#*para: 005

REGGIE CLIFFTON

"Alright ladies, we've got a good game on our hands today-- I can feel it! Let's keep our wins up and show those Showers some Flower Power!" Exclaimed the captain of the Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers, her enthuiasm and the quality of her pep talks having improved immensely in the year and a half Reggie had been on the team. As did the volume of cheering that her teammates responded with.

Today was the long awaited (by Reggie) Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers vs April's Showers rematch. As a whole there wasn't a legitmate rivalry between teams, but there was desire to win against them more than the rest in their league. Sure, it was in part due to enjoying the friendly competition Reggie had with most of the other team's girls. But there was a little more to it, too. During Reggies first season with the Flower Arrangers, it resulted in a 3-7 record for the winter and a second round tornament loss. The spring showed improvements, but it was their current summer season record that Reggie was taking as a point of pride with it being at 4-2. The same record the April Showers currently held. Considering the Flower Arrangers had won against the Showers in their last match with a complete shut out, Reg was more than aware both sides were feeling that fire in the air.

It would be an absolute lie if Reggie said she wasn't completely loving the stakes that this game held.

Since joining, Reggie had been a forward on the field for the Flower Arrangers, showing off exactly why her nickname of "the Rocket" continued to stick with her despite the years and location changes. Scoring was something the Arrangers seemed to be able to do. Yet, having been a defensive player before growing into being a forward made Reggie painfully aware of what they needed to work on. She had been helping the defenders a lot in the last week, trying to show which gaps they needed to fill, how to properly steal the ball without getting carded, how to read when someone was trying to set up a shot, anything she possibly could teach. There was hope they'd do fine, and Reggie was fully ready to let the girls do their thing. But then one of their defenders said the night before they were going out of town for a family emergency. That left the Flower Arrangers with a hole needing to be filled, and who better to do it than Reggie herself? After all, she could score them as many goals as she'd like but it wouldn't matter if their own goal was wide open too. Their match against Net Six and Chill had proven that.

Of course, there was the added bonus that Reggie couldn't wait to see the look on Spencer Porter's face when realizing they were on the same side of the field once again. Much like when they first met in little league soccer. Of course, there was the added bonus that Reggie couldn't wait to see the look on Spencer Porter's face when realizing they were on the same side of the field once again. Much like when they first met in little league soccer. It was pure luck that Reggie had taken on being a forward for the Flower Arrangers in the first place, as it forced the pair to not be in close contact on the field. That had been for the best while they were at ends with each other. But just like soccer games, life was incredibly unpredictible and somehow the pair had found a common ground in the last few months. Enough of one where Reggie had been going to Showers games to watch them play, and neither of girls felt the need to stare daggers in response. It was small, sure, but it had actually meant quite a bit to Reggie even if she'd never say it. It was now like there was proof she really had grown from who she used to be, finally, if her and Spencer could manage civil conversation sometimes. But she was still competition, and today both Spencer and her team were the ones to beat.

After the coinflip was set and goals were picked, Reggie waited a moment to make sure the offense set themselves up right-- their second fill in forward taking her place. Satisfied with the format, Reggie jogged herself over to the defensive end, finding a spot in the middle for a defensive Sweep position. Which meant she was right near where the Shower's own forward was. Talking trash was the default language for Reggie and Spencer, and so for old times sake she decided give some of that, "Hey Porter!" Reggie called out, stopping in her tracks a few feet from Spencer and their eyes meeting, "Hope you weren't planning to make any goals today, or else you're about to be severely disappointed." She challenged, a smirk on her lips and a smug quirk of her brow, "Better set those expectations accordingly."

SPENCER PORTER

Spencer's eyes stared Fiona down as she began making the final remarks of the game that was ahead of them, but she was hardly listening. This was the game that Spencer had been waiting for for the entirety of their summer season. The Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers were a team that were definitely to be feared. Their statistics had only been getting better and better with each and every passing season, and going into Game Seven, the Showers had a tied record for the season. It was important for the team to win this game so that their record could be bettered -- but it was also important to Spencer for the Showers to take home a win for completely selfish reasons.

