Kick Balls
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Kick Balls
((Mallory McCormick continued from Bitches be Crazy.))
Playing sports alone was boring. Really boring. Boring as balls.
Normally, this was a day for Mallory to play football with her big brother. Unfortunately, he had a thing on (Mallory didn't know what, that had just been his explanation) which meant football was off for the day.
But playing soccer with a friend from the girl's soccer team was just as good. But Emily wasn't there yet, so Mallory was currently stuck playing with a soccer ball by herself. She kicked the ball around half-heartedly. Sports was fun, but not nearly as fun by herself.
So she just wandered around in circles, prodding the ball with her foot and hoping she didn't kick it into someone's face again. Sometimes she didn't pay enough attention to what she was doing, and in sports only the people actually playing mattered.
Playing sports alone was boring. Really boring. Boring as balls.
Normally, this was a day for Mallory to play football with her big brother. Unfortunately, he had a thing on (Mallory didn't know what, that had just been his explanation) which meant football was off for the day.
But playing soccer with a friend from the girl's soccer team was just as good. But Emily wasn't there yet, so Mallory was currently stuck playing with a soccer ball by herself. She kicked the ball around half-heartedly. Sports was fun, but not nearly as fun by herself.
So she just wandered around in circles, prodding the ball with her foot and hoping she didn't kick it into someone's face again. Sometimes she didn't pay enough attention to what she was doing, and in sports only the people actually playing mattered.
( Emily Rose continued from Dark Tony Hawk Is Born )
Emily was late.
This in its self wasn't an unusual occurrence. She had been invited to a kick around that afternoon and she could never resist football, especially on such a nice day. She had lost track of time sat in her room listening to music. Swearing she had speed changed before grabbing a football and charging down the stairs, nearly knocking her sister flying. Giving the team captain the impression she was unreliable was not a good idea so Emily ran to the park. As she approached she realised in her haste to change her football top was on inside out. Oh well too late now, she won't notice anyway.
Spotting Mallory she slowed down trying to act casual. The girl was looking a bit lonely half heartedly passing to herself in the middle of the park. She kicked the ball over to her friend raising her hand in greeting. When she was close enough she greeted her with a smile:
"Hey mate, sorry lost track of time...I mean I was busy doing those drills you taught us last week. Not been here too long I hope?"
Emily was late.
This in its self wasn't an unusual occurrence. She had been invited to a kick around that afternoon and she could never resist football, especially on such a nice day. She had lost track of time sat in her room listening to music. Swearing she had speed changed before grabbing a football and charging down the stairs, nearly knocking her sister flying. Giving the team captain the impression she was unreliable was not a good idea so Emily ran to the park. As she approached she realised in her haste to change her football top was on inside out. Oh well too late now, she won't notice anyway.
Spotting Mallory she slowed down trying to act casual. The girl was looking a bit lonely half heartedly passing to herself in the middle of the park. She kicked the ball over to her friend raising her hand in greeting. When she was close enough she greeted her with a smile:
"Hey mate, sorry lost track of time...I mean I was busy doing those drills you taught us last week. Not been here too long I hope?"
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Emily was here, and she had an extra soccer ball. That was good. Sometimes Mallory ended up kicking them places where they were hard to retrieve them. Plus she had memories of a bigger kid stealing her football when she was little. Not that it happened nowadays, but couldn't hurt to have spare anyhow.
"It's fine! Didn't notice you were late," Mallory said, grinning. Emily was pretty cool. Liked soccer and rock music, and that was more than enough reason to be friendly with someone.
Mallory took a few steps back, kicking her soccer ball along with her. "Think fast, Blue!" With that, she punted the ball at her buddy.
"It's fine! Didn't notice you were late," Mallory said, grinning. Emily was pretty cool. Liked soccer and rock music, and that was more than enough reason to be friendly with someone.
Mallory took a few steps back, kicking her soccer ball along with her. "Think fast, Blue!" With that, she punted the ball at her buddy.
Emily was pleased that her absence hadn't provoked Mallory's considerable wrath.
