new girl - leah williamson

chapter 11: come on soph..

we walk out the tunnel, fans screaming.
this is it.
the semi final of the euros, this could change everything.
we line up next to spain, mary and leah infront of me. we have on our classic white jackets that we wear out the tunnel. i tighten my hair, straighten my headband. we all have our game faces on. only one more game after this, this could change your life sophia.
this whole tournament has changed my career. i'm being nominated for a ballan d'or, and winning this tournament will cement my chances. i have scored a goal in every match this tournament, i have scored unbelievable goals. my name is everywhere. every touch of the ball it seems is setting new records. no one has ever scored in every game in a tournament, ever. no one has scored as many goals as me in a singular tournament, men or women's. and the tournament isn't even over yet.
the pressure is killing me.
one more game soph.
one. more. game.

we walk out onto the pitch, doing the normal handshakes and the national anthem.
we huddle up, a few minutes until kick off.

"okay girls..." leah starts her speech. she's a good speaker, but god she sounded so arrogant the whole time, like she was trying to control us.
everyone else looked as if they agreed with her. i couldn't be further from agreeing.
on the pitch, i forget all my feeling about leah. it hurts. but i have to.
i forget any feelings, for any teammate. any opposition.
but atleast im used to blocking these feeling out.

"we know what we can do, we also know what they're capable of, don't underestimate them. we play as a team, no taking it through the whole team yourself, you won't be able to do it, they know our ways, they'll know what you'll try to do" leah says, aiming it at me.

"play as a team. we're family. if you try, we'll be proud, give it your all we have nothing to loose. we have made it this far. come on girls."

"can i say something?" i whisper to leah beside me

"go ahead" she whispers back

"they're trying to throw me off, in the lineup three of them refused to shake my hand. i heard them talking at they're going to put two players marking me. "

"how'd you know?" millie asks

"half spanish, i'm fluent."

"ohh"

"okay girls! keep that in mind.
3..2..1 ENGLAND"
we all shout along with leah. we release from the huddle. leah walks over to me. she puts her hand infront of her mouth, so no lip readers can see, and no one from the other team can see.

"i'm sorry soph, but don't you dare be selfish this match. we are a team. spain is a better team than you've ever played before, you won't be able to run through them all easily, you might not be able to at all. listen to me, i'm your captain. if i say pass, pass. if i tell you man on, don't just ignore it.
the whole of england is depending on us. "

"have a little faith leah" i wink at her, as cocky and as arrogant as ever, dismissing everything she says. she walks away, sighing, knowing i'm not going to listen. leah's stubborn, but no one's nearly as stubborn as me.

the match kicks off, they have kick off. i press the ball, using my stamina to follow the ball around where their playing. i can feel the the tenseness between both teams.
we win the ball, by we i mean me. it's all me. i get the ball, and start running. already, not even two minutes in i get a shove in the back. i stumble, but i don't fall.

"RELEASE THE BALL" someone shouts from behind me. i ignore it, and i go to shoot. two feet slide into my leg.
i go down with a slight scream. the girl who tackled me, maria lèon, is on the floor. acting hurt?
what the fuck, she came in and tackled me.
i stand up, limping over to where she is.
"MALDITO GILIPOLLAS" YOU FUCKING DICKEAD! i should at her. she stands up, raising her eyebrows as if she didn't deserve it.