Regina fucking Cliffton was a member of the Flower Arrangers, and quite frankly, Spencer had been having the sweetest of dreams for the past week about the look on her face whenever the Showers secure a win. In all of her dreams, the game was a complete and total shut out, but conscious Spencer was smarter than to believe something as such could occur. The Flower Arrangers were too good for a shut out to happen, no matter how good of a goalie Sam was. Reggie was too good of a player to not score a goal for her team. Regardless, Spencer was confident that a win was in the teams near future, and she would do whatever it took to make sure this was something that was in the stars for them. Once Spencer had dramatically tore off her practice pants, she was running on the field to take her rightful positioning on the offensive side. Her eyes scanned the field, taking in all of the sights - Fiona was looking like an overexcited groundhog as she entered the field, Nicola was giving her the kind of eyes that made her positive that she was going to be getting laid no matter the outcome of the game, and then there was Reggie. Entering the field like she owned the goddamn place. This was her field, not Reggie's. Spencer exhaled shakily, trying her hardest not to let the girl get under her skin, but that was a hard feat to conquer. Reggie had been a hemorrhoid in her life ever since Spencer could remember. Her memories of little league soccer games were littered with the childish trash talking and glares that the pair had passed between each other, and like clockwork, Reggie's voice and trash talking were breaking through her focus.

"Fuck off, Regina," Spencer called out, taking a quick note of her placement on the field. One of the things that Spencer hated most about herself was the fact that her thoughts and feelings were constantly displayed on her face. So it was no wonder whenever a look of confusion, and then worry crossed her face. It had been years since Spencer had battled against Reggie in a defensive manner. Typically, their rivalry on the field was who the better forward player was, but now? Now, it was who could outwit the other with footwork. “No fuckin’ wonder you were bragging about your footwork,” Spencer mumbled to herself, knowing for a fact that Reggie was able to hear her. A little healthy worry in a competition was fine, right?

Spencer did not have time to dwell on such a fact before the ball was being sent into motion. In no time, Spencer’s eyes were chasing the black and white checkered ball, making sure that her focus was on nothing but that. However, it was clear her focus was elsewhere the second she was passed the ball and she began rushing it towards the opposite end of the field. In no time, Reggie was sweeping, immediately stealing the ball right from in front of her. Swallowing hard, Spencer groaned before she was rushing down the field, chasing after her in the most sportsman like way as possible. If she had it her way? She would be lunging at Reggie and tackling her for doing such a thing. But she was better than that, or so she was allowing Nicola’s words to take over in her mind. With a quick look towards her girlfriend, she was getting her head back into the game. “That was your one free one, trash panda!” Spencer called after Reggie as she began pressing the girl as she went back and forth with the ball.

REGGIE CLIFFTON

The immediate response of a fuck off from Spencer brought that coy smile out on Reggie's face that was reserved for competition specifically. Granted, it was a little wider since it was Spencer she was currently setting her sights on. Meaning that she was sure to have Spencer see her silent smile before turning herself around. Sure, it wasn't the most sportmanship-like attitude, but trash talking was one of the best parts of sports. Getting into it just out of pure passion to win? What wasn't there to love about that? It pushed Reggie to do a little better, work a little harder. Considering she spent three years making peace thinking she'd never get to play again, coming back into it made her attitude rather inflated. Not so much in an outright cocky way, though it was easy to see it as such. She was simply that happy to get to be playing the sport that had shaped so much of her. And getting to have a sport's related rivalry again, one where she was going head-to-head with genuine competition, made Reggie feel right at home. Along with the fact there was someone actually in the stands wearing her jersey and rooting for her. As much as Reg loved dance, cooking, surfing, and her other hobbies-- nothing compared to this thrill.

