It was just another cold, rainy Saturday in Hilo, Hawai’i. I had just finished my soccer game at around 11:30 and the rain started to pick up. Right next to the field was a muddy, steep hill. My coach wanted our team to run up and down the hill then stretch afterwards, to cool down. When I looked at it, I had doubts about going downhill at first, but soon got over it.
I was captain so I had the honor in leading my team up the hill. At first it wasn’t too bad. Then when I started to step in the mud, my cleats began to get harder to run with. The intensity of my movement, made my leg muscles burn like a bonfire. When we reached the top we had a 15 second break, which allowed me enough time to catch my breath before heading downwards. I tried not to look like I was out of breath because my crush was still at the field and he was looking my way so I didn’t want him to think that I was out of shape (even though I was). “15 seconds is up!” my coach called. Even though I was pretty sure that it had only been 10 seconds, we continued. It was still raining and I could taste my sweat in my mouth. I started a little too fast at the beginning and I had a bad feeling that this would not end up looking pretty. Since going downhill was easier than going up, it felt like my upper body was too slow for my legs. I had thought that if I leaned a little forward, my body would feel normal again. I had set myself up for disaster. I didn’t know what I was thinking. All I could remember is tumbling forward not even halfway down the field, all the way to the bottom. I couldn’t stop myself. I felt like a hamster when it can’t keep up with its wheel. I heard my teammates, some laughing, some worrying & some of both. I reached the bottom and felt embarrassed. It took me a while to sit up and realize what had just happened. I wondered and worried what everyone had been thinking, especially my crush. I felt like laughing and I also felt like crying. Everyone rushed over to me in concern. I was still so dizzy, that I couldn’t recognize some of their faces. My mind could focus after a few moments and I could sit up. My coach, team, family & my crush were standing around me. I felt like a total fool but since my crush had never seemed to notice me before, it was one of my worst and but best days yet.