I’m a very normal girl. My grade’s and looks are average. I’m tall and lean with long red hair. I am basically your typical high-school girl. The one thing that keeps me from being borderline BORING is lacrosse. I’ve been playing lacrosse as long as I can remember. Instead of getting barbies for my first Christmas present I got lacrosse stick. Lacrosse is my life, I am nothing without it. My whole family doesn’t care about my grades, all they care about is my Lacrosse team. Without Lacrosse I will not only be letting myself down but also my whole family. Lacrosse in my family is like high school football down south. The wins or losses of the team set the whole tone for the whole town. When the team wins everyone's happy for the week. The local ice-cream store gives everybody free milkshakes after the win. Everyone is smiling and highfiving the team as we walk down the hallway. I’m the best of the best. My whole school knows it, all eyes are on me. Ever since my freshman year I’ve been the center attack on my school's varsity team. Everybody expects me to take my team to victory. Now I am a senior and going to be captain, the stakes are much higher than before.


If you walk down North Shore’s hallways, you’ll see awards and pictures of former star athletes, coaches, and captains. My family is up on that wall eight times. My mom and dad; both lacrosse legends. My older brother; who made it to the NFL. My sister; captain of her softball team. Two star baseball athletes cousins. Not to mention aunt Sheryl who brought her swim team to the state finals. I cannot let my family down. I must keep the Hunter name alive. I can just imagine my name, Ember Hunter, being up on a golden plaque, proudly representing my family.


It was the first day of lacrosse season. I woke at the crack of dawn and couldn’t go back to sleep. I threw on an old raiders T-shirt and shorts. (I’m not even a Raiders fan, my brother Mason plays for the Chargers.) I slowly tiptoed down the hallway so I didn’t wake my parents. In the kitchen I made one of my famous protein shakes. When it was about time school started I headed out.

School was torture. All I did in my classes was lookup at the clock and will the arms to move so it could be three already. Unfortunately that seemed to make time pass slower. Finally, three o'clock came. I ran from my last class to the lacrosse field. My team was already waiting there for me. My team consists of ten amazing players. Nine old timers and one freshman who made it into the team. My coach didn’t officially put me in as captain yet, but everybody in the whole school knows that I am going to be captain.

“Ok,” I stated in a very official way, “lets warm up with five laps around the field and a few passes.” As I was on my fifth lap I saw couch approaching from the end of the field. He signaled me to come over. As I walked over I saw that there was someone with him. It was a petite Asian girl. Hair perfectly done in a messy bun. Nails filed and painted with red and makeup done without a flaw. I knew who this girl was. She was the type of girl who wore high heels to school, who didn’t even carry around a backpack but a purse with a single pencil in it. She was a Plastic. Your typical egotistical, fake, backstabbing, stupid Barbie. But what was she doing with coach?

“Hi” I said still out of breath from my run. The girl smiled and coach nodded.
“Ember this is Brittany” Ugh, even her name is predictable. “She played for Liberty High last year and took her team to state finals in Florida, I think she will be a great addition for the team.”

Wait, What! I thought couch was introducing me to help her find her way out of the school or something. She can’t join the team! This is my time to shine. I’ve waited all my life for this and I will not let it get taken away by some Barbie! All of a sudden my palms started getting sweaty. What will happen if she takes my place? What would my family say? What am I without Lacrosse? Absolutely nothing that is what I am. Lacrosse is my whole world, how could this be happening to me? A few minutes ago I was on top of the world. I was a soon to be captain of the lacrosse team that means the world to me. Now, my whole universe was starting to break down. I had a sudden impulse to crawl into a ball and cry. All of these thoughts were rushing through my head but I didn’t say a word. I pushed down the tears and kept a cool demeanor throughout the whole time coach was going on and on about how great “Brittney” was.

“So I’m going to head back to the office,” coach finally finished off, “I have some business to take care of. Brittney you’ll be safe in Embers hands, she’s the best player on the team.” With that he turned around and headed for the main office. For him that small comment might have not been anything, but for me it reminded me who I was. I was reminded that I was the best and no new comer could beat me. I squared my shoulders and looked down on Brittney. Soon after coach was out of sight, I pivoted and started walking quickly towards the field.

“Hey!” wait up Brittany said and I started power walking. “Hey!” She said when she caught up with me with her fake smile and voice. “So you’re the captain of the team?”

“Ya” I retorted, “Drove my team to state finals two times.” I put my hand on my hip and put a smug look on my face. When really what I wanted to do was shrivel up like a baby and cry.

