Saturday morning dawned bright and early, Emma's excitement from yesterday's conversation with Jayden still fresh. She sprang out of bed, eager for their private lesson. After quickly completing her household chores, she left the house, arriving at the pitch just past 8 am.
The empty field stretched before her, a vast expanse of green. Emma smiled, pleased to be the first one there. She wanted to claim the pitch as her own, to be waiting for Jayden when he arrived.
As the minutes ticked by, the silence was broken by the chatter of children arriving for their practice sessions. Emma watched as they began their warm-ups, their laughter and shouts filling the air.
But where was Jayden?
Eleven o'clock came and went, with still no sign of him. Emma's enthusiasm began to wane, replaced by frustration and hunger. She had barely eaten breakfast, her adrenaline-fueled excitement now turning to gnawing hunger.
Just as she was about to give up, the kids' cheers erupted, and Emma's heart skipped a beat. Jayden had arrived.
She turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his chiseled figure, clad in sleek sports gear. His gaze met hers, a hint of apology in his eyes.
"I see this is your 10am," Emma called out, striding toward him
"I'm an important personality. Wouldn't hurt to keep the crowd waitng."
"Really?"
"Traffic was a nightmare." Jayden said in his own defense
Emma's irritation melted away, replaced by anticipation.
"No worries," she replied, her voice steady. "I'm ready when you are though."
Jayden's grin was infectious. "Let's get started then."
Emma's expectations of a leisurely practice session were shattered the moment Jayden blew his whistle.
"Time to put in some real work, Emma!" he shouted.
The first challenge was the tire-run a grueling obstacle course of tires laid out in a zigzag pattern.
"Hop through, Emma! Quick feet!" Jayden yelled.
Emma's legs burned as she jumped in and out of the tires, her heart racing.
Next, Jayden had her doing ladder drills, sprinting through the rungs with precision.
"Faster, Emma! Move those feet!"
"I'm trying..." She yelled as she tagged along the kids from behind
Next up was the agility cone drill.
Emma sprinted through the maze of cones, her feet moving swiftly and precisely. Jayden watched, nodding in approval.
"Good, Emma! You're a natural!"
She zigzagged through the cones, her turns tight and fluid. The drills seemed effortless, her agility and quick reflexes on full display.
"Time to switch it up," Jayden called out. "Dribbling through cones. Let's see your ball control."
Emma's confidence wavered as she faced the cone course. Jayden's expectations were sky-high.
"Start at the beginning," Jayden instructed. "Weave through the cones without touching any. If you hit a cone, start over."
Emma took a deep breath and began. Her ball control was decent, but Jayden's standards were unforgiving.
The first cone loomed, and Emma expertly navigated around it. But as she approached the second, her ball grazed the cone's edge.
"Start over!" Jayden shouted.
Emma's frustration grew with each restart. She couldn't seem to get it right.
"Focus, Emma!" Jayden encouraged. "You can do this."
After what felt like an eternity, Emma finally completed the course without error.
Jayden beamed with pride. "That's what I'm talking about! Now, do it again."
Emma's eyes widened in frustration. "What? I just finished the course perfectly!"
Jayden's gaze didn't waver. "I want to see it again. Faster this time."
Emma's voice rose. "You're kidding me, right? I've done it like ten times already."
Jayden's expression remained unyielding. "You signed up for this, Emma. Private lessons come with special requirements and attention."
Emma's eyes narrowed, realization dawning. "What exactly did you mean by 'special requirements'?"
Jayden's smile was enigmatic. "What exactly do I not mean by that, you knew what you were getting into."
Emma's face flushed with anger. "You're pushing me too hard, Jayden. I need a break."
Jayden gestured toward the other kids training nearby. "Look at them. They're not tired. They're driven."
Emma's voice took on an edge. "I'm not a boy with a die-hard football passion, Jayden. I don't have the same energy reserves."
Jayden's eyes locked onto hers. "You signed up for this, Emma. No excuses."
Emma's anger boiled over. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."