My Cure - Mallory Pugh/USWNT (Sequel to Attached)

Chapter 45

October 29th, 2022 - NWSL Championship

Morgana's POV

I did so many pregame things with the fans and whatever. I also saw my best friends last night. I'm not used to that before a game, but I'd be okay I think. 

Hatchy and I signed autographs before the game at the Fan Fest. I left early so I could go get ready for the game, and I threw up 3 times.

I almost accidentally cried my way onto the bench to start that's how nervous I was. 

Mal wasn't helping me, because she was pretty much just as nervous as I was. 

They ended up getting Hatchy to try to get some sense into me because there was literally 10 minutes until warm ups were supposed to start. 

"How did you do it last year?" I asked her, wiping some of my tears away. 

"I don't really know." She replied. "I just thought of it as a normal game. Any old game, you know?" 

"Well that ship has sailed." I sobbed. 

"Listen." She took her thumbs and wiped the tears from under my eyes. "It's okay. You're going to do great. Believe in yourself. Be confident. You're the best darn player in this league. Heck, you're the best in the whole world. But to be the player we know you are, you've gotta keep your composure." 

I nodded. I grabbed her wrists, because her hands were still on my face. 

We were in the middle of a hallway, and I knew there were people around, but I didn't care. That stupid camera from last week's playoff game was with me again, and I'm sure it was watching us now. But right now I was only looking into Hatchy's eyes. 

"Composure, confidence, perseverance. Remember those words." She told me. 

"Composure, confidence, perseverance." I repeated. 

"And trust your team. It's not all on you." 

"It's not all on me." I repated. 

Her hands dropped to my shoulders. 

"That's right. Not all on you. You've got 10 other people on that field with you. This is a team game." 

I nodded, and then she pulled me in for a hug. 

"Don't overthink. This is special. You may never be back here. Live it up." 

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I just barely made the pledge of allegiance because I threw up one last time before going onto the field. 

When the game started, I almost ran off the field and got sick again, but I heard the words. 

"Composure, confidence, perseverance." 

And I also heard: 

"It's not all on you." 

I felt myself relax, then I eased into the game. I had a run down the field that didn't get us a goal but got a corner. 

The crowd went absolutely insane when I touched the ball. I mean insanity. 

And it happened every time. It was like a homecoming game or a farewell game. 

It was like a high school basketball game my senior year.

But just so much louder. 

33rd minute, a cross comes into the box, but it was in such a weird spot that I couldn't have been able to hit it with my foot. 

So I did something I was advised to be careful doing, and I went in for the diving header. 

It was in. 

I did a front flip forward, and then I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I ran from my teammates and did a cartwheel, and then a back flip. 

Adrenaline, I guess. 

They all came running at me, laughing. 

I squeezed Mal, because she put that cross in. But also because she's Mal. 

This might be the best moment of my life, but we haven't won yet. 

It hit me that my goal was at the 33rd, Lena's 3. 

It was a sign that everything was going to be okay. 

The crowd was still roaring as w took our positions on the field. 

The KC Current players all looked crushed. We got in the heads even though there's still so much time to go. 

We finished off the half 1-0, and we went running off the field as the crowd chanted my name. 

"They love you, Morg." Said Mal. 

I nodded. 

"But no more than I do." 

I smirked and put my arm around her shoulders, an turned around to see the camera guy turning it on. 

Another photographer was taking pictures of us we walked into the tunnel, and because we were last he followed us in. 

I heard click after click as I looked at Mal, and I knew it would make a cute picture. But I just wanted a look of reassurance. 

She gave me one, and then we got to the locker room, we were no longer being followed. 

Start of the second half, I was ready to go. 

It was freezing in D.C. but I was used to it. Everyone's nose and cheeks were so red, and it made Mal look adorable. 

At halftime everybody turned to me after the coach was done talking. 

"Got anything for us, Morgana?" Asked Danny. 

I looked at everyone's faces, and I felt like I was going to throw up again, but I kept my cool. 

"All we have to do is win. If we win. we bring home the trophy. Everything we've been working for this season. We came here to get it, and we're not leaving without it. We've got 45 minutes to play our hearts out. 45. That's it. So let's give it everything we've got." 

It sounded extremely stupid, but the team liked it so I went with it. 

Someone knocked on the door, asking to interview me before kickoff. So I went with her, and there were 3 cameras waiting for me. 

Someone gave me a microphone, and I just smiled into the camera. 

"I'm here with the 20 year old USWNT and NWSL phenomenon Morgana LaRue. She has the lone goal in this championship game, putting the Chicago Red Stars up 1-0. How did you feel when you scored that goal?" She asked me. 

"It was just such a good feeling. It was overwhelming. I can describe it really as Sweeter Than Fiction, that Taylor Swift song? That's the feeling." I replied. 

"What do you want your team to do in this second half? Is there anything specifically that you think you guys did and what specifically can you improve on?" 

"I think we did a really good job on defense in that first half. Shout out my defenders. But we could definitely improve on our possession, but on the flip side of that we need to play more through-balls to the strikers up top. There hasn't been many and they usually start good opportunities. And we also need to convert a little bit more." 

"Thank you, Morgana. Good luck in the second half." 

"Thanks." 

I walked back into the locker room, and Mal yanked me into our team huddle. 

When I walked out, I just took it all in. 

This could be my only shot, and I'm not gonna blow it. 

I looked at the fans, my teammates, the opposing team, then the jumbotron that was focused on me. I waved a little bit, and I got a crowd reaction. 

But I took it all in, because you never know if I'll ever be back.