***
Apparently, Meredith stole Keliah’s bright side because she was still having a good day. She took a nice, long shower after getting sweaty and decided to straighten her hair. She knew she shouldn’t but she couldn’t help it. Her reasons for looking nice was because someone was going to see her in a couple of hours. She wanted to look better than decent. She already knew that Gabrielle was going to. So yes, Meredith did straighten her hair for her game and painted her nails navy blue the way her and Gabrielle use to do together on game days and bought some yellow and navy polka dotted prewrap to support her school colors. She was excited. It brought back very special memories.
“This is bullshit Meredith! I’m doing terrible.”
Gabrielle ran up to her best friend who had been subbed on the bench the entire first half. It was halftime now and Gabrielle needed to vent.
“Gaby, you’re doing fine. It’s our first game as high schoolers. You’re just nervous. You have an entire second half left to prove just how good you are.”
Gabrielle listened to Meredith’s always-helpful advice and thanked whoever was mightier than her for sending her this amazing girl.
“Meredith, what’s that on your foot?”
Meredith stared down at her left foot.
“Oh, this?"
Meredith pulled the pink prewrap off of her ankle.
“It’s just something I wear for good luck. My grandmother had breast cancer and so I always wear this pink prewrap around my ankle for good luck and in support of my grandma. She’s a survivor.”
Meredith smiled to herself.
“Do you have more?”
“Yeah.”
Meredith reached in her soccer bag and handed her a huge roll of Mueller’s Pink Prewrap and handed it to Gabrielle.
“You can keep it, I have more at home.”
“Thanks.”
Gabrielle put the prewrap and tied it around her thigh before tying it in a knot and putting in on her head.
“You’re gonna wear it? It doesn't even match.”
“From now on, every soccer game I have, I will always wear pink prewrap in support of your grandma and other breast cancer survivors. No matter if it matches my uniform or not.”
Meredith let out a small laugh.
“Thanks Gaby. It means a lot that you did that.”
“Of course Mer. We’re best friends. I love you.”
“Love you too, Gaby.”
***
“Ladies let’s go out here and give it our all!”
The girls all cheerfully yelled, letting their voices echo throughout the locker room. Meredith sat on the bench in front of the lockers next to her teammates while her coach had a pregame pep talk. She held her thighs together to keep them from shaking. They currently had minds of their own. An eruption of goose bumps broke out, creeping up her spine, all the way to her neck. She was sweating and she hadn’t moved an inch. Her teammates shouted positive chants but it was like they were muffled to Meredith’s ears. She couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. This is the exact feeling people get when they are about to faint or worse. Meredith’s felt herself tipping sideways.
Whoa there.
She grabbed tightly on the edge of her seat. Keliah gave her a face as if she were asking, you okay? Meredith nodded and smiled thinly to assure her that everything was fine when it really wasn’t. The entire school’s cheerleading team was doing somersaults in her tummy and her palms were getting sweaty after she had continuously wiped them on her jersey. She wobbled when she stood up, and jumped after the piercing screams of her teammates came rushing back to her eardrum. The team walked outside to the turf field and the starters lined up in their positions. Meredith discreetly looked around, searching for a familiar face, her heart speeding up every time she thought she saw her but she never did.
Don’t worry about her. Focus.
Meredith shook her hands and wiggled her feet, jumping high into the air to get in one last stretch before the ref blew her whistle. When she did, Meredith tried to focus on the game. The game started off slow, her team keeping possession but not making it to the other side of the field. The ball found Meredith’s foot and she dribbled up, aiming for her forward teammate. Instead she passed it to a Stanford player. What in the actual hell? Meredith never gave away balls that easily. Ever. Meredith rolled her eyes and sprinted after the player trying to win the ball back but the girl passed it already. Meredith huffed and shook it off.
It was just one mistake. Everyone makes a mistake. Don’t beat yourself up. The game just started.
***
Meredith sat in her same spot in the locker room staring down at her cleats. No one makes thirteen mistakes in a game. What was she possibly thinking? Meredith had given possession away, gotten herself a yellow card, tried to nutmeg someone but ended up
