Foolish one

Chapter 50

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Tears were shed writing this chapter. Enjoy babes!
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2019 passed quickly and before we even knew it, we had our first game of 2020. We all travelled to Bilbao by plane. It wasn't a particularly long trip, and we had a final practice the day before. I sat next to Alexia on the flight. Her hand was resting in mine, and I was enjoying it a lot. We had been together for almost a year and a half now. It was a long time and my first adult relationship.

I shared a room with Aitana, as I always did on away trips. Tomorrow was a day that I wouldn't forget for a long time. A day that would go down in history books for football lovers, but I am getting ahead of myself.

The day started as it usually did, with a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of tea. "Excited for today?" Alexia asked and sat down next to me. She placed a kiss on my cheek in that same motion. "You know I am" I said with a smile. The two of us ate in conversation with the other players at our table. Alexia rested her hand on my thigh the entire time. She always said that it brought her luck, I was not sure about that, but I wasn't going to call her out on it. "I can't believe that we are playing our first game of the year, and that you are playing your first game as twenty-one" Alexia said with that stupid smile of hers. "You are more excited about my aging than I am myself" I answered her.

On the bus I sat with Alexia. My head was on her shoulder, and we listened to music together. I was the one who decided what to play, Alexia complained about it as usual. She did it with a smile and I knew she never really cared about what I played. "Can I get a good luck kiss?" I asked when the bus rolled closer to the arena. Alexia didn't need to respond. She just placed her soft lips over mine, and I felt myself smiling.

We warmed up and I felt like it was a good warm up. Every touch I had on the ball was perfect. I played pass after pass, made run after run and everything felt amazing. It was all too good to be true.

I took a step out on the pitch, following Sandra and Alexia. On the other side of me were the players of Athletic Club. I took on the game with a big smile on my face. Running around and tackling. I made a few good crosses; the only bad part was that Alexia didn't get any of them into the goal. Neither did Aitana or Lieke.

At halftime when we went into the changing room, we were level. 0-0. Lluís yelled a little at us, but he also praised our defence, and we went out with purposeful steps. Everyone knew what was expected of them, and we knew exactly what to do.

In the 64th minute I played a long ball to Jenni who passed it to Mariona. She scored an amazing goal, and we were now up with one goal. A minute later I was running after one of their players who were on a break. I took the ball away from her with a nice tackle, and the ball were not at my feet. It was my turn to advance, but as I made my pass to Aitana in the midfield I felt a sharp pain in my left knee. A pain that wasn't bearable. I heard a loud pop and went down to the ground, clutching my aching knee.

I only saw the grass below me and I knew why this was happening to me. I hadn't jumped before the game.

I hadn't jumped before the game.

I hadn't jumped before the game.

I hadn't jumped before the game.

I had ruined everything for myself. The jumps worked, I was just distracted by everything around me. How did I forget them? And why did I ruin everything for me?

I felt a hand on my back, stroking it softly. Someone was talking to me, but I just felt the panic rising inside my chest.

Breathe in. Hold for five seconds. Breathe out. Hold for another five. And repeat. And repeat. Five more times. Get the panic out. Focus on what the people above you are saying.

"Where does it hurt Isa?" someone asked. It took me a moment to recognise that voice, but when I did, I pulled her down to the ground. "My knee" I whispered into her shoulder. She held me tight, comforting me more than I could ever imagine.

The medical staff was there seconds after Alexia arrived. The referee must have waved at them to come and help me. "We are taking you off. Can you walk?" one of them asked. I was laying on the ground, my jersey covering my face. I hated that people saw me like this, and I didn't want them to see me crying. "She can't" Alexia said. "And you should get her a blanket or two, it is cold out" she continued. Protective was a great word to describe her in this situation.

Tears streamed down my face as I was placed on the stretcher. A blanket covered my legs, and I was doing my absolute best to cover my face. Alexia walked by my side, holding my hand, and mumbling comforting words. I couldn't hear what she said, or maybe I didn't listen enough. It didn't matter, because I was injured, and I knew it was bad.

I started into the distance while the examined my knee. They didn't have everything needed here, and I would have to go to the hospital when we got back to Barcelona in the evening. "We fear that you have torn your Anterior Cruciate Ligament. It can be confirmed by a doctor back in Barcelona. An MRI will probably be required to check the extent of the damage, and you will undergo one tomorrow in Barcelona. Based on what that one says we will make up a plan for you Elisa" one of the two men in the medical staff said.

The game would almost be over. I was handed a pair of crutches, and my knee was tightly wrapped with ice to reduce the swelling. I couldn't move. My body didn't listen to what I ordered it to do. This was not good.

I laid there, with my knee elevated and waited. Alexia rushed inside as soon as the game was over. "Are you okay? Did they say what it is?" Alexia asked worriedly. "Do I look okay to you?" I snapped. Being injured was not something I enjoyed, and it was obvious based on my mood alone that I didn't want to talk to her. "I'm sorry. I know you are not okay, and I can't even imagine how hard this must be for you" she said. I couldn't be angry at her anymore, and I was mad at myself for snapping at her,

Tears streamed down my face once again, and I hid it inside the warm embrace of my girlfriend. "I have done my knee" I whispered before breaking down in sobs once again. Only now did it hit me that I was severely injured and didn't just have a minor niggle. No response was needed from her, I knew she was taking everything in. It was hard for her too. But it was harder for me.

"I will be there for you every step of the way" she said calmingly. I heard the worry in her voice, and I knew she was staying strong for me. "You better be" I joked with her, letting out a small laugh in the process. "Why would I ever want to leave you?" she asked, and not in the same joking manner as I had used earlier. "I mean, you have yet to put a ring on me, so" I said jokingly. It was me coping with what was going on. By laughter and jokes, not the best way, but the only way I saw possible.

I couldn't hear what she responded with, but we were no longer alone. A few of our teammates had joined her in the little room I was in. "How bad is it?" Ottilia asked. "Bad, they think I have a fully torn ACL. I will have to go in for a scan when we get back to Barcelona" I answered. "I'm so sorry" Mapí said, and I saw the tears she tried to keep inside.

It was a bad day. A day I wouldn't forget for a long time. A day that would go down in history for football lovers. 

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I've got the worst writers block. If anyone has any ideas on what to write you can always send them to me and I'll see what I can do. I need some filler chapters before I can continue with what I want to write.

As always, votes and comments are greatly appreciated!

Isn't it incredibly funny that Paredes literally means walls?

Nathalie Björn as captain for Sweden did something for me. As well as Filippa Angeldahl scoring. Proud to say that we have all played for the same club, with an overlapping year.

Thank you all for 100k reads on Castles Crumbling! Check it ouut if you haven't!!

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