Stand By Me - Leah Williamson

On Top Of The World

Kameron's POV

The whistle blew and the match was away. 

I instantly ran up to my position along with Beth: I didn't even have to think, playing at Meadow Park was fully instinctual. Afterall this was my home, it was a place where I truly belonged with the girls, the ground and so importantly all of the fans cheering us on from the sidelines.  

Even though so many of my closest friends were playing on the Manchester United side today, I ignored that fact and it was sort of a match day rule not to greet everyone before the match so I'd have to wait to say hello to Alessia and Ella. 

Manchester United felt like a strong side, their formation looked perfect and their footwork was so incredibly fast but we were definitely playing our best football today. I could tell that as Leah passed the ball half way up the pitch, right to my feet, it was the perfect ball. 

With a single touch, I turned and began running up the pitch, dodging Ona as she sprinted forward to tackle me. Looking to my left, I could see Beth making a run up the right wing so I kicked the ball, nutmegging Millie Turner as it reached Beth's feet. 

It was still early on in the game but I knew in such a competitive match, an early goal would be amazing. 

Running further into the box, I could see the United defenders begining to swarm around Beth, she was practically backed into the corner by two of them. I saw Ona try to snatch the ball but it backfired as she slightly slipped and nudged it off the pitch, meaning it was now our corner. 

Set pieces were always a key opportunity to score goals and they were something we, as a team, constantly strived to perfect so as everyone made their way up the pitch I flattened out my hair and prepared for the corner. I felt two hands take my hips and looked behind me to see Leah, leaning down as she always did when a corner was taken, it made me chuckle slightly as she grinned up at me and then I looked back to Katie who held the ball up high, ready to throw it. 

The ball left her hands and I leapt up, seeing as the ball looked as if it were about to fall right into the perfect position for a header. I lined my head up and just as I saw the ball about to make impact, I felt an arm smash across my waist and practically throw me to the ground. 

My entire body crashed onto the grass, falling onto many people's boots seeing as the box was crowded beyond belief. I heard uproar from my team mates, seeing many of their figures run right towards the referee but I saw two people's heads stand over me, one offering a hand as she bent down. 

It was Leah, holding my head up as her features furrowed together, looking for a sign of any serious injuries, "You alright Kam?"

I nodded, finding it slightly difficult to breath as the fall had winded me. 

"Are you sure?" it was now Alessia who leant next to Leah, "It was a pretty big crash."

"Yeah," I breathed heavily, "Just a bit winded. That's all."

"You alright to get up?" Leah checked, looking me up and down anxiously. 

A smile broke onto my face seeing her get so worried over nothing at all; it was cute, "Yeah."

Leah carefully brought me to my feet and pulled me into a soft side hug then turned around, "Right," she huffed, "Let's go talk some sense into this fucking referee."

Alessia huffed, "I help you and then you go screw my team over like that Kam?" She exclaimed, mostly joking though she knew it was a definite penalty. 

As I ran over to the ref, I looked back at her, "It's the beauty of the game Less, betraying your friends for your team."

Alessia just shook her head and laughed. 

Leah and I walked over to the crowd of both Arsenal and United players which had swarmed around the referee all arguing their own cases, we pushed our way to the front considering I had been the person to face the foul. 

"Ref!" I shouted, "I was fully pulled to the ground! The ball coming right at my head for the goal! That's gotta be a penalty!"

"She was fouled, it's so bloody obvious!" Leah yelled, "Should be carded!"

The referee eventually blew her whistle and did in fact bring out a yellow card, giving it to the Manchester United defender and then motioned that it was a penalty. 

Kim Little, team captain and mother, took me by the shoulders and walked me over to the penalty spot, "You got this Kam! Alright?"

I nodded, placing the ball at my feet. Mary Earps was a world class goalkeeper but I was confident, I was on home turf with my team backing me. This was my moment to show the Gooners that I'd well and truly returned home. 

The referee blew her whistle, signaling that it was time to take the penalty and I ran up to the ball, curling it right over Mary's outstretched hands and into the top left corner. It was an absolute beauty. 

I heard the fans erupt in cheers and chants, a wonderful sound and a thrilling feeling. 

Running over to my team, I jumped into Leah's arms as she held me up and pulled me close. The team was all ecstatic with this goal. We needed it. 

Nothing else of much interest happened in the first half so as we headed into the second forty-five minutes, we were in a favorable position. 

Around the eighty-five minute mark I could see the ball sitting comfortably at Ella's feet which meant imminent danger, Toone was an incredible player and had her fair share of assists and goals so this wasn't good news. 

I began running up the pitch, though it was rather in vein as by the time I'd reached them Ella had spun past Leah and passed to Alessia who had snuck the ball right underneath Manu's hands. It all happened so quick, making it almost impossible to save.
Leah's entire body deflated and I could see the disappointment in her face as Ella and Alessia ran past her celebrating. I knew she'd be blaming herself if we didn't win this match, it wasn't her fault was Leah was extremely self-critical. So I made it my mission to score; of course for the team but also for Le. 

After the whistle blew, I ran back up into my position and watched as the ball was passed around midfield, both in Arsenal and United's possession. It was such quick football that my eyes could barely keep up with the ball. 

Finally, after a few minutes of back and forth passes, Lia broke free from midfield and snaked past Ona. 

Seeing the space, I ran out wide just outside of the box but many of the United players followed me as they saw the opportunity arise. Lia's pass did perfectly reach my feet though, but there was no space available and both Beth and Viv were heavily marked. 

I still stood outside of the box, but I'd done it before and was confident I could do it once again. I knuckled the ball, which of course at first looked impossible to reach the inside of the goal and I winced as I thought my attempt would end up going wide, but I'd angled it perfectly and it just crept into the net at the last second. 

We were once again in the lead. 

The ninety minutes plus three minutes extra time came to a close and Arsenal had been victorious. Winning was always a great feeling but winning alongside a team which was your family and in front of fans which were practically your friends, would put anyone on top of the world. 

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author's note

sorry guys but I could not write beth and viv's injuries so let's pretend they are perfectly healthy because I miss them too much on the pitch right now