Mini McCabe

Chapter 9

Wednesday had finally come and I had been able to recover a bit. I could sit up easily. But watching tv still wasn't easy. It had just been Katie and I here the past two days with Caitlin and the rest of the team traveling for the game leaving yesterday. Katie obviously being suspended for this game and I can't even get out of bed so obviously we were left behind.

"Games about to start!" Katie said I could now at least deal with people talking at a normal level instead of whispering
"I don't think I can watch. Tv hurts too much still." I said sadly.
"Oh no problem" Katie said as I gave her a weird look. She came to my bed and made me scoot over pulling it up on her phone so only she could see. She then started commentating on every single play. Who had the ball. Where the pass was going what defense the other team was in. I mean everything down to the little details it was like I was watching the game myself.
At half time the score was 2-0 with goals from Alessia and Cloe making us both happy that we were up.
"You should be a sports announcer when you retire" I said half jokingly.
"You think? I was thinking I'd like to coach, but that was kinda fun not going to lie."
"I think either of those options you'd be really good at. But don't retire anytime soon please" I said both statements honestly.
"I won't. Don't worry." She said giving me a smirk before the second half kicked off
In the 83 minute Kyra had a beautiful long pass to Caitlin who slotted it into the bottom corner.
"YES CAITLIN"
"YES KYRA"
We both shouted in unison for our respective girlfriend and roommate.
I saw Katie gave me a weird look but I ignored it. The remaining couple of minutes I was lost in thought back to Kyra leaving abruptly from my room two days ago. I built up some confidence and finally decided to ask Katie for advice once the game was over just as she was about to stand up.
"Um before you go can I ask something."
"Yeah anything sis"
"When Kyra was here on Monday I asked her to read some of my messages for me because it was too much for me to do. Abby had apparently texted me about scoring and my injury and that she wants to talk and that she misses me. But then Kyra's tone completely changed and when I told her I might respond to Abby she said she had to go. Do you think she actually had to go or did I do something?"
I avoided looking at the smirk forming on Katie's face.
"So Caitlin had been right." She laughed to herself
"What?"
"Nevermind that. You didn't do anything wrong Laur. I think Kyra may have a bit of a crush on you and you thinking about texting your ex wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear."
"She has a crush on me?!"
"Well calm down she hasn't told me anything.  Caitlin mentioned her suspicions a while ago and that they had a conversation later on but wouldn't tell me what it was about. She's probably nervous to admit it if she does. I had one on Caitlin for a while and didn't know how to tell her so luckily she told me first."
"Well what should I do?"
"Well first you need to figure out what to do with Abby. Did you text her back?"
"Yeah. But I said I'd talk to her more when my concussion was gone."
"Okay well start there. I know I never met her so I may not have the right to say this, but it's a little suspicious that she waited until the day you scored a goal, gained a ton of followers, and got all of this social media attention before reaching out."
"Maybe she just cared about my injury too." I said defensively
"Yeah maybe but just be careful okay? And don't treat kyra differently. She's still one of your best mates. She cares about you   Crush or not."
I nodded at Katie's words, "thanks Katie."
"Of course. Well since you seem to be feeling a bit better would you be up to some more talking?"
"Sure. We have to do it at some point." I said knowing this conversation needed to happen.

"I'll start. I just want to apologize again to you for what I said. It was so uncalled for and not what I meant at all. I had no right to keep you out of the national team and shouldn't have used something you told me in private against you. I promise to never do that again.
I just have such high expectations for you. I want you to be better than me in every possible way. But because of that I was way too hard on you when you first got here. And trust me Caitlin and mom have yelled at me enough about that part so I totally know I was in the wrong. I know you're young. I know you're going to make mistakes. It was hard for me to accept that at first I wanted to help you avoid everything I did wrong, but I know that's not going to help you grow up. I just want you to know I'll be here for anything and everything you need whether it's concussions and girl problems until we are both old and gray okay?
And one more thing. I really truly appreciate you forgiving me and letting me know. I had a shit couple of days mentally knowing that I was the reason for not winning and for your injury and then on top of that having you not talk to me for a couple weeks. So thank you that helped more than you know."

I couldn't help but smile for a minute at my big sister for that apology. That was exactly what I needed to hear.
"I appreciate that a lot thank you. I mean you know how much you pissed me off so I won't go into that but what you said really hurt my confidence. The day Abby and I broke up all I could think about was what you said and the breakup. I had a moment of wanting to quit knowing I'll never be you. Never live up to the McCabe name.
I somehow talked myself out of that low point and had some good games over camp. But then before the Arsenal game the first thing I thought before heading out of the tunnel was wonder if I'm never going to be good as Katie. It's just hard to compete with you so all I ask is you never shoot my confidence down like that again. I'm not sure I'd recover. I know you're going to have some criticism along the way you're my big sister that's your job, but don't say it like you did."

"I promise I won't ever again. I'm so sorry I hurt you like that. But you don't have to be as good as me. You don't have to live up to my name. You're Lauryn McCabe. Not Katie. Live up to Lauryns potential make a new name for yourself. Yeah you will have the family legacy forever. But add to it don't just follow it."

By this point we were both crying happy tears and I basically tackled Katie with a hug after her last statement which really wracked my brain but it was worth it.