LOTR HS AU (1)

I should have had it.

Sweat steams off his neck as he sprints the length of the field, then back. He's covered the distance more times than he can count, and he's going to keep running until he can't remember why.

I should have caught it. It was in my hands.

Those hands clench tight, fingers aching with the strain as he crosses the goal line and turns, sprints back. He's also relived the moment the ball slipped away as many times as he's crossed this line, and ground his fingernails into his palms as often. He is probably bleeding.

Dad's never going to forgive me this time.

He finally lets himself think it, and then quashes any thought at all for 3 more sprints. At the opposite line, he collapses, reddened palms skidding over the grass to keep him from breaking teeth. On hands and knees, he just breathes, fast and heavy.