With the game underway, Reggie's eyes were scanning all over the field. It was clear by her stance she was ready to go where ever she was needed, and as soon as the ball was making it's way to Spencer, Reggie was right there. She wasn't called the Rocket just for her kicks-- she had speed and she had been training hard to get it back. In truth, her hours of trying to get her speed up still didn't have her at what she used to be. But she was still good, and that's what Reggie tried to keep in mind as she used her quick feet to keep the ball defended from the likes of Spencer.

Without even meaning for it, another smile graced Reggie's lips at Spencer's call out. They both knew it wasn't a free one, but it was entertaining for her current competition to be making it sound like that, "Good luck using that excuse for the next time it happens, dollar store Thor." Reggie pointed out, daring a glance at the girl defending her just to see how frustrated she was. Needing to get Spencer off her tail, and get the ball to its next destination, Reggie pulled a switch of her path-- volleying the checkered ball back behind her and quickly turned, putting a distance between her and Spencer. Immediately using it to her advantage, Reggie kicked the ball to her open teammate closer to the other side of the field. More than satisfied with her work, Reggie looked at Spencer with a shrug of her shoulders and an 'I told you so' look in her eyes. Maybe she was getting overly smug, but it was hard not to.

The game went on like that, currently landing them at a tie. Whoever managed to score one a goal would get to go into the second half ahead of the other team. Those were odds any player would say were good to have on your side. That made Reggie protect their net with a higher intensity, her brow cosntantly furrowed in concentration. That made the fact Spencer managed to get the ball again actually get on Reggie's nerves.

There was pride on the line now.

Reggie swiftly came to Spencer's side, trying to act unbothered despite actually being exactly that, "No fucking way, Porter." Reggie said in a lower, less playful tone than earlier as she defended Spencer. Blocking her path to the goal and cutting her off. She could anticipate her moves, and she knew getting under Spencer's skin like that would result in a chance to steal. And as soon as she saw that chance, Reggie's foot swiped itself in and kicked the ball from out of Spencer's control. Immediately, it was back to being Reggie's and she, without much rational thought, and an overtly smug tone said, "Thanks for making that easy," as she started to make her way towards the opposite end of the field.

SPENCER PORTER

In Spencer's career, all of her top frustrating games had Reggie written all over them. Whether it be the games they played together at ten, or in high school, or to now, Reggie was the source of her frustration. It came as no shock whenever the obvious stayed throughout the current game. Spencer was finding herself down in the dumps with every passing second, knowing that any time she had the ball, the stupid fucking Rocket would be closely following behind. For the first time, she was glad that her parents lived states away so that they could not witness the horrible game that she was playing. However, as her eyes scanned the field, they landed on the cheerleaders. Usually, Fiona was yelling at Spencer to keep her head in the game, but with the current events happening in their friendship? Fiona had been quiet about her antics throughout the game. A sense of calmness fell over her as her eyes landed on Nicola's, nodding her head as if she could hear Nicola's endless thoughts of breathing and not letting Reggie get under her skin.

Suddenly, it was like all of Spencer's energy was back.

"Yes fucking way, Regina," Spencer muttered as she was dribbling the ball back and forth between her feet, pressing her way down the field. Like clockwork, Reggie was stealing the ball again. "Fuck!" Spencer groaned, feeling her frustration level skyrocket as her hands started to visibly shake. She was pissed. Aggravated. Desperate to prove she was a better soccer player than Regina Cliffton. "Shut the fuck up," she mumbled to herself, having had enough of Reggie's trash talking for a lifetime. She raced down the field after her, knowing her speed was up to par. She didn't need a cheesy nickname like the Rocket for her to be classified as a fast runner. As Reggie was quickly approaching the goal, Spencer knew she needed to do something.

Her eyes zeroed in on the ball, watching it go back and forth between Reggie's feet and memorizing the different patterns that she was practicing. There was an art to dribbling a soccer ball down the field and Reggie might as well be an artist - but Spencer was better. Her mouth moved in focus as she stared at Reggie's cleats, watching with a laser stare before she was taking her chance. She sped up her feet, moving quickly before she was immediately sliding her feet forward, executing a slide tackle to try and get the ball out from under Reggie's feet. Slide tackles were something that Spencer was practically infamous for in her leagues in North Carolina. Most of the time while she was growing up, her father called her a broom more than anything because she was constantly on the ground of the field, trying to execute the perfect slide tackle.

