The Last Defender, page 1
THE LAST DEFENDER
Tara Wimble
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
CHAPTER ONE
Tessa vibrated with excitement before the game started, listening to Sam’s pregame chatter with more animation than usual. She shifted her weight from one foot to another and clapped her hands quietly, trying to find a beat in her head that matched the excitement she was feeling. Her whole body seemed strung, thrumming with the crowd’s energy. Demetria grinned at her from across the locker room. “I love matinees,” she said with a smile. Tessa nodded absently, though that was a lie; normally she preferred evening games. But today the warmth of the sun combined with the prickling excitement of the day made it feel heavy with potential. Tessa liked the feeling.
“I’m so fucking excited,” Brenda said, bouncing over to them and tying up her hair in the high ponytail that always just looked right on the border of being on the top of her head. “I think it’s because it’s a holiday.”
“Probably,” August agreed, pulling at her shin guards and frowning as they remained different heights.
“Finally that fucking national anthem will make sense,” Valerie teased. Tessa laughed and Angie snorted across the room. August raised an eyebrow.
“No need to be bitter about our patriotism,” Demetria returned, smirking at Valerie’s banter. Valerie just rolled her eyes.
“At least my national anthem sounds pretty,” Valerie sniped back. Demetria put her hand on her heart in mock offense, gasping loudly.
“Valerie!” She called, stumbling back dramatically, and knocking into Sam. Sam looked up and raised an eyebrow at them.
“Is Valerie insulting America again?” She asked. Tessa smirked at Demetria and August nodded vigorously.
“Very much so,” August said.
“Well, she has every right to,” Sam decided. More shocked gasps.
“Unpatriotic!” Someone called across the locker room.
“I’m Canadian!” Sam called back.
“It’s America’s birthday, Sam!” Gemma agreed. “You can’t be mean to us.”
“I sure as heck can. Did any of you wish me happy Canada Day last week?” The entire locker room sent each other looks of confusion. Sam nodded pointedly,.
“Canada has a day?” Gemma asked, amazed. Sam sighed loudly.
“Thank god Kat and Wanda are here today,” she muttered. “I can’t deal with more of this American shit.” Valerie grinned.
“See, Sam agrees with me,” she gloated as they watched Sam walk away. Demetria narrowed her eyes.
“Drama queen,” she sniped. Valerie’s grin grew larger. Tessa gently nudged August.
“Are you okay?” She asked quietly. August blinked at her in surprise.
“Yeah, of course,” she said, still frowning down at her socks.
“It’s just that there was an entire argument and you didn’t engage with it,” Tessa pointed out. August shrugged.
“I’m kind of tired today,” she admitted with a frown.
“Do you feel sick?” Tessa asked. “Is it your ankle?”
“No, I’m just kind of...off. Do you know that feeling?” Tessa frowned and touched August’s forehead in concern.
“Are you getting a cold?” She asked. “You feel sort of clammy.”
“No. I just -” August sighed. “Do you think Valerie is a better striker than me?” Tessa furrowed her brow in confusion.
“No,” she said, honestly. “I think you’re the best there is.”
“You promise?” She asked quietly. Tessa smiled.
“Yes,” she promised, nodding vehemently. “You’re the best and you’re my favorite.” August bit her lip, trying to suppress her smile. Tessa’s grin widened, and August returned it despite her attempts not to.
“What are you two whispering about?” Valerie asked loudly, narrowing her eyes at August and Tessa.
“How to kill you in your sleep,” August replied with a sweet smile.
“Unnecessary,” Valerie said with a pout. August smiled and got up, stretching dramatically. Max came over and butted her hip against August’s. August yelped in surprise and butted her back, more powerfully. Max laughed as she tripped backwards.
“I was just coming to make sure you were alright,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. “No need to attack me!”
“Seriously! Girls! No injuries before the game,” Sam tutted, stabilizing Max. “Especially you, Kiara. You know how much I need you to beat up the opposing team.” Max’s chest puffed up with pride.