"Aw so you didn't miss me then?" she said in a teasing voice, smirking at the same time whilst pretending to be hurt. Still her goal of not being thought of as unreliable seemed to have been achieved, if she could now work out a way to turn her top the right way it would be ideal.
Emily was pulled out of her train of thought by her friend's next statement, fortunately for her this wasn't the first time Mallory had tried this trick. Therefore Emily was prepared taking the ball down on her chest before leaning forward to balance it on her neck. After holding the pose she then flicked the ball back into the air and stepped backwards to volley to Mallory.
"Aw so you didn't miss me then?" she said in a teasing voice, smirking at the same time whilst pretending to be hurt. Still her goal of not being thought of as unreliable seemed to have been achieved, if she could now work out a way to turn her top the right way it would be ideal.
Emily was pulled out of her train of thought by her friend's next statement, fortunately for her this wasn't the first time Mallory had tried this trick. Therefore Emily was prepared taking the ball down on her chest before leaning forward to balance it on her neck. After holding the pose she then flicked the ball back into the air and stepped backwards to volley to Mallory.
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"You weren't that late. I'm not so desperate for human company that I'm gonna pine after people if they take a little longer to get places," Mallory replied. That was probably a half-truth, since she'd already been getting lonely when Emily arrived.
When Emily kicked the ball back, Mallory stepped back a few paces and stopped the ball with her foot, before nudging it a bit to the side.
"So, what's up? Any stuff going on?"
As Mallory asked this, she chipped the soccer ball, sending it in an arc back to Emily.
When Emily kicked the ball back, Mallory stepped back a few paces and stopped the ball with her foot, before nudging it a bit to the side.
"So, what's up? Any stuff going on?"
As Mallory asked this, she chipped the soccer ball, sending it in an arc back to Emily.
Emily had been desperate to get out the house on any pretext. She was delighted to go and play football as her house, well the large amount of her family and extended family inside it, were doing her head in. She swore if one more elderly relative asked her why 'such a sweet young lady' didn't have a gentleman admirer she would go mad. Especially if they concluded, as her aunts had after extended conversation, it was her unladylike hairstyle (wouldn't have happened in our day).
To make matters worse her sister had received her confirmation letter from Harvard and so her parents had been fawning over her. They had been telling anyone who would listen how proud they were of Clare, unfortunately this mainly seemed to be Emily. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to infer a direct connection, that she should be more like her sister, but even so the implication she was inferior stung.
"Oh you know the usual stuff, parents doing my head in and the house is full of my relatives, or pains in the arse as they are otherwise known. Been listening to that new album I was telling yer about though so it isn't all bad. So apart from dying of old age waiting for me what's up with you?"
To make matters worse her sister had received her confirmation letter from Harvard and so her parents had been fawning over her. They had been telling anyone who would listen how proud they were of Clare, unfortunately this mainly seemed to be Emily. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to infer a direct connection, that she should be more like her sister, but even so the implication she was inferior stung.
"Oh you know the usual stuff, parents doing my head in and the house is full of my relatives, or pains in the arse as they are otherwise known. Been listening to that new album I was telling yer about though so it isn't all bad. So apart from dying of old age waiting for me what's up with you?"
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"Family can be bonkers," Mallory said amiably, as they settled in a steady pattern of kicking the ball back and forth. The conversation would probably tail off if they got more competitive, but for now it was just relaxing. And not relaxing in a boring way, like lying down on a sofa or just generally not moving.
"Uhhh... lemme think. Not much, I guess? Football, soccer, stared at some pretty dresses I saw in this store window at the mall after work... joined a MMA group but haven't punched anyone yet because I'm still figuring out what the rules are besides punch each other out... stuff like that."
"Uhhh... lemme think. Not much, I guess? Football, soccer, stared at some pretty dresses I saw in this store window at the mall after work... joined a MMA group but haven't punched anyone yet because I'm still figuring out what the rules are besides punch each other out... stuff like that."
Mallory had got that right, family certainly were bonkers no 'can be' about it. She was enjoying the calming repetitive rhythm of kicking the ball and relaxing in the sun. She closed her eyes for a second enjoying the warming rays of the sun on her exposed upper shoulders and neck the calm contrasting with her otherwise hectic day. She relaxed for a second too long and felt the ball strike the back off her heel and roll away. She rolled her eyes before jogging over to the ball and back heeling it to her friend.