She was good at them.

However, she could tell right away that her landing was off. Instead of hearing the noise of a cleat hitting a soccer ball, she just felt a pain shoot up her own leg and her ankle starting to burn. “Shit,” Spencer said as she immediately popped up, starting to walk around in small circles around her. Sometimes, slide tackles did not land well. Sometimes the angles were off and the timing ended up not being just right. It happened a lot of the time, but not to Spencer. Another stupid reason to be upset with her gameplay. “Sorry, Reg,” Spencer said as she walked her way back to Reggie, putting her hand out for the girl to grab.

Only, Reggie wasn’t getting up.

“Reg? You good?”

REGGIE CLIFFTON

Stealing the ball from Spencer had been the main priority, and once that was done, it was time for Reggie to check her options. She could pass it as she noticed she had open teammates, and it was often just a smart choice. Still, she saw a clear path ahead of her to the goal, one that Reggie was confident she could run the distance of and keep the ball protected. The change to defense hadn't been planned for the game itself originally, causing Reggie to promise Harper a goal when she assumed she would be her regular forward position. It was a risk, but Reggie didn't work her ass off to walk again if that didn't mean she couldn’t one day get to run the length of a soccer field and score a possible tide changing goal. Even more so if it was in part for someone Reggie was holding close to her heart-- a place that had been left intentionally vacant until recently. And so she began her trek with broad shoulders and quick feet.

She could feel Spencer's presence nearby, but rather than focus on her completely, Reggie kept the goal in mind. She felt sure that she would be able to get the ball back if Porter tried stealing it. However, Reggie didn’t want to be blindsided by someone else on the field. The Showers were full of incredible players, but her biggest obstacle in mind was Sam given she was the one that was absolutely going to be in her way. Having seen her block before, Reggie was formulating a plan on a fake out, assuming the fact she was playing Reggie would put her more on edge. While they had buried the hatchet, mostly, they were on even less stable ground than her and Spencer. Which was saying something. Along with the fact she remembered Stevie’s trash talk from the day before. Someone else to watch out for, Reggie noted to herself before focusing back on the goal.

It was a little too late when out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spencer angling her body for one of her slide tackles. Had Reggie focused even a moment sooner, she would have been able to make some plan to properly counter. Instead, she went for a quick spin with the ball. She might stumble for a second, but it'd keep the ball from being too out of her control. Reggie was confident she could recover from that.

Until the world suddenly blurred right in front of Reggie's eyes, before going black.

Trying to take a breath in the sudden darkness was much more difficult than anyone would find comfortable. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, and it felt like her lungs couldn’t remember how to get it back. This caused Reggie to panic slightly, resulting in a rapid heartbeat that wasn't helping the situation. She wasn't in pain, her body seemed limp besides her clenched hands, but overall Reggie was numb as she laid face down. Numb, in darkness, and unable to breathe. The familiarity of that sensation struck something deep into her core: fear. Pure, unadulterated fear.

Somehow, someway, her lungs filled with oxygen in a small gasp. It was like she was realizing she could actually breathe, and that made all the difference in her mindset. Since she was then of conscious enough mind to notice that she wasn't in darkness-- her eyes were just closed. All she needed to do was open them, but she still had that fear in her. It was petrifying despite not knowing why it was there. But then it started to morph into anger, as there was a part of Reggie's subconscious that was hyper aware of what had happened. At least in the sense of knowing her leg was injured once again. She could piece together Spencer’s tackle and her attempt to counter resulted in her knee getting the brunt of Spencer’s hit. The one already weak as it had been told very clearly to Reggie years back that her ligaments and bones would never be as strong as they once were. Still, going out like this felt downright pathetic in the moment.

