The Ripped Soul

Today was crazy. From the moment I entered school at 715am, my mind was a complete blur. When teachers talked in class, I felt like I was the only person who wasn't "in the zone". My whole mind drifted to the sports carnival which would be going on in the afternoon. How I'd run, if I'd run fast, if my team'd win, if floorball would be easy...

At the sports carnival, I was trembling like shit. I found my class, got into order, marked attendence, and before I could say "jack robinson", it was time for floorball. So i ran there. Saw Danielle on the field. We wished each other best of luck for the game, and I ran to the meeting point. Got briefed, and we picked our players. And then... Waited, waited, waited.. and waited; my class didn't play. And just when my class was about to pick up the sticks, my relay runners came to me.

"Jess!! The relay is starting in 3 minutes! Hurry hurry!!"

So fine. I left with them. Let one of the replacements take over. I waited at the bleachers. Saw the rest of my competitors. Some of which I knew I could defeat. Some of which I doubted. But still, I stayed. 1st runner.

We got to our places, we prayed, I prayed. Even as the team separated at different points, I continued praying.

"gat garisan! SEDIA! BANG!"

I picked up, I ran like as if there was no tomorrow. I pictured the Wolf Creek movie and what the hell I'd do if I had a serial killer chasing after my big fat round ass.

And I ran bloody fast. Reached my second runner, and I counted.

"One thousand, two thousand, three.." And I heard the whizzing of kids running past me. Passing the batons. I screamed. "BRENDA! THEY'RE COMING! RUN FASTER!"

I don't know if she heard me.

She ran, the baton was passed on. One indian girl who was one of my competitors came up to me and said, "WAH LAO. You run SO fast, even I cannot catch up with you." I smiled and winked at her.

I ran out on the field. I saw my last runner running. "GO RIA!" She ran past the line. We were second. Good enough. At least we won. We got something. Better than nothing.

I ran back to the floorball team. 4E1 and 5N1 held a draw. Damn. More matches were held, we played, we defended, some IDIOT had no sense of good sportsmanship at all, aggravated the anger in one of my players, one of my players got fussed, he showed attitude, nearly got disqualified...

but it was a draw as well.

And in the end, the other team lost. So we were back to square one. 4E1. Because it was a draw, there was a penalty shootout. 3 flicks. 2 guys and a girl. The first shot. He missed. The defense, that sonofabitch took it SO fucking lightly, and just stood there aimlessly, caring less for even defending the goal. Obviously, the other team scored. He tried to score, he missed. On our defense, that bastard stood there again. But the girl missed, the ball went out. No where near the goal post. Our turn. I was the girl they chose. I knew I couldn't do it. I knew it. My game is defense, not attack. Never attack. I tried.

First flick. I walk slowly towards the ball. A little foreplay with the keeper.

Second flick. A little closer. Bloody kancheong keeper KPKBKNNBCCB comes aiming at me and hits my ball, I flick it the last time..

I missed the shot.

GAME OVER. I lost.

I was furious. With myself, with the keeper, with the bastard who fucking failed to defend properly.

Dan came running to me. She put a shoulder round me. She was my opponent. Yet friend. She said "Its okay Jess. Just a game."

Know what I did? My ego caught hold of me SO bad, I turned to her sharply and said in the most arrogant tone ever in my whole life...

"Know what Dan? Its okay. Doesn't matter. I still got my medal." I do the collar thing around my neck, see the look on her face, and walk off.

And I was furious. For half an hour. Till I thought about it, and how it was lent, how she was such a friend to me to say such a thing, and how I shouldn't be doing such shit.

I felt like the biggest LOSER alive.

So when I saw her, I wanted to apologize. Tell her it was a good game. I called out for her when I saw her.

She turned.

She saw me.

She looked away.

I'm such an idiot. Shotgun, anyone?