Puberty

Ten years after, she managed to sprout long legs that suited her big feet and her limbs evened out but she didn't feel better about it, her nose was still at a weird angle that seemed to affect the way she looked, her hair was cut in a way that covered each side of her face and she was getting skinnier.

She didn't know what hit her when puberty walked in the door. Acne rolled in and she was having breakouts which contributed to the "wow factor"

It looked as though she was beaten with the ugly stick.

She hid her face in her hood while walking to Neptunium High to the Sea Ravens, why did they have to call them sea Ravens when truly the only ones that existed were real ravens. She toyed with the ball with her legs and the coach blew a whistle.

The friendly started and by accident, she got her hood off, why didn't she get the one with strings? On her knees and elbows, she didn't raise her head till the place cleared, it was a men's team or in this case boys, she stepped up and ran like the wind dribbling the ball with good feet, in this case she got too good and the ball was in control of her instead and she dropped face flat on the sand.

"You okay?"

The referee grimaced when she nuzzled her face on the sand and got up with sand covering her face, she pulled down her sweater and kicked out her feet and nodded. He pointed all over his face to say something to her

She gave a thumbs up and continued the game, the players returned to their locker rooms and she went to hers, changing into her regular-not-so-regular sized shoes.

The chattering got closer and they were hooting about the games. There was a knock on her door, a metal door and it made a hell lot of noise when it happened, she stopped tying her strings and answered it to find Caiden

"We're going to raid the swimming pool this afternoon, wanna come?"

She shook her head and her hair ruffled and fluttered with her hand my the small opening.

"Too bad, see you on Sunday" He skipped on the first step and went to meet the others jostling him.

"Herkley" she gasped when the coach called and gave her a water bottle and she drank to his contentment. Her last name was Berkley but her dad changed the B to an H because it sounded like Hercules. No one protested to that.

"You've got sand on your face" He pointed

She wiped them off and he didn't seem to care and only her nose was spotless. She didn't enjoy this part of the day.

It was a slow purge to change her alternative, no more face pinching or popping even when someone asked her to pop the pus out. She shuddered at just thinking that, the scars left by themselves and she was starting to see the improvements with the antiacne cream she got from her brother's recommendations during his plague.

Due to her football practice and her aim to make her skin glow, a water bottle wasn't far from her...and the toilet. She groaned at more coming and Pam looked over and gave a thumbs up.

"Nice job on the no face popping policy"

Ronnie's face heated. Her mother saw she was trying hard and didn't embarrass her again. She huffed when she turned back to massaging the cream on her face, her hair too could use some work, she brushed it and got a new cut.

On Sunday, she got hit with a flu and her eyes were burning, she was eager to leave and Pam shook her head telling her to go back in after she hung her duffel bag.

"I don't care if it's the final season, you can't play if your own body is struggling to keep healthy"

She groaned and laid back watching the clock tick, Pam smiled in satisfaction and turned on the TV. Ronnie was saddened by the games and tossed.

At the school games, they were short of men, and the visitors won all because of one accident on the losing side, he scored a goal for them.

They got gifts for participation and whatnot

"What's the point? We lost"

"Shut up" Alvin said looking in the wrappers.

"Coach's finally giving us something worth taking home"

"Fun"

"Where's Ronnie?"

"Finally lived up to her name I guess, she ran away"

"She got sick, her mother called" Coach said and checked his timer. "It's that bad."

~~~

She coughed up toothpaste and brushed her hair up past the mirror and reversed at the zit on her temple, the size of it was daunting and she covered it brushing the hair down to hide it and made a muffled moan at the crowd at her doorstep.

Her window was over thirty stories high where she could see the street and other houses. Coach saw her and his eyes crinkled and he waved.

"Hi Herkley, get down here!"

She shrieked and hopped back to bed and Pam stepped in with her hand on the wall, scrutinized her and Ronnie let out a big cough with pleading eyes.

"Aww, your teammates were just checking up on you. What a waste"

She coughed to hide her anxiety and Pam left, her heart raced faster and she checked on them with her head low while Pam spoke to them and handed out a case with samosas inside and the team gathered to have some.

She crouched when coach checked the window and looked back at Pam passing her a gift.

"That's too bad"

She watched them disperse and rose watching them continue further on the street and dropped on the chair sighing.

She sat up when the door opened and Pam held a gift.

"Good to know you're feeling better, here's a gift"

She caught it and stared at the presents and a notecard "2nd Place" her eyes tilted at the note and the wrappers ruffled when she dropped it covering her eyes at the game she missed.