“Oh,” She looked a little taken back on my rudeness, “you must be really good then. My team got to finals too. Of course they were probably not as-”
“Look” I interjected, “what do you want from me?!?!?!”
“Nothing” She whispered her eyes wide, “I just wanted to be friends.”
“Thanks but no thanks. I already have friends, and I already own this lacrosse team. You will not under any circumstances be able to take that away from me!”
Suddenly her eyes became cold, “fine, fair enough.” And before I could walk away she turned and sashayed to the field. I was stunned but quickly regained my self and walked back to the field.

“Ok girls” I said while trying to speak over the rustling wind, “since its the first day back and all, lets start with some ground balls and work our way up from there. So everybody grab a partner and-”

“Excuse me” Brittany said in her obnoxious tone of voice, “But who died and made you queen?” A silent hush fell upon the team members. “I mean, are you all ways in charge?”

“Yes.” I replied, “without a doubt.”
“Well are you captain?” She asked while raising her eyebrow.
“Well, technically no... not yet” I fidgeted with my bracelet.
“Then you technically can't boss us around. Tell you what,” she said haughtily while flipping her hair, “lets have a match, just you and me. It’ll just be a small one on one game. Winner takes the crown. So you in?” She extended her hand. I started chewing on the inside of my lip and surveyed my choices. Plan A, I could just reject her offer and just suck up to coach like I’ve been doing all my life and become captain, however, I would lose all the girls respect. On the other hand I could take up Brittany’s offer and at least have a chance of winning. Brittany looked at me while tapping her feet with a smug look on her face, “well?” I wiped the sweat off my palms and looked her straight in the eye,
“You’re on. Tonight seven o’ clock. Tell couch and the girls.”I turned around and saw the whole team staring at us in anticipation. “Practice is over, I think enough has happened for one day, everyone come here tonight by seven.” With that I stalked off the field. I took the quickest shower ever and hopped into my car with my hair still wet and in tangles. I whole time I drove home all I could think of was the stupid duel between Brittany and I. From what I know about her she is just as capable as me. What if I lost? What would I tell my mom and dad? I wouldn’t even be apart of the Hunter family, because I would not be a winner. When I pulled up into my driveway, I ran into my house and to my room. I was so tired and stressed. I fell right asleep. When I woke up it was already six thirty. I just rolled my eyes, I can’t go back. I can’t and I won’t it’s better to look a fool than to lose. There was a knock on my door.

“Come in.” I said,
“Honey, Ashley just called and rambled about some lacrosse showdown with some girl named Brittany. Care to explain.”
“It’s nothing mom,” I sighed, “It’s just there’s this girl and she wanted to be captain like me and she asked for a match. Kind of like the battle of the fittest.”
“Well why don’t you want to go?”
“Because! If I go and I lose, everything is over for me. My whole life would be over. The whole Hunter empire would be done. I cannot let that happen. I can’t put shame upon my family name!”
“Ember Jean Hunter. Hiding out here is worse than losing. I thought your father and I taught you that. What a true winner is is if they are confident and passionate about their work. You don’t have to be a captain to be a star! You just have to love what you do. And I know how much you love lacrosse, just take all of that to your match, and whatever happens you will always be the winner.”

Later on that evening, as I walked onto the field, I felt my heart pounding. You can do this Ember, I told myself. My mother’s words echoed through my mind. “You just have to love what you do.”

Everyone on the team and the coach sat on the side lines. Some of them waved at me some even said, “good luck,” my coach gave me a thumbs up. Ashley stood in the middle of the field with her lacrosse stick, a smirk on her face. I trudged towards her, my shoulders squared, ready to battle. The lights shown over the huge field, and in that moment the coach and the other girls on my team weren’t there. It was just her and me.

“You might as well forfeit to save yourself from the humiliation,” she said. Right then even though I was scared and just wanted to go home, something strong took over me. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I remembered that this was my turf, this was my school. I had been going here for my whole life. This was my home. And nobody could take that away from me.
I looked at her with cold eyes, “I’m ready when you are.”
Our couch put the ball between our nets. “Ready girls?” he asked. We solemnly nodded. “Begin!” I flicked the ball in the air and caught it. I immediately started racing towards the goal. However, Ashley was right on my heels and she checked me. The ball fell to the ground.

I scooped the ball back up and began running. I ran so fast I felt as if I could fly. I neared the goal. Time seemed to stop. I looked back, she was right behind me. This was no time to hesitate. I threw the ball into. I stopped. I closed my eyes afraid of what I would see, the world seemed to be silent. Then a girl cheered. I opened my eyes. I had made the goal.