Left behind

Prologue

Trigger Warning- abuse mentioned.

It's not bad, just needed.

I'm Jordyn Bloom, or Jordy for short. I'm 19 and I grew up in well, Australia. I spent time growing up all over the country, I was never in one spot for more than two years until my last family. That last place was Adelaide, I was born in Adelaide but having been taken in and then sent back meant I never really stayed for long. My time there wasn't pleasant, I guess that's mostly due to my foster family.

I was stuck with the Kades for 3 years, the longest lasting one and it was the worst. They already had one daughter, she was a year older than me and the biggest bitch you've ever seen. Her parents were worse, I was basically a slave to them, and if I didn't listen, it was physical abuse, and that was soft compared to the mental abuse.

Before I was taken in by them I was set to join the u-17 National team but, that never happened, I wasn't allowed to join the school team either. The only practice I ever got was when they were on vacation, something I never got to join either.

Alex, their daughter knew about my little practices when they were gone, and decided to call her friends, who would then find me and verbally assaulted me while practicing, one day it turned into physical assault, and that's when I quit.

For the last year, I didn't touch anything football related, didn't watch or even want to play, but that changed when I turned 18, and left asap. As I was walking around Adelaide I met Alexia Putellas, and she changed my life.

When I was 18, all I had were clothes in my backpack, and my Footie gear. I stopped by a field and decided to play with whoever was there, it happened to be a few members of the Spanish Women's national team who were all on vacation in Australia. At the time, I had no idea who they were, but they saw me warming up, and decided to help me practice.

Now, not knowing who they were probably helped me in that situation, it meant I didn't care what happened. And when Alexia, talked to me I immediately knew that they weren't from around Australia.

"Hey, would you like some help practicing?" She asked. I shook my head no not wanting to bother them. "Umm, I-I think I'm ok, th-thank you." I stutter, she just shakes her head and decides to practice with me anyways.

The other two that were with her were Mapi, and Jenni, and as soon as one of the, stepped up to take a shot, I knew I was fucked.

Well, maybe not, I practiced when I could with random boys that wanted to play, and even though I was a girl, I played really good, better than most of the boys, that's for sure.

So when Alexia took that shot, I saved it, and it wasn't even hard. After the first shot, they kept getting harder, and I just kept my cool, saving all but one, which was because I tripped.

"Wow, I must say I'm quite I'm impressed, sad to say that I have to go, but if you want, we meet again tomorrow?" Alexia asked me. I shook my head yes, and that week I saved shot after shot from the greatest player in the world, barely breaking a sweat. And I did this in old shitty gloves and beat up boots.

Alexia seemed impressed, when she to me her name, she was surprised that I never heard of her before, which for me made sense, I could only ever watch men's games, and I hadn't done so in over a year.

Eventually she asked for my phone number, which I couldn't give her because I didn't have one at the time. And later when she found out that I was sleeping on bench every night she decided to help me, and after some work I was playing on the Barcelona B team, in a new country, learning a new language.
- - -
Which lead me here, a year later, playing for Barcelona in La Liga, and getting ready to leave to Australia, to join the Matildas, for the first time.

"Jord, do you have everything packed yet?" Alexia asked walking into my room. "Si, Ale, I do." I reply, speaking fluent Spanish. One thing we learned is that I adjust to new languages quickly, which is always great.

"Ok, well, Mapi is downstairs, and you have your bag so let's go." She says Pulling on my arm. I laugh as she drags me outside, to see Map. "Slow down Ale, I need my arms ya know.". "Sorry, I'm just excited!" I frown. "For me to leave?" I whisper. Alexia immediately shakes her head and hugs me. "No, I don't want you to leave, but you've been invited to join your National team, and I'm incredibly happy for you." She says hugging me. "Nobody wants you to leave, but this is an important step in your career, and maybe you'll make new friends!" She says cheering me up.

Outside we meet Mapi and make our way towards the airport, so that I can get on a 'way too long' flight to quote Mapi, to Australia.
- - -

The flight wasn't terrible other than it's length, I slept through most of it. Walking out into the airport I thought back to the tearful exchange of leaving Alexia and Mapi, both of which are basically my parents.

"Hey, don't cry, I'll see you in a couple weeks, and who knows maybe you'll have a girlfriend." Mapi said to cheer me up. I roll my eyes. "Maappiii...." Mapi just shakes her head. "Listen to me, anything can happen at camp, just ask me, or Alexia." She says making me laugh. "Ask me what?" Alexia says overhearing the end of our conversation. Mapi freezes and turns around. "Nothing..." She smiles. Alexia gives her a 'yeah right' looks and turns to me. "Alright, I know you have everything, so, let's get you to that plane, so that I can see you sooner." She says hugging me. "I'll miss you, have fun, but not enough to ditch us." I shake my head. "Never will." And after that I leave to start my journey in international football.

As I walk out with my bag I see a person holding a sign with my name on it, and that's how I know my journey has truly begun.