" MMA? Had we all better watch out, will you go all 'kung fu' on us if we don't turn up to training?"
It sounded a bit dangerous but that was probably a reason it appealed to Mallory. Still the team couldn't afford to lose her, they already had enough injuries and people just not turning up. Emily sometimes felt angry enough at the non attendance and pissing around that she might felt like getting some martial art training to use on the dissenting members.
"So how is the job going? Has your brain melted from repetition and boredom yet?
" MMA? Had we all better watch out, will you go all 'kung fu' on us if we don't turn up to training?"
It sounded a bit dangerous but that was probably a reason it appealed to Mallory. Still the team couldn't afford to lose her, they already had enough injuries and people just not turning up. Emily sometimes felt angry enough at the non attendance and pissing around that she might felt like getting some martial art training to use on the dissenting members.
"So how is the job going? Has your brain melted from repetition and boredom yet?
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"Nah. Probably won't have the time to learn anything good for the fighty thing until after school's over, anyhow. So it ain't gonna make me run around kicking anyone who doesn't practice."
The soccer ball went back and forth.
"And job's a job. Y'know, boring. But hey, money. Eventually I'll have enough money to move out and bam!" As Mallory said the last word, she kicked the ball extra hard for emphasis. She hit it with the wrong part of her foot and it went flying in the wrong direction, but Mallory barely noticed. "And then I'll be out there and not burdening my folks and it'll be awesome and--ah. Shit."
She realised that the ball had gone flying away. More importantly, it'd gone flying into the face of a passerby.
The soccer ball went back and forth.
"And job's a job. Y'know, boring. But hey, money. Eventually I'll have enough money to move out and bam!" As Mallory said the last word, she kicked the ball extra hard for emphasis. She hit it with the wrong part of her foot and it went flying in the wrong direction, but Mallory barely noticed. "And then I'll be out there and not burdening my folks and it'll be awesome and--ah. Shit."
She realised that the ball had gone flying away. More importantly, it'd gone flying into the face of a passerby.
((Alex King pregame start))
Ah Sunday, her one non-shitty day in the week. Well, unless there was an assignment or her asshole of a boss wanted her to work overtime, then Sunday was as shitty as every other day of the week. But that Sunday was, fortunately, a non-shitty one.
She was strolling through the park for no particular reason, just a random desire for some fresh air, cigarette in one hand and her iPod in the other. She was listening to one of the grunge bands she'd listened to a million times already (She needed to get some new shit on her iPod already), but screw it, it beat listening to her own thoughts or the general city noises. The cigarette was just there out of necessity.
Normally, she'd have stuck in her room on a day like this. If not browsing sites, she'd be doing something else online. Hell, she'd even have done more studying if it had come to that, just to have something to do. But on that particular day, her headache had become a full blown migraine, and the surprisingly not-shitty Seattle weather beckoned her to clear her head.
So it was that she was stood in the middle of the park, having paused to take a drag off her cigarette, when Mallory's maligned ball flew right into her head.
"AH, FUCK!" she screamed, clutching the side of it, oblivious and uncaring of any young ears that might've been nearby. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!"
Truthfully it hadn't been as painful as she was acting, in fact the pain was already going away, but who cared? She'd just been hit in the head by a fucking ball for Christ sakes. Her cigarette was on the ground now, wasted, and what if one of her ear buds had broken or gotten shoved down her fucking ear canal? The fucker responsible was going to pay for this!
Her eyes quickly settled on Mallory and Emily, and was screaming at them without even stopping to catch her breath.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
Ah Sunday, her one non-shitty day in the week. Well, unless there was an assignment or her asshole of a boss wanted her to work overtime, then Sunday was as shitty as every other day of the week. But that Sunday was, fortunately, a non-shitty one.
She was strolling through the park for no particular reason, just a random desire for some fresh air, cigarette in one hand and her iPod in the other. She was listening to one of the grunge bands she'd listened to a million times already (She needed to get some new shit on her iPod already), but screw it, it beat listening to her own thoughts or the general city noises. The cigarette was just there out of necessity.