“Have you ever noticed,” Demetria said thoughtfully, leaning forward conspiratorially, “How we’re the Germany of the League?”
“Very attractive, amazing at what we do, and able to drink a lot?” Angie offered, raising an eyebrow as she walked past them. Demetria blushed furiously, but Valerie just smirked, and made the situation worse.
“She means, we foul like no one’s business,” she told Angie in an accented drawl. Angie snorted and Max rolled her eyes.
“We foul professionally,” she corrected.
“So do the Germans,” Angie pointed out, cocking her head dangerously. Max grinned.
“Well, that’s a matter of opinion,” August began, and Tessa smirked, tuning out the rest of the argument. As long as August felt well enough to argue, she didn’t have to worry.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement, and Tessa’s whole body lit up with the attention. The day was warm, and then sun skimmed over her skin, but Tessa grinned into the afternoon and the whistle blew. A soccer field has a rhythm; the beat of the crowd and the opponent's feet on the turf, combined with her own songs. Today’s song was light and melodic; it was a perfect day for soccer.
The whistle blew, and the game began.
The first half was exciting; several runs occurred, and then they were handed a set piece.
Tessa smirked as she jogged to the ball to pick up a corner; if there was one thing the Lakes were good at this season, it was converting set pieces. It made her insanely proud as she took her time, and ran towards the ball, shooting it towards Gemma with ease. Gemma converted it; it was a goal. Tessa grinned and sprint towards her, the cheer of the crowd sending fresh energy through her. She glance towards the stands; there was that light pink smoke. Tessa fucking loved that pink smoke.
The action on the field started again, and Tessa fell into the rhythm once more. Sometimes she felt like she was in her zone; this was where she was meant to be. All she could see was herself, and the ball.
And then someone came between the two of them, and Tessa frowned.
“Hey Tessa,” a familiar voice said, totally out of breath, and then she stole the ball. Tessa stared at her, and then Valerie elegantly tackled her, taking the ball away, and suddenly, the ball was back with them.
“Is that Callahan?” She asked Demetria as they ran down the pitch again, following Sam and the ball.
“Yes! She’s the Lightnings captain!” Demetria called back, frowning at Tessa. Tessa shrugged.
“I had no idea!”
“So Tessa.” Before Tessa could come up with an elegant comeback about how she didn’t appreciate her name being turned into an adjective for her behavior, the ball passed between Sam and Valerie, and Valerie elegantly played with the ball, faking a right kick that made Sherry jump to the wrong side, before she shot with her left foot; the ball sailed towards the net, but then Louis was there, and she caught it.
So close.
The next time Tessa had the ball, she ignored Valerie’s wave, and made as if to pass for a split second before she attempted her left footed shot on goal. Louis was in the way, and Tessa made a face, but Valerie smirked at her, and Tessa rolled her eyes.
In the end, it was Hana with a Valerie assist that got the goal in; 2-0 lead. The halftime whistle blew.
Half time; a moment that yanked Tessa out of her concentration, though she couldn’t stop smiling as August gripped her arm.
“We’re winning!” She said happily, and Tessa leaned into the touch, grinning.
“We are,” she agreed, and Max bumped into the two of them, whooping.
“2-0 is the most dangerous lead in soccer!” Sam warned, but it fell on deaf ears as Valerie shouted at the top of her lungs, “we’re toasting those mother fuckers!” and Gemma howled in response. Sam didn’t push the issue, and suddenly Valerie and Brenda were doing a victory dance on the benches while their manager Ian Rose tried to call order and Angie smirked at Benton. Tessa heard her promise the rookie goalie that, “this was all because of us, and they don’t even realize,” and Tessa stuck her tongue out at Angie.
Angie just grinned.
And then the second half started.
