Letters

52

Katana's POV

"I'm here." I say as I run into the locker room at Old Trafford. "I made it."

Once I'm in the locker room, I put my hands on my knees and breathe.

I had to do my qualifying for halfpipe competition for the LAAX Open earlier this morning at 9:30 am.

Once I qualified, I took a helicopter from the mountain to Zurich, then I flew my plane from Zurich to Manchester which was a two hour flight.

After I landed in Manchester, I drove from the Airport to the stadium and I just made it here.

"You're fine Katana." Cairo says. "We're just about to head outside for the Pitch inspection."

"Oh thank fuck." I mumble then I put my stuff up in my locker.

Once my stuff is put up in my locker, I look at tonight's line-up

1-Katana Solo
11-Sarah Gorden
4-Alana Cook
8-Julie Ertz
3-Emily Fox
6-Jaelin Howell
16-Rose Lavelle
10-Ashley Sanchez
23-Christen Press
14-Talia Martin(C)
15-Catarina Macario

Once my stuff is in my locker and I've looked at the line-up, my teammates and I head outside for the pitch inspection.

After we've inspected the pitch, my teammates and I head back to the locker room.

When I get to my locker I take my AirPods out, I take out my nose ring, I take off my necklaces, earrings, bracelet, watch, and my rings, put my jewelry in it's safe then I put my jewelry safe and AirPods in my bag.

Once I'm jewelry free I take off my tracksuit and put my dark brown locs up in a ponytail then I put on my long sleeve lime green undershirt, my warm up top, and I put on my game shorts.

I then sit down in my locker and put on my socks, my shin pads and my red boots.

After my boots are on I tape my wrists, hands, and fingers then I put on my red keeper gloves before I head onto the field with the other keepers.

When I get on the pitch I run through my warm ups with the keepers for a while then head back to the locker room.

Once in the locker room I change out of the training top and change into my lime green keeper jersey while Cairo does her last minute talks.

When the last minute talks end, we are told to head to the tunnel so I grab my towel and water bottle then Appa, Socks, and I do as told.

Once in the tunnel, I line-up right behind Talia then I wait for us to be called out.

While we're waiting to walk out, I notice Leah changed the name on the back of her jersey to Martin.

Minutes later we are told to head out onto the field for the prematch stuff so I follow Talia out onto the field.

Once on the field we stand in line for the English anthem then myself, most of the ladies in the starting XI, and most of the ladies on the bench kneel for our anthem.

When our anthem finishes, we stand up then we shake hands with the English players.

After we shake hands, we take a starting XI picture, Talia does the coin toss, we do our team huddle, then I lead Appa and Socks to the bench.

"Stay here pups." I say

Appa and Socks yip and smile at me so I scratch their heads then I jog to my position on the field.

Once I'm at my goal, I hang my towel up on the net, put my water in the net then Alana and Julie come over and fist bump me before they head to their spots.

"LET'S GO LADIES." Someone shouts from the bench. "LET'S FUCKING GO."

- - - - -

"She's so annoying." Talia mumbles as we get dressed after the match.

"Seriously." I mumble as I listen to Kelley loudly talk shit about me.

"She's flying across the world, riding snowboards, doing her little singing thing, tattooing, and..."

Alright I'm done.

"Kelley if your going to talk shit then either say it with your chest or do it somewhere where I can't hear you." I say.

"I'm not talking shit." Kelley says.

"Oh bitch." Sam says.

"Kelley I'm gonna keep it a buck 98 with you cause I don't need your two cents." I say.

"Ooh." One of my friends says.

"What was the score Kelley?"

"2-0"

"And who got woman of the match?"

"You." Kelley softly says.

"So what's you're fucking deal with me?" I ask.

"You don't care enough about this team." Kelley says.

"I wouldn't keep accepting call ups if I didn't care about this team or care about winning the World Cup." I say.

"You wouldn't get called up if you didn't care about the team." Cairo says.

"Kelley when are you going to realize that there are more important things in life then playing fucking football?" I ask. "I haven't been as happy as I am right now in almost a year so shouldn't that be all that matters."

"It is." Alex says.

"If me following my dreams makes any of you mad then I'll fuck off and disappear cause I really don't need people questioning my decisions every damn day." I say as I look at Kelley. "I'm so fucking tired of being excited to come to camp and see people who I believe are my friends only to have you ruin my mood."

I hope I have friends on the national team, but I wouldn't blame them for not being my friends since I seem to have drama follow me fucking everywhere.

Ever since I had my sit down with Sonnett, Lindsey, Mal, Kelley, and Cairo, I've done my best to steer clear of Sonnett, Lindsey, Mal, and Kelley.

I only ever talk to them on the field or when I have to during media duties with the national team media people.

Myself and Talia have been permanently excused from doing media with anybody we don't want to do media with.

"Also my singing isn't little." I say. "My last 10 singles have all gone platinum."

"You don't even have a Grammy." Kelley says.

"Because I don't submit my music to be considered." I say. "The Grammys don't mean shit anymore."

"Why don't you submit your music?" Mal asks.

"Because I'm not kissing old white peoples' asses so I can have some stupid award." I say.

The only ass I'll kiss is Mikaela's.

"Why does it matter what she does with her life?" Andi asks.

"It shouldn't matter." Emma says as I look at Kelley.

"Kelley I'm going to live my life how I want to live it." I say. "If you don't like what I do with my life then just leave me alone."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cairo moving towards Kelley.

"Leave me alone Kelley." I say. "Just leave me alone."