The ball flies at my head.

Everything slows.

I see, in painfully slow replay, my fumble.

I hear jeering.

I was daydreaming, daydreaming of being

Away from here, take me anywhere but here-

I pick up the ball, pass it to the other team.

Trying to ignore my teammates’ death stares.

The game goes on.

The game’s going great, nobody

even seems to remember my fumble.

I’ve gotten two points, and the ball comes to me-

I catch it!-

I drop it.