Lucy Bronze, had an easy leg injury and needed physical therapy, but what if she meets a seventeen-year-old girl struggling with an ACL injury, not improving and with shady family background?
WARNING:
This story contains mentions of drugs, addicts...
When I got home, I slowly made my way to the kitchen, but stopped when I saw my father sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for me.
„School called today. Said you weren't there... Again." His voice was calm. That scared me. There are times when calm is worse than yelling. I know something about that. Calmness is always worse than loudness when people are angry. Calm scares people. And now my father is scaring me.
"I was there. It..." I was cut off by him standing up and slapping me across the face: „STOP LYING."
During that moment I didn't feel any physical pain from the slap, although my cheek burned. The pain I experienced was more mental than physical. How can someone who is supposed to protect me hurt me? I never seen my father this angry. And I was right, calm before the storm.
„WHERE WERE YOU?" he yelled again stepping closer to me.
Afraid of him hitting me again, I took a step back and flinched.
„I...I missed my bus so I wanted to walk to school, but my leg started to hurt so I..." I lied through my teeth, but he didn't buy it.
„So that's why you came home with a car? Who were you with?" Okay Mel...breathe now.
With a small voice I said, "I was with JJ. We skipped together."
My father leaned back and said: "Okay, tomorrow I'll take you to school by car and come to get you after. Now go change and come down to eat dinner."
I smiled slightly: „You'll be home tonight?" But my smile dropped when he shook his head. Of course he won't.
I sighed and wandered upstairs. I left my backpack next to my desk and walked to take a shower. People don't realize how challenging it is to take a shower when you're injured.
I looked at my naked body in the mirror. The red mark on my cheek has become a tiny bit visible, but not enough for people to notice. Though I always had a great body shape and natural muscles, the body dysmorphia always found its way back to my brain.
By closing my eyes and holding my hands on the sink, I held myself still. Breathe in and out.
After I showed, I put on some basketball shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Made my way downstairs still with crutches holding me up.
I walked to the kitchen expecting dad to sit somewhere in there, but I was left with a plate of food and a note:
I had to go to work. I'll be back to take you to school. <3
Dad.
As always I'm not surprised. I ate my dinner while watching tiktoks. It's always my escape.
In the moment of anger at my father for leaving without saying goodbye, I totally forgot about the slap, until my cheek started to burn again. So I walked to the freezer to get some ice. I put it in a plastic bag and placed it on my cheek. It felt so nice. The burning stopped and was replaced by a feeling of cold running through my face. With that I headed to bed and I don't know how I fell asleep.
TIME SKIP TO MORNING....
When I woke up, it was quiet in the whole house, which meant my dad wasn't home. So that's his promise. I slowly stood up using my nightstand for help and made my way to my closet. I picked this outfit:
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I was able to put the brace under the jeans instead of over them because the jeans were baggy. It's so ugly and it ruins my outfits. I hate it. It was a little more sunny today, which I was glad for. As I walk downstairs, I spot someone sitting at the kitchen counter.
„JJ what are you doing here? You almost gave me a heart attack." I said to my best friend in front of me.
„Well, since you're ignoring me, I decided to take you to school, so you can't avoid me anymore," she said with a grin on her face.
I simply smiled, shook my head, and hugged her. As her body crushed into mine I was met with her scent, the coconut shampoo that she uses for her hair and her perfume. It always brings a feeling of peace to my body. As we pulled away, her hands rested on my shoulders.
„Where is your dad and what's on your face?" shit I forgot to cover it.
„Probably at work, I don't know. Yesterday, I fell during the session." Half truth, half lie. She doesn't need to know what happened, and it's not her problem.
„Uf, you need to be more careful Mel, the team needs you." She said with a laugh.
I looked into her eyes: "Only the team?"
She stayed quiet, our eyes looking into each other's souls.
She coughed: "Well...we are gonna be late if we don't move, so come-on." She picked me by surprise and carried me to her car bride style.
As we hit the road, I stayed silent most of the time. My thoughts wandered back to the days when we would take each other to school on a daily basis.
„You know, I missed you too, on and off the team. It's not the same." She was saying as she parked the car in front of the school.
My anxiety said for me, "I don't want to be there." I really didn't want to leave the car.
She placed a hand on mine: „Hey, it's okay I'm with you the whole day."
I nod my head.
As soon as we stepped out of the car and entered the building I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn around.
I sigh: „ Jesus, Robbie have you lost your mind? Never thought of saying hello."
Robbie smiled as he leaned on the locker next to mine and said, "Hello Mel." His British accent and smoker voice made him sound like a 40-year-old man.
„What do you need Robbie?" I don't really have a problem with him, as I said I used to buy from him from time to time. I just wasn't in a mood.
I just wanted to know if you needed help with...you know your bags or books, right?" he rambled while making an imitation of my bag with his hands.
„No, it's okay I can do, thanks though JJ will help if needed." He put a slurp on his face.
„JJ? Where is she?" I turned around expecting to see her next to me, but she wasn't there.
„Yeah, that's what I thought, so let me help you." He practically ripped my bag out of my hand and we made our way to the first class.... Mathematics.