Normally, she'd have stuck in her room on a day like this. If not browsing sites, she'd be doing something else online. Hell, she'd even have done more studying if it had come to that, just to have something to do. But on that particular day, her headache had become a full blown migraine, and the surprisingly not-shitty Seattle weather beckoned her to clear her head.
So it was that she was stood in the middle of the park, having paused to take a drag off her cigarette, when Mallory's maligned ball flew right into her head.
"AH, FUCK!" she screamed, clutching the side of it, oblivious and uncaring of any young ears that might've been nearby. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!"
Truthfully it hadn't been as painful as she was acting, in fact the pain was already going away, but who cared? She'd just been hit in the head by a fucking ball for Christ sakes. Her cigarette was on the ground now, wasted, and what if one of her ear buds had broken or gotten shoved down her fucking ear canal? The fucker responsible was going to pay for this!
Her eyes quickly settled on Mallory and Emily, and was screaming at them without even stopping to catch her breath.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
Emily let the chat wash over her as she enjoyed the simple act of hanging out with her friend playing football. Her friend's comment did remind her that she needed to start thinking about her own future. Life was catching up with her at an unpleasant rate and she needed a time out. The idea of total freedom sounded appealing to her but she still felt emotionally tied to her family and it was a tie she didn't think she was ready to give up.
Her friend's exclamation drew her out of her thought process. She watched the ball skew off at a rapid rate, she wished it happened less often when they were playing. To say Mallory's technique was sometimes unconventional was an understatement, though it usually seemed to work out fine for her. She turned to watch the trajectory of the ball. Events seemed to happen in slow motion as the ball moved, perhaps if she had a camera she could have sent the footage into a home videos company. However, it quickly became less funny as the girl reacted.
Emily was about to apologise when the girl started a stream of profanities which would make a sailor blush. It would appear that Mallory had murdered the girl from her reaction, though there didn't appear to be any blood. Asking her if she was all right seemed largely pointless now. She had turned and released her anger on the pair, Emily could tell this wasn't going to end well. Still, it would be rude to not apologise as they were at fault, even if her reaction was extreme.
"Oh my...I'm so sorry, Mal can be a bit of a klutz, she didn't mean anything by it"
Her friend's exclamation drew her out of her thought process. She watched the ball skew off at a rapid rate, she wished it happened less often when they were playing. To say Mallory's technique was sometimes unconventional was an understatement, though it usually seemed to work out fine for her. She turned to watch the trajectory of the ball. Events seemed to happen in slow motion as the ball moved, perhaps if she had a camera she could have sent the footage into a home videos company. However, it quickly became less funny as the girl reacted.
Emily was about to apologise when the girl started a stream of profanities which would make a sailor blush. It would appear that Mallory had murdered the girl from her reaction, though there didn't appear to be any blood. Asking her if she was all right seemed largely pointless now. She had turned and released her anger on the pair, Emily could tell this wasn't going to end well. Still, it would be rude to not apologise as they were at fault, even if her reaction was extreme.
"Oh my...I'm so sorry, Mal can be a bit of a klutz, she didn't mean anything by it"
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"I'm not a klutz. I just wasn't paying attention," Mallory grumbled at Emily. If she'd been paying better attention she would have hit the ball right.
The girl Mallory had hit was being a bit of a whiner over it. It wouldn't have hurt that much. Balls to the face happened all the time. If it'd been a ball hit by a bat, maybe, but... meh.
Mallory raised her voice and yelled, "My bad! Wasn't paying attention, sorry!"
She started to walk over to what's-her-face (Ally, Alice, it was something with an A) to get the soccer ball back.
The girl Mallory had hit was being a bit of a whiner over it. It wouldn't have hurt that much. Balls to the face happened all the time. If it'd been a ball hit by a bat, maybe, but... meh.
Mallory raised her voice and yelled, "My bad! Wasn't paying attention, sorry!"
She started to walk over to what's-her-face (Ally, Alice, it was something with an A) to get the soccer ball back.
