to loosen my muscles and calm my breathing. It was normal to feel nervous before a match, especially since I hadn't played an official game in months, but these nerves were in a league of their own.
I bent forward and gripped my knees, centering myself in the moment. The media would spin their stories however they damn well pleased, so there was no point in stressing about it. My eyes focused on the blades of grass bending beneath my cleat as my resolve began to build. This was my game. The media couldn’t touch me here.
The referee blew his whistle and in a flash, the game began.
We’d lost the toss, but it wasn’t long until our defenders assumed control of the ball and advanced it downfield. Everything fell into sync as it should have. I worked my way into open space so Becca could pass me the ball. Her pass hit me in stride, and I used quick footwork to evade a few defenders. I was in my element, slicing through double teams and dodging slide tackles, and then I passed the ball to the next player. By half-time we were up by three and I was feeling confident. I'd executed well so far and my endurance was hardly being tested. All the late night runs and extra workouts were paying off.
I ran off the field to sub out and when I got to the side, I looked up to find Liam leaning against the field's fence. He looked just as sweaty as I did. I guess he’d rushed over from practice instead of showering. When he saw me glance toward him, he dipped his head and sent me a confident smile. There was no need to draw any more attention than that, especially with the media's lenses pointed directly at us. I shot him a quick wink and then turned back to my team in time to catch Coach Davis’ waving us into a huddle.
The second half passed quickly, and other than one collision with a defender for the other team, I'd played a stellar game. It felt like a rush, coming off that field with a preseason win under our belt. Coach Davis was proud of us and I'd noticed that Becca and Emily had played great as well. I knew if we kept it up, we'd definitely be contenders for the national championship. I showered quickly and put on a fresh pair of cut-offs and a flowy tank top that I’d packed in my bag.
"Do either of you want to come with us to get dinner?" I asked Emily and Becca as we headed out of the locker room.
"Nah, Penn's picking me up," Becca said.
"I have a Skype date," Emily winked. She and her boyfriend probably kept Skype in business, but I couldn't blame them. I'd do the same thing if Liam lived across the country.
"All right, I'll see you guys later then!" I waved as we parted ways. They headed toward the parking lot and I turned to find my tiny cheering section waiting for me at the base of the bleachers. I couldn’t help the smile from unfolding across my face at the sight.
"There she is!" Mrs. Wilder cheered, throwing her hands in the air. I laughed and shook my head as they all clapped loudly. They really were making a big deal out of this.
"For someone that hates being in the limelight you guys sure know how to put the attention on me," I joked, stepping up to the group and giving my mom a side hug. She squeezed me back hard before letting go. A bright camera flash caught the entire exchange, momentarily blinding me.
"All right, All right. Let's go eat and we'll only talk about what a stellar soccer player you are as we walk to the car," my mom promised.
I’d felt cheerful walking up to the group, but my endorphins from the game started wearing off as soon as I was reminded of the shuttering cameras. The paparazzi were completely impossible to ignore, even as I tried to push their presence to the back of my mind.
I hadn’t searched my name on the internet since that night a few days ago, but I knew it wasn’t getting better. As long as Liam and I were together, I would be in front of the spotlight, and I had to consider if I was doing the right thing. I was putting a lot on the line for a guy that was probably as ready to commit to a relationship as George Clooney was.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Thursday evening, I was standing in Liam's kitchen starting on dinner. Both of our moms had left the day before, and we were finally going to get some alone time. He was due home from practice any minute, which is why I was moving around the room like a madwoman trying to get everything prepared.
I was making lasagna and a salad that my mom had given me the recipe for. My first idea had been to cover myself in rolls of sushi and let Liam eat them off of me, but Becca said she didn’t want to picture my naked ass every time she tried to order a California Roll. Some kind of friend she was. I threw some cranberries and walnuts on top of the salad, and then popped the lasagna into the oven just as Liam opened his back door.