woso - new player

First impressions

*this is my first work so it's not written great, it's also quite rushed but I've thought about where I want it I go for the next chapters. Also I don't speak an ounce of Italian so with the help of google translate and my Italian friend I've given it my best shot so ignore it if it's a bit messed up. Also English isn't my first language-
Viv 🩷*

I stood on the side of the muddy field. My pink light up runners pinching my toes as I kicked around the rock by my feet. I kicked the rock as hard as a could and it bounced down the grass. My grandma watched from her kitchen window as some of the local boys played football at the end of the field and she enjoyed watching them. She looked to the left where I, age 4 was kicking my rock. My wavy blonde pigtails bobbing around as I ran back to the house. My grandma met me with open arms.
"Gran I want to play with them" I exclaimed pointing at the boys. They were at least twelve if not older and triple my size.
"Maybe later, want to come inside instead and help me learn a new song?" Gran said, trying to distract me from the boys. She knew they'd knock me over or just not allow me to play. I was very little after all. Me and gran when inside to the piano that was placed against the living room wall. My Grandpa had an Arsenal scarf hung proudly above the piano and a picture with Thierry Henry sat framed on the top of it. Gran sat me down on the bench and started pressing the keys. She loved music, and so did I. I watched football with my grandpa and my dad, but Gran and I shared the love for music. She was teaching me piano and guitar from as young as 2. When my Mum came to pick me up that evening Gran pulled her aside. "You really should think about putting Gracie in football, I think she'd enjoy it. And burn off a bit of energy."
Mum nodded. "I think she's just a bit too young but when she's 6 we'll put her in the local club. I know Dad is eager for her to play."

And now here I stood. My suitcase at my feet, my legs feeling like jelly, as I stood outside the Arsenal training centre. The taxi has dropped me off quite far away so I'd had to lug my bag up the road for a good 20 minutes, but nonetheless I was here. And pretty much on time. I took a deep breath, I'd made it. I won't lie- getting here was a nightmare. Although I'd spent the first four years of my life growing up in the English countryside, my parents and Grandparents had packed up our lives and moved to Italy where I'd spent the rest of my life up until now. Sounds random to move considering we didn't have any connections to Italy but I'm sure they had a reason. I was never told, and I never asked why we moved. I just accepted it. I could speak fluent English, and although I'd now spent more time speaking Italian, I still spoke Italian with an English accent which either made everyone at school make fun of me or get me to speak since they liked the way I talked. But I did sometimes forget English when I was too emotional. Something that happened often when I was younger, which would lead to heated arguments between my parents and me since I was the only one who could speak Italian and would resort to it in rows and fights.

My flight had been cancelled, so I was due to arrive at the house yesterday and instead went straight from the airport to the training grounds. I walked into the building. I could hear faint music playing and one or two girls chattering. It was only 9.45 so I doubt everyone had arrived yet. I walked into what I can only assume the hall. I'd been shown the training centre but on a zoom call almost four months ago so I don't remember a thing. I wander around a bit aimlessly but I don't go very far before I feel someone's hand on my back.
"Hi Gracie, right?" A woman with tanned skin and dark brown hair put her hand on my shoulder. "I'm Lydia, one of the part time physios"
I nodded my head. "Hi"
I looked down at my feet. This was really happening. Before the conversation could go any further, Kelly Smith and Jonas Eidevall came down the hallway. Quickly followed by the legendary Leah Williamson. The three of them came with me into Jonas's office.
"We heard about your flight delay- so don't worry about today training we understand you're tired" Kelly started. Jonas nodded, "We aren't expecting anything other than what you can do today given the circumstances. Leah will walk you through our schedule and keep an eye on you for now until you settle. We are going to start with a debriefing meeting this morning about the game two days ago against West Ham. Just to go over everything."
I nodded, my eyes flickering around the room. God this is terrifying. I know this sounds silly but all I wanted in that moment was my Mum, but obviously she wasn't here- she wasn't even in the same country. And even if she was, we hadn't left things on good terms. My attention came back to the conversation. "Ok, I'll show you where to put your things for now and we'll give you the training gear and stuff. Do you have boots and everything?" Leah asked. I nodded. She gave a quick smile to Jonas before standing up and ushering me to go with her. I dragged my suitcase, the wheels on it were either cracked or just snapped off completely so it wasn't going to roll as smoothly as one would like. She walked with such...confidence. She was comfortable, no wonder I mean she has practically grown up in the club.
"Sorprendente" amazing i whispered.
"Huh?" Leah said slightly turning around.
"Oh, sorry nothing," I said, I could feel my hands shaking with nerves. She brought me to what the girls apparently called the chill room, essentially just a small enough room with a dark grey couch, a red sofa and a few bean bags scattered around.
"You can leave youre bag here" she gestured toward the corner beside the end of the couch. I nodded and put it down. "If you have any questions or problems come to me or one of the girls, we're a team, yeah?" She said, her eyebrows slightly raised. I nodded again. "Have a minute to get yourself ready and then come and meet us at the gym. It's out this door, down the hall and toward the end there is two massive doors with gym written across it, hard to miss" she smiled as she left me to my own devices. I sat down for a minute on the couch. Bloody hell. I was about to train with the Arsenal. The Arsenal I had supported my whole life. The Arsenal that my grandpa had bought the full kit of for me when I was seven to show off to the boys. The Arsenal with legends like Vivianne Miedema, Kim Little, Leah Williamson, Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo. I stood up, took a deep breath and walked myself to the gym. Leah was stood down by the foam rollers talking to Kim.
"Hi, you're Gracie right!" Kim called down. "Sorry- believe it or not I was the one meant to be showing you around but I wasn't sure if I could make it to training today so Jonas got Leah to do it. But I'm here now," she smiled. She had a warmth about her. I smiled back. "Wow."
Leah and Kim laughed. Quickly the rest of the girls filtered in. They all came up to me and either hugged me or shook my hand. Vivianne Miedema came in with Beth Mead at 11. I stood and stared at them, mouth slightly open but trying not to look in absolute awe but clearly failing because Alessia nudged me. "You ok?" She laughed.
"What? Yeah" I blushed. I was not used to being in a room with such incredible people. I had been playing for my local girls team in Milan until about two years ago when I got signed to the Rome Girls Academy of Excellence. That's when I moved to Rome, then I signed a proper contract for Roma Feminí. That's where I'd been spotted by Jonas and gotten an offer I couldn't say no to. I loved Roma but it never felt like home. I hoped Arsenal would make me more comfortable. Maybe.
Kim handed me a stack of clothes. "The top things are for training today. I'll give you the schedule for when to wear what, but I think just wear the blue and green top and tracky bottoms, or shorts? Up to you"
"Grazie" thanks i say automatically. She nodded and walked away. Shit. I need to speak in English. English. Like the language you're fluent in and have been speaking to your family in for your entire life??
I went to bathroom and got changed before joining everyone in the hub where Jonas was debriefing everyone. Thankfully he hadn't started yet. I took a seat in the second front row, beside Beth. Jonas ran through tactics, mistakes made, and of course praised them on what they'd done well. He ended the meeting by saying, "as I'm sure you all know, we have a new signing this season. This is Gracie Thedorise. She's moved from Italy but- as far as I know- speaks English. Obviously I know you'll all welcome her here." The room clapped and faces turned to me. I sunk in my seat a bit. I hate hate hate attention being on me. When the meeting was over, everyone went to the gym. A few of the exercise analysts and physiotherapists got me to do some testing, jumping, running, lifting and stretching. Once I'd done that I was brought into the physiotherapists office. I