To those looking in on the scene, Reggie knew how bad it looked for her to be laying in the middle of the field unmoving. And it was fucking embarrassing, because ever fiber of her being was telling Regina to be moving. She needed to unclench her fist from the grass, push herself up, and get on her two legs. The legs she had worked every day to keep strong. The ones she had just been running on. There was no way all of that was suddenly for naught. It couldn't be. But Reggie could feel that it was true. She knew it, and it was killing her. When her accident happened years back, Reggie had lost consciousness before learning the extent of her injuries. This time... she was awake. Neither were ideal situations. ith ringing in her ears, Reggie hadn't heard Spencer's question from moments before. She didn't hear Fiona and the Arranger's captain telling others to give Reggie space. Her focus wasn't on the medic from the sidelines who had come up beside, asking her if she could move. She was still so incredibly scared and she needed to keep herself calm internally as to not cry from the overwhelming and conflicting emotions inside her. The medic carefully rolled Reggie over to have her back against the field, and that's when her eyes opened and saw the sky. The last time her life had changed forever like this, a clear blue sky had also been the last thing she saw. It seemed cruel, yet fitting, for it to be such a sunny day today, too.

The medic gave up on asking Reggie questions, simply resorting to checking her out. A light in her eyes for her vision, and checking her ears to ensure there wasn't bleeding coming from there given her lack of a reaction. When they did that, though, it forced Reggie to face the crowd she was trying to ignore. At this point, the stands looked like they were filled with distant blobs as Reggie wasn’t focusing. Nor was she feeling angry about the onlookers anymore. She was just numb. This was happening, regardless of if she wanted it to be. That was her life. Then, much like before, she caught Spencer from the corner of her eye. Reggie’s gaze landed directly on her with an expression void of any discernible emotion. All the sounds of those around her were nothing but muffled static. Her senses were off kilter, perhaps deciding that ignoring the world was easier. Reggie went to look back at the sky in her still silence, only to suddenly loudly cry out in pain as the medic tried lifting her knee. Thus the other shoe finally dropped. That was enough of a confirmation of what Reggie been dreading. It felt like a life time has passed already, yet in reality it had only been a few short life altering minutes.

SPENCER PORTER

One of the worst parts about soccer, and any sport for that matter, was the level of danger that lingered throughout every ticking second of gameplay. For some sports, there was more contact than others. Football was dangerous for the obvious reasoning of tackling. Golf and tennis? Not so much. Most of the time, soccer was not even a dangerous sport to play - however, there was room for obvious error. With players racing down the field, defending and offending the soccer ball, there was room for damage and danger to take effect. It didn't happen every game, but the games in which resulted in such things? They were tragic in the most dramatic of ways. Spencer had seen plenty of soccer injuries result from gameplay and practices, even being a part of the injury numbers. But whenever she recognized the fact that she knocked Reggie down, and she wasn't getting back up? Her stomach dropped and she was scared she was going to get sick.

Reggie and her had a complicated relationship, and one even laced with hatred, but it was all surface level feeling. In no way, shape, or form did Spencer have any ill intent or feelings for the girl that she grew up practically alongside. Sure, she knew exactly what to do to get under her skin and make her curse and scream and show her dramatic flair for life, but she did not hate her. Their rivalry began and thrived on the soccer field, but that was it. They drove one another to be the best possible player they could ever be, but right now, their competitive nature had taken the worst of turns and it had Spencer's mind reeling.

"Is she okay?" Spencer asked, her tone panicked as she tried getting closer to the scene with no avail. People were holding her back from crowding, and they were right to do so. Spencer obeyed and stood back, her eyes never leaving the look on Reggie's face. She was only catching glances of the girl on the ground, laying far too still for her stomach to not start turning over and over again. And then, their eyes connected with one another. Spencer mentally pleaded for Reggie to understand she was sorry and most importantly, it had been an accident. Their rivalry was strong and heated, but Spencer would never in a million years want to cause an injury to someone.

The cry of pain cut through Spencer's ears, immediately bringing her back into the moment. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Spencer started running through the events leading up until the incident had occurred, her body pressing more into Riley as her teammate tried holding her back from charging the scene.

