Excerpts from Deborah Tan’s The Fight

I hope you can pick out some good phrases to include in your own writings...

Before the fight
I kept my mind on our team’s staunch resolution to win. My heart thumped against my ribcage as I swerved around defenders while heading towards the goal.

I felt a tug on my jersey and struggled to break free. The ball was snatched between my stumbling feet. From the corner of my eye, I saw a boy from the opponent team making away with the ball.

However, the referee did not see the misdemeanor. The boy turned around to shoot me a nasty smirk. The stress of the game I had been trying to contain bubbled over.

The fight
When he swung around, I threw a punch in his face. His stunned expression turned malicious and livid. I shoved him harshly and dared him to a fight. We were soon embroiled in a fight. We were each solely bent on inflicting pain upon each other.

Resolution
The referee bounded over and pried us apart. We both collapsed on the field and doubled up in pain. The other boy cried out in pain as the medic tended to his wounds. The stares from around me were burning into the back of my head. As the sounds of my team’s celebration echoed through the tunnel, I could only manage a weak smile.

News of my misconduct spread like wildfire and tainted our victory in some way.

I had let myself down – for victory is the quality of competition, not the final score.