The second half had a different kind of energy. There was a relaxed edge to the Lakes players as they ran up and down the pitch. Tessa wasted time kicking the ball between her feet before she passed it to Sam and watched her make a run. But then Wanda got the ball from Sam though, and suddenly the ball was at Belinda Callahan’s feet.
The first goal was so beautiful. Tessa stopped to stare as Belinda Callahan ran down the side of the 18 and then chipped the ball. It was a tough play, one that Tessa has tried many times. And yet here was Callahan, this girl newly arrived from Sweden, chipping the ball up
Honestly, it was less of a call of dismay, and more a cry of surprise. Tessa just stared; she had fucked up that move so many times. Yeah, she’d managed it once or twice during practice, but never like that. And here was Belinda Callahan, not yet a starter on the national team, a girl Tessa knew predominantly by sight, sinking that ball. Tessa swallowed, and made a mental note to watch Belinda Callahan more closely.
Now there was a fervor to the game. 10 minutes from the final whistle and no one knew whether or not the Lakes would actually manage to win. Tessa put new energy into her game; she ran faster and sprinted further down and up and down again, desperately shadowing strikers, trying to anticipate the Lightnings’ next move. She was making herself available, making herself a figure in the field, but then there she was again. Before Tessa could stop it, Belinda Callahan had the ball again; then she was at the top of the third and then she scored a second goal.
The second goal was crazy; from the top of the third, Callahan looked up, and shot the ball. It sailed over Angie as she jumped on her line and hit the back of the net with a loud thud.
“She’s good,” breathed Demetria, as she and August fell into stop with Tessa and they watched the Lightnings pile onto their junior striker. Tessa grinned; it wasn’t her goal, and yet she felt oddly proud.
“Fuck yeah,” she agreed. August gave her a sidelong look, and sighed.
“You are so predictable,” she said with a frown. Tessa rolled her eyes, and ran back to the left flank as the whistle blew again, and the game, which was now tied, began in earnest.
The ball was in between Tessa’s feet, and she looked up for Sam. But Belinda Callahan was there; she was in front of Tessa, between her and Sam. Her ponytail was swinging from side to side, and she grinned. Tessa grinned back and flicked the ball between her legs.
“Hey!” she called, probably surprised, and Tessa sprinted after the ball, ignoring her.
“You suck,” Callahan said, catching up with Tessa as Tessa slowed down, waiting for August to need her where she was standing at the 18.
“You’re good,” Tessa said, glancing back at her for a valuable second before she looked back at August, who was passing the ball to Valerie.
“I know,” she said with a grin, and Tessa bit her lip. This girl was high on her own success, and she deserved it. Before Tessa could come up with a quick witted reply, the final whistle blew, and Belinda Callahan’s grin became impossibly bigger.
“We basically won!” One of her teammates shouted, piling on her back. “All because of you, Bells!” Tessa smirked and jogged over to where Valerie and Sam were clapping each other on the back.
“What a fucking game,” Tessa said with a giant grin on her face. August huffed loudly.
“Only you would be content with a draw,” she said dramatically. Valerie laughed and Tessa slung an arm around August, booping her shoulder with her forehead.
“You’re just jealous because Bells was a star,” Valerie teased. “You know, she played that good in Sweden too.”
“Well,” August corrected. “She played that well.” Valerie shot her a glare. August raised a hand in defense. “I’m just being helpful!” She protested.
“You played with her in Sweden?” Tessa asked, intrigued. Before Valerie could answer, the team was on them, giving them sweaty chuckling hugs.
“What a game!” Sherry said, grabbing August in a powerful hug. “You were wonderful out there.”
“I know,” August said, clapping Sherry on the back with a smirk. Sherry rolled her eyes and gently punched Tessa in the shoulder.
“Your shot on goal was something else,” she teased. Tessa grinned, and punched Sherry back.
“Don’t say that too loudly, or August will be offended,” Tessa warned.
“Don’t worry,” Sherry promised, turning towards August, “you’re still my second favorite striker.”
