Being pretty, life was a breeze, it isn't easy being ugly, but it's easy to get kicked out of parties because her teeth were sticking out or she looked like the next best wizard of Oz. Or her feet were freakishly big for her age, the kids laughed at her funny name which she had to cut down or her make up the first time she tried them.
Her eyes never once left the floor, her hands were always in her pockets and she rarely smiled. Mother said she was pretty and should act like it, both of them knew the truth but mothers would always be mothers. She thought.
It was a bittersweet life in San Francisco, she was walking down the rails on the bridge, it was cold and she heard the seagulls and bells on those floaties on the dry sea ring.
The mist painted a pretty dull picture, she sat down and pulled up a rubber band and packed her hair up. Her eyes lowered to the water stirring and the bubbling sound then she looked down.
It might have been a dolphin or a sea urchin and she saw the bird float on the light tide and dunk its head in the water to grab a fish that wiggled and gobbled it up.
She rested her hands on the bar and stared ahead at the ships going to and fro, still it looked empty. Mumbling when nothing interesting was happening, she gave one interested look at the yacht nearby like someone was going to step out but none did and she yawned taking her bag, she checked her time and sobbed, only twenty minutes here.
At school, she sat back watching the kids play soccer on the dry field, a boy turned and waved
"Hey you, bigfoot, want to play?"
She looked unaffected then her eyebrows rose gently as if it hadn't occurred to her that she was being called then looked at her feet, her boots did have cleats. They were waiting and she stared at them as though it were a joke but they really were.
She hopped down and dragged her feet to them and stopped in front of the group with her head low. "I don't play soccer, just needed to let you know" She mumbled like a lost child.
"Speak up, you're not in a bookshop. Anyways, you're just going to run with the ball with a little bit of teamwork, we'll get you to the other team's spot and you kick, got it?"
"Huh?"
"He's good," He said to the team and they clapped excited to get back on the field.
She gazed at the others who were a grade higher and the same grade but they split to make a fair team. The game was about to start and the captain of the other team was warming up and kicked up the ball several times.
She shrunk when the whistle went off and she dropped her cleats running to the field, a team member passed the ball to her and she looked at the two coming on each side and all she could do was run with the ball ahead, not too far not too near, she let another player have it and the captain was yelling at her to get to the other side, they paved way and she ran with the ball to the post and the keeper hunched with his hands open and she kicked it.
"No goal"
"Ah, the girl failed us, offside"
"Why are you barefooted?"
"Guys, she's got good feet"
"Who cares about feet, you do this all time"
"Just wear your cleats"
The whistle went off again and they resumed, the second time she wobbled and a few got to dribble the ball back to her, she ran to the post and this time she was aware of her position and kicked, the goalkeeper missed and the team scored.
She wiped her sweaty lip on her shirt and stepped back when they went back to position, the ball zig-zagged from one team to the other and the screaming happened, she stumbled when an opponent pushed her.
"Watch where you're stepping twinkle toes"
She looked at him from head to toe and focused on the game, the team played it rough and she fell, the opponents scored for the first time.
"Walk it off, we're in the second half now"
The ball flew up and it was getting to her side and she skipped to get under and nod it but bumped into a guy, he rolled off and touched his temple writhing.
"Twas an accident"
"Watch it!" He said and recovered shaking his head, the opponents were starting to notice that she was the centre forward and some blocked her way when the ball was progressing and she huffed at the tow and slid down till the end of her foot kicked the ball in.
The boys danced at the unexpected goal and she huffed at the slide and wiped the grass off her thighs jogging to her position.
"Come on, it's a rookie!" The captain of the "Chains" said outraged.
"But we're all rookies"
"It's a girl, slow her down for a minute"
"That's not likely, this isn't basketball"
"You know the rule" He unscrewed a bottle of water and poured it on her spot "Always wear cleats"
"Great plan,"
"Good, now get out there"
"Only four minutes guys...bigfoot, you need to avoid getting in crowded places, they'll tackle you and you'll be landing in the clinic."
He mentioned their strategy for the last time and they scattered.
She glanced at the "Storks" captain, the place felt muddy, it didn't even rain. She shook her head and waited while the others played, it was a slow game and the time was ticking. She tapped her foot against the grass then braced for the ball taking a finesse, the game was about to end and once it did, she kicked the ball back
"We won!"
"Yeah, thanks to us majorly oh and bigfoot" He pointed and wiped his head.
She grunted and picked up her cleats, there must be a tap somewhere. It was a one time game but at least it was the one thing that made her forget about her appearance for once. She smiled and walked home