Read Online Insomnia by J. R. Johansson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. R. Johansson
Ads: Link
you.”
She looked skeptical, but she grabbed on and I helped her to her feet.
“Now watch. Christina, try to get it past me.”
Christina approached and dribbled the ball back and forth. I watched her movements and followed with my body, letting my muscles take over.
“You watch her feet, but it isn’t her feet that will tell you where she’s going.”
Christina moved left but, at the last moment, dodged right and sent the ball directly into my extended foot. She shook her head as the ball bounced back behind her.
“It’s her eyes.” I turned back to Kim, but realized both teams had gathered around and were listening to me. I closed my mouth and looked at Coach Mahoney to see what we were doing next.
“What’s her eyes?” Kim asked. Both coaches nodded for me to continue.
“Well, she won’t make a move blind. If you watch her eyes, you can see where she’s probably heading.” I turned back to Christina and gestured for her to come at me again. “This time watch the upper body.”
She moved toward me and feinted to the opposite side this time. Again, I stopped the ball and sent it flying back behind her. “See how she tilts just before she shifts? If her upper body and her eyes say she’s going right … well, then she’s going right.”
Everyone was silent as I went after the ball I’d just sent toward the bleachers. Then I heard Coach Mahoney yell, “Pair up. Practice anticipating your partner’s moves.”
Just before I got to the ball, Addie scooped it up and handed it to me. “That was pretty good. You almost sound like you know what you’re doing.”
I smiled. “I almost do know what I’m doing.” Glancing out at the field, I saw Mia running drills with Jeff on the far side. She was really good, but so was he. Neither of them seemed able to get it past the other. I turned back to Addie, but she’d already walked away.
I worked with Christina and Kim for the next thirty minutes, and by the end they were taking the ball from me as easily as I’d been taking it from them. The girls’ team was much better than I’d expected; they just needed to figure out how to work together. And a few new tips didn’t seem to hurt. Mia was definitely the best they had, though. If anyone could gain the respect of the team, she could, although the way Jeff forced her in as captain wasn’t going to make that easy.
After another thirty minutes of drills, Addie showed us a few good stretches and the coaches sent us off to the locker room.
“You really think they can do it?” Addie asked, coming up beside me. Finn joined us on my other side.
“Do what?” I watched Mia’s brown head bobbing a few feet ahead of me and knew I had to catch up with her somehow.
“Do you think the girls can win this year?”
“Sure, why not?”
“If you can get Jeff to schedule a few more of these joint practices, they might stand a chance.” Addie looked at me and smiled.
I shrugged. “Meet you guys inside.”
Sprinting through the school doors, I took a quick sip from the water fountain and looked up just in time to catch Mia’s eye on her way into the locker room. My timing was perfect. She smiled and then she was gone.
I couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across my face as I slid on my sunglasses. Finn and Addie stood back near the doors waiting for the crowd to clear. I took another sip from the fountain before turning back to face them. I’d done it. All I had to do was make it home without making eye contact with anyone else, and I’d see if Mia’s dreams were the same tonight. See if she could really be the answer I’d hoped she was.
“Stop it,” Finn said as he passed me. “You look goofy.”
Addie’s smile fell from her face and she fought against the current of soccer players to get back out the door. I could barely make out her voice as she muttered something about waiting at the car.
The moment I entered her dream, I felt peace. For the first time in years, I let the hope
She looked skeptical, but she grabbed on and I helped her to her feet.
“Now watch. Christina, try to get it past me.”
Christina approached and dribbled the ball back and forth. I watched her movements and followed with my body, letting my muscles take over.
“You watch her feet, but it isn’t her feet that will tell you where she’s going.”
Christina moved left but, at the last moment, dodged right and sent the ball directly into my extended foot. She shook her head as the ball bounced back behind her.
“It’s her eyes.” I turned back to Kim, but realized both teams had gathered around and were listening to me. I closed my mouth and looked at Coach Mahoney to see what we were doing next.
“What’s her eyes?” Kim asked. Both coaches nodded for me to continue.
“Well, she won’t make a move blind. If you watch her eyes, you can see where she’s probably heading.” I turned back to Christina and gestured for her to come at me again. “This time watch the upper body.”
She moved toward me and feinted to the opposite side this time. Again, I stopped the ball and sent it flying back behind her. “See how she tilts just before she shifts? If her upper body and her eyes say she’s going right … well, then she’s going right.”
Everyone was silent as I went after the ball I’d just sent toward the bleachers. Then I heard Coach Mahoney yell, “Pair up. Practice anticipating your partner’s moves.”
Just before I got to the ball, Addie scooped it up and handed it to me. “That was pretty good. You almost sound like you know what you’re doing.”
I smiled. “I almost do know what I’m doing.” Glancing out at the field, I saw Mia running drills with Jeff on the far side. She was really good, but so was he. Neither of them seemed able to get it past the other. I turned back to Addie, but she’d already walked away.
I worked with Christina and Kim for the next thirty minutes, and by the end they were taking the ball from me as easily as I’d been taking it from them. The girls’ team was much better than I’d expected; they just needed to figure out how to work together. And a few new tips didn’t seem to hurt. Mia was definitely the best they had, though. If anyone could gain the respect of the team, she could, although the way Jeff forced her in as captain wasn’t going to make that easy.
After another thirty minutes of drills, Addie showed us a few good stretches and the coaches sent us off to the locker room.
“You really think they can do it?” Addie asked, coming up beside me. Finn joined us on my other side.
“Do what?” I watched Mia’s brown head bobbing a few feet ahead of me and knew I had to catch up with her somehow.
“Do you think the girls can win this year?”
“Sure, why not?”
“If you can get Jeff to schedule a few more of these joint practices, they might stand a chance.” Addie looked at me and smiled.
I shrugged. “Meet you guys inside.”
Sprinting through the school doors, I took a quick sip from the water fountain and looked up just in time to catch Mia’s eye on her way into the locker room. My timing was perfect. She smiled and then she was gone.
I couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across my face as I slid on my sunglasses. Finn and Addie stood back near the doors waiting for the crowd to clear. I took another sip from the fountain before turning back to face them. I’d done it. All I had to do was make it home without making eye contact with anyone else, and I’d see if Mia’s dreams were the same tonight. See if she could really be the answer I’d hoped she was.
“Stop it,” Finn said as he passed me. “You look goofy.”
Addie’s smile fell from her face and she fought against the current of soccer players to get back out the door. I could barely make out her voice as she muttered something about waiting at the car.
The moment I entered her dream, I felt peace. For the first time in years, I let the hope
Similar Books