And then — it hit her.

“Wait,” Spencer started, immediately thrashing herself out of Riley’s grasp as she started jogging towards Reggie and the medics on shaky legs. She felt like Bambi trying to run on ice with how out of tune her body felt. It didn’t even feel like she was in control of herself anymore. “What leg is it?” Spencer said, her tone of voice coming out soft and broken. “What fucking leg is it?” She spoke louder now, remembering it was just months ago that Spencer had stumbled upon the information about Reggie’s accident years ago that had left her nearly motionless for some time. The accident had been inspiring to Spencer, especially with where Reggie was now in her life. But Spencer might have just ruined that.

“No, get the fuck off of m- WHAT FUCKING LEG IS IT?” Spencer started yelling her words as Riley began pulling her body backwards, separating the blonde completely from what was happening. She allowed herself to go limp in her friend’s arms, completely feeling the breakdown of herself happening. It wasn’t until she was seated on the bench that she was realizing how fucking much her ankle was hurting her. She knew it wasn’t broken, but there was the possibility of a fracture or terrible sprain. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she hurt Reggie - she might have broken Reggie once again, and she wasn’t sure luck was a fickle enough bitch to allow Reggie to heal from such a thing.

REGGIE CLIFFTON

Reggie wasn't okay. That fact was finally leaving the back of her mind and coming to the helm of reality, which meant it was something she was going to have to face. Again. On one hand it was good her conscious was playing catch up with the here and now. Yet at the same time, that meant she was already worrying about what was to come--

Hospital bills. Physical therapy. Giving up her externship. Pushing school back. No skating. No surfing. No soccer. No dance. The constant threat of her depression. Getting around on her own. Time off work... There were so many pieces to this puzzle that Reggie was sure she knew the bigger picture of. She was already feeling the crushing weight of them all. The months of healing. The months of hoping she wouldn't become a hateful person again. She had left all this behind in Illinois, and now it was haunting her in New York where she had come to feel the most herself. She didn't want to think she deserved this, but who was really to say?

"She's not even trying to get up, and she's clearly in pain. We need to get her to a hospital." Was the first genuine sentence Reggie was hearing, and she loathed it. She loathed how it sounded as if she was too weak to get up, rather than physically unable. As if it was a lack of will that was holding her back-- in reality, it was the only thing keeping her present. More voices were starting to fade in, as were actual people. She could hear a commotion nearby, someone yelling to which she knew was Spencer. She knew her voice, even without listening to the words. Reggie didn't look at her, however, because she couldn't. Reggie did not have it in her to acknowledge Spencer right now. She didn't have the strength she could tell Spencer needed, because Reggie was going to need it for herself. She knew that.

"Someone call 911 to get an ambulance--"

"No. No ambulances." Reggie said in a pointed tone, yet almost frantic. The hospital bills during her first accident had been outrageous, with the ambulance ride being almost $10000 on its own. She couldn't do that to her mother again. Really, Reggie felt like she couldn't handle any of this, but she was going to have to, "I'll go to a hospital but I'll call an Uber or something. Don't call 911." It was hard to believe the girl demanding her mode of transportation was the same one that had been laying there limp only seconds ago. The Flower Arranger's captain said she had the Floral Shop's delivery van, and it was empty on the back. Though her voice sounded unsure, clearly her own internal panic at the situation rising. Then Fiona, the captain on the other team who had no reason to insert herself into this, offered to drive Reggie in it. Despite everything feeling like it was crushing her, a gesture like that wasn't lost on Reggie. It helped her feel a small bit of ease, as it meant her overall hospital stay would be just a little less costly. It was the least she could do for her mother given the situation. And everything else.

The Medic did the best splint they could for Reggie's leg given the rush and not having everything needed. It was a temporary solution anyway, but that didn't make Fiona carrying Reggie hurt her any less. It was definitely her knee that was the most in pain, but it felt like other parts of her leg were on fire. That made her fear and worry grow, but she had to keep it together. She was trying to, but it was getting more and more difficult.