The football field buzzed with energy as the team wrapped up another grueling practice. Today, however, the atmosphere was tense. Vivienne had stumbled through drills, her focus clearly elsewhere, and it showed. She missed passes, fumbled the ball, and struggled to keep up with the rest of the team, frustration radiating off her like heat.
"Vivienne!" Coach Thompson called sharply, bringing practice to an abrupt halt. The players turned, eyes darting between the coach and Vivienne, who trudged over, head down and jaw clenched.
"You need to take a break," Coach Thompson said, her voice firm. "I've been watching you, and it's clear your head isn't in the game. I'm giving you a few days off to clear your mind."
Vivienne's eyes widened in disbelief. "But I can't take time off! I need to practice," she protested, her voice rising.
"Enough, Viv. This isn't a suggestion," the coach insisted, crossing her arms. "You need to step back and take care of yourself. You're not helping the team like this."
Vivienne opened her mouth to argue, but anger burned in her eyes. "I'm fine! I just had a bad day!"
"Bad days happen, but you can't keep pushing through if you're not all here," Coach Thompson replied. "You're dismissed. Go home."
Vivienne snapped. "You can't just decide that for me!" she shouted, frustration boiling over. "I'm not weak!"
"Vivienne!" the coach warned, but it was too late. Vivienne turned on her heel and stormed off the field, the sound of her cleats echoing in the silence.
Jenna felt a surge of sympathy and concern. She didn't want Vivienne to spiral deeper into this pain. Without thinking, she sprinted after her, catching up just as Vivienne reached the edge of the parking lot.
"Viv, wait!" Jenna called, her voice echoing in the still air.
Vivienne spun around, her face flushed with anger. "What do you want, Jenna?" she snapped, fists clenched at her sides.
"I just want to talk," Jenna said, trying to keep her tone calm. "You can't just storm off like that."
"Why do you care?" Vivienne shot back, the bitterness in her voice slicing through the tension. "You think you can fix everything with a few kind words?"
"No, I won't leave you alone," Jenna said firmly, stepping closer. "When you act out, the whole team suffers the consequences."
Vivienne's expression hardened. "You think this is my fault? You're the one who couldn't keep your mouth shut! If you hadn't said anything, I wouldn't be in this position."
Jenna's eyes widened in surprise. "Excuse me? I'm trying to help you here!"
"Help? By getting me sidelined?" Vivienne retorted, her voice rising. "Thanks a lot, Jenna. I didn't ask for this!"
"Don't twist this around!" Jenna shot back, feeling defensive. "God, Viv, I made a mistake, and I'm not going to sit back while you spiral!"
Vivienne took a step back, frustration and vulnerability battling within her. "I just wanted to play. Now everyone thinks I can't handle it," she whispered, anger giving way to hurt.
"Viv, you can't keep pretending everything's okay when it's not," Jenna pressed. "I'm not going to give up on you. You're my friend, and I want you to be okay."
"Friend?" Vivienne scoffed, her voice thick with pain. "You're not my friend. You're just another person who thinks they know what's best for me." She turned away, her shoulders slumping. "I don't need friends like you," she murmured before stalking off, the sound of her cleats fading into the distance.
Jenna felt a pang of hurt as Viv's words sliced through her. She watched her retreating form, torn between following her and letting her go. She knew Viv was hurting, but she hadn't expected such anger.