Fine Line ✸ Sam Kerr

XXVIII. All Along There Was Some Invisible String Tying You to Me

★ twenty - eight ,
all along there was some
invisible string tying you
to me

CAPE TOWN  
     august 2023

*ੈ✩‧₊˚            THINGS WERE getting better !

no they weren't. odessa was being completely hated on by the entire internet ( at least the people who watched the england vs australia netball game ). she refused to answer her girlfriends texts or calls, she was told she couldn't play in the semi-finals against jamaica and they weren't sure she could play the grand final, if australia made it through.

well, that shit happened only days ago. australia had won their semi-final. it was hard, without their key shooter. but they tried their best, coming out victorious. they had one more game to play, grand final against the english.

odessa still didn't answer sams text. she spent most the time ignoring her phone completely. afraid to see what the entire world thought of her after she smashed her ACL and then failed the winning shot. she smiled at her doctor, telling him she was fine to play. and he believed her, allowing her to compete in the final game of the 2023 netball world cup.

because she hadn't been on her phone in days, odessa was completely clueless to the fact that ellie carpenter, kyra coney-cross and sam kerr were spotted at the melbourne airport. just days before their first finals game. ready to board a flight to cape town.

the trio sat in the packed crowd. rays of yellow and greens plus red and whites decorated the people around them. they blended into the cheering fans easily. all wearing australian colours.

the game started with a simple whistle. the english having the first centre pass, helen took the first score of the game easily. the next score going to kiera austin. odessa sat off from the starting line, nerves bottling up in her stomach. she watched the game with intense eyes. waiting for her coach to finally let her back on.

unlike in most sports, it was very rare for a mid-change over. time had to be called before there could make any swaps, each team had only one opportunity to swap players before they had to wait for a time signal from a player who wanted off the court.

the time ticked down, leading there to be only three minutes left of the first quarter. england led by three points. it didn't seem big, but it was a large lead for the two teams. the siren sounded for the first quarter 11 — 14.

the australian coach knew what needed to be done, she had already made her decision. the team circled around for their short break. hushed voices coming from their captain, kate and their coach, isabella. vocalising what needed to be done to win.

the whistle blew loudly. and the players were forced back onto court. steph wood, the player who had just played goal shooter had sat on the benches. kiera austin swapped her goal attack bib for a goal shooter one. letting odessa become the goal attack.

maddy proud was the wing attack, the trio walked towards their side of the court. the crowd cheered loudly, seeing who was back. for a moment, odessa forgot about all the hate she had received in the past few days. she was happy some people actually cared.

odessa had made a large impact to the game, she gave them a new found confidence they didn't have before during first quarter. when she had that ball in her hands. she knew what she was doing, and she did it well.