Page 138 of Redeeming Heart

I wasn’t too concerned when we lost the coin toss or that the opposing team got the first touch of the ball.

We have two halves of 35 minutes each to get possession of the ball and put some points on the scoreboard.

Our rivals knew their game and played well. Keeping us busy and having us scattered all over the field trying to defend and get a chance at goal.

There wasn’t much of a point difference between us and them in the first half. We were doing a good job at hanging in there.

We took a 10-minute intermission to revitalize and discuss our next step.

Coach Peterson and Isabelle were going over the game plan and discussing where we can fix our mistakes from the first half.

“Sasha,” Isabelle called me back when we were called back out to the field.

My feet halted as I turned to look at her.

“Remember to have fun,” Isabelle said smiling at me.

I returned a smile and winked at her. “I always have fun kicking ass,”

I took her chuckle with me when I jogged across the field to get to my team.

We started strong this time, stealing possession right at the beginning and going for a clean goal, but it didn’t last long when I got tripped while going for a shot at the ball.

Both the player who tripped me and I went for a face plant. I was the unlucky one who grounded first with her following and landing on top of me—crushing me into the ground with her full weight. (Hockey girls aren’t skinny or skeletons. We are made up of pure muscle, big and strong thighs and hips.)

“That was on purpose!” The player snarled at me as we got to our feet.

Was she kidding me right now?

“Are you okay? You tripped me, princess.” I calmly snapped back as I picked up my hockey stick.

“That’s because you were in my way!” She came at me, shoving me back followed by another shove.

Her impolite gesture almost made me lose it and I was ready to teach her a lesson, but our teams came to her rescue.

“She’s the one who needs to be disqualified!” The player carried on while being escorted off the field towards where their coaches were waiting.

“She really had it out for you,” Clarissa muttered watching her with a questioning look.

“Whoever said that field hockey is harmless, has never been tackled by a hockey player,” I noted getting a few chuckles from my team.

In the end, her behavior cost them a penalty and I silently thanked my guardian angel for keeping me calm because I might just have gotten a red card if I punched her and brought back a lot of hate which I wasn’t ready for.

“You had us worried there for a moment,” Isabelle said meeting me halfway to hand me a bottle of water.

“I worried myself,” I was finally over my raging stage and I could finally handle things how I used to without getting my fists involved.

“Who is going for the penalty stroke?” Clarissa asked coming over to join me for a quick water break.

I caught the player who tripped me glaring at me from the sideline while her coach was having an outburst.

“Me,” I haven’t done a penalty stroke in a while and I was ready to ruffle some feathers.

“Well, get out there then so that we can continue to rattle their cages,” Isabelle remarked making me smile.

“Yes, coach,” I grabbed my hockey stick and gestured for the team to head back out.

I stood across their goalkeeper with my knees slightly bent and feet apart. I was within playing distance of the ball that was lying between us—one scoop of my hockey stick and a quick flick I could have a goal, but I was almost certain that their goalkeeper would be expecting it.

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