“Second favorite?!” August demanded, affronted. Sherry grinned and pulled at Belinda’s shoulder, slinging an arm around her casually.
“Bells is my fave,” Sherry said with a grin, bumping her forehead against Belinda’s shoulder. “She did save our ass tonight.”
“You really brought game, Bells,” Valerie agreed, slinging her arm around Belinda’s other shoulder. “We should go out and celebrate.”
“It’s dry season, Valerie.”
“Dry season -” Valerie scoffed at the notion of it. “We’re playing you again in five days! We’ll have more than enough time to get better. I prefer to think of this as damp season.”
“Valerie!”
“Don’t Valerie me! We need to celebrate! As two teams!”
“They are going to be talking about this game for years to come,” Tessa admitted. Belinda laughed.
“That’s so dramatic,” she disagreed. “It was one game!” Tessa hip checked Belinda.
“It was a good game,” she disagreed. Belinda bit her lip, trying to suppress the smile and small blush creeping up her cheek. Tessa’s grin widened. Before she could say anything to make Belinda’s adorable blush worse, she heard August, Demetria and Valerie arguing behind her.
“Sam, you can’t let her,” Demetria was complaining.
“What Valerie does is not up to me, Demetria,” Sam pointed out, falling into step next to Wanda. “Anyway, I think that a night out for the two teams would be fun.” Wanda smirked. “It is the 4th of July, after all.”
“You’re the captain!” August pointed out, scandalized. “You’re meant to keep us on the straight and narrow.”
“Children, please,” she said calmingly. “Britta and Wanda and Hemmer are going to be there, so none of you can get too wild.”
“You’re coming out with us!?” Valerie practically vibrated with excitement. “This is the best news.”
“I do my best to keep you happy,” Sam said with a small smile. Valerie bound over to Tessa and Belinda.
“Are you coming?!” She demanded, pointing at Tessa. Tessa shrugged and glanced at Belinda.
“Only if Callahan is coming,” she said. The blush on Belinda’s cheek deepened and she swung her ponytail forward in an attempt to hide her cheeks from Tessa. Tessa grinned.
“Of course Bells is coming!” Valerie insisted, slinging her arm around Callahan again, oblivious. “She wants to know all about how her favorite Swedish teammate is doing.” Callahan laughed, and shook her head.
“Fine,” she agreed, “I’ll come out with you, but only if you’re buying.”
“There’s nothing I’d rather do,” Valerie said with a mock bow. She tugged at Tessa’s jersey. “Let’s go clean up, and party like it’s America’s fucking birthday.”
“Yes ma’am,” Tessa replied, winking at Belinda before she got dragged into the changing rooms.
Valerie had terrible taste in bars; Tessa knew that, and yet somehow everyone still agreed to let her chose. They ended up in the closest bar to Valerie’s small apartment; it was how, she claimed, she made all her decisions. “Distance to my living space is the most important thing to consider ever,” she proclaimed loudly as they walked in.
The second they got to the bar, and August saw they had a pool table, she roped Tessa into playing with her.
“After a loss like today -” She began.
“We drew, August,” Tessa pointed out, interrupting her. August ignored her.
“I need something like a win to cheer me up,” she finished her thought. Tessa raised an eyebrow.
“I’m a better pool player than you,” she said with a frown.
“No you’re not!” August crossed her arms and looked affronted. “I’m very good at pool! I’m practically a pool champion!” Tessa groaned and covered her face, hiding a good natured grin.
“Not this again.” August shot her a dirty look.
“I’m going to find the pool balls and prove you wrong,” she decided, stalking off towards the bar.
“Did you set her off?” Max asked, raising an eyebrow at Tessa.
“No!” Tessa protested. Max raised an eyebrow, staring pointedly to where August was collecting the pool balls from the bar tender. Tessa sighed. “I mean, I didn’t mean to!” she corrected herself. Max snickered. “I promise.”
