Paula kicked the ball hard against the gym wall. It bounced back into her open bag. The laptop screen glowed bright in the dark lab. She watched a pro celebrate a goal. Her fingers hovered over the record button.
She set up the camera on textbooks. The tripod wobbled dangerously on the smooth floor. A gust from the AC vent blew pages everywhere. They scattered like white birds across the tiles. Paula sighed and gathered them one by one.
Paula aimed for the trash can. The ball hit the rim and flew up. It dropped slowly into the ceiling fan’s shadow. The room went still as she watched it fall. Her reflection in the dark monitor looked determined.
Paula ran onto the sun-drenched field. She kicked the ball toward the goalpost with all her might. The ball sailed high, curving around a floating cloud. It smashed into the net with a satisfying thud. Dust motes danced in the light.
Paula sat on the grass, hugging her knees. The sunset painted the goalposts in orange. She opened her laptop to save the clip. The screen reflected her tired but happy face. The video file name read: Goal #1.