Typical. They'd sent a ball flying straight at her head, and the assholes responsible were just shrugging it off with an apology and a cheery my bad', like that made everything better. Well whoop de fucking doo, Alex was so not in the mood to let it go that easily.
She saw Mallory heading over for her, the ball having come to a rest between them after a few short bounces off the ground. Mallory may have wanted to get it back herself, but Alex got to it first. Scooping it up, face still red, she paused only to flash the two assholes a painfully obviously fake smile. She had no intentions of pretending to give it back to them though: it was more of a "oh, that's fine, but fuck you" smile than anything.
Rather, she turned away from Mallory, stopping for a moment to check that there wasn't someone in her own line of fire just to avoid that hypocrisy, before dropping the ball and sending her foot towards it. Her timing was miserable, however, and the ball wound up bouncing off the flat of her foot more than anything, gaining some height but very little distance, before hitting the ground barely ten feet from where it started.
But fuck it, she'd made her point.
"Oops, sorry. My bad." She quipped, flipping Mallory off on the last line for good measure.
She saw Mallory heading over for her, the ball having come to a rest between them after a few short bounces off the ground. Mallory may have wanted to get it back herself, but Alex got to it first. Scooping it up, face still red, she paused only to flash the two assholes a painfully obviously fake smile. She had no intentions of pretending to give it back to them though: it was more of a "oh, that's fine, but fuck you" smile than anything.
Rather, she turned away from Mallory, stopping for a moment to check that there wasn't someone in her own line of fire just to avoid that hypocrisy, before dropping the ball and sending her foot towards it. Her timing was miserable, however, and the ball wound up bouncing off the flat of her foot more than anything, gaining some height but very little distance, before hitting the ground barely ten feet from where it started.
But fuck it, she'd made her point.
"Oops, sorry. My bad." She quipped, flipping Mallory off on the last line for good measure.
Emily watched the scene unfolding in front of her, waiting to see the girl's reaction. Mallory was approaching to get the ball back so there was no need for Emily to do anything. The girl's eyes settled on the football and she walked over to it. Emily was relieved that she was going to pass the ball back, it seemed their apology had worked. She smiled happily at the solution, it seemed her fears had been unfounded.
The grin was rapidly wiped off Emily's face when the girl flashed them a rather malicious smile. Emily immediately feared for the safety of Mallory / the ball. Still it was likely Mall could defend herself and there wasn't that much the girl could do. She watched the girl turn and 'boot' the ball away. Despite the situation Emily couldn't help but snort with laughter at the girl's kick. She knew the gesture wasn't very ladylike or particularly helpful to the situation. The girl's gesture was suitably childish that Emily felt she should reply in kind.
"Mall, I think we have a new recruit for the team with skills like those"
The grin was rapidly wiped off Emily's face when the girl flashed them a rather malicious smile. Emily immediately feared for the safety of Mallory / the ball. Still it was likely Mall could defend herself and there wasn't that much the girl could do. She watched the girl turn and 'boot' the ball away. Despite the situation Emily couldn't help but snort with laughter at the girl's kick. She knew the gesture wasn't very ladylike or particularly helpful to the situation. The girl's gesture was suitably childish that Emily felt she should reply in kind.
"Mall, I think we have a new recruit for the team with skills like those"
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The first words that came out of Mallory's mouth after the other girl's display was "That was just fucking terrible." She heard Emily snarking nearby and couldn't help but agree with the sarcasm, though she thought being all sarcastic and 'ooh' about it was just dickish.
Then it clicked that the other girl was also being dickish. Because, well, she'd apologised, hadn't she?
"And hey! Uh... girl! I apologised, alright?! Wasn't like I aimed for your face! So don't be a dick about it!" Mallory said loudly, pointing at the girl.
God, this is the 'beer can to the head' incident all over again.
Then it clicked that the other girl was also being dickish. Because, well, she'd apologised, hadn't she?
"And hey! Uh... girl! I apologised, alright?! Wasn't like I aimed for your face! So don't be a dick about it!" Mallory said loudly, pointing at the girl.
God, this is the 'beer can to the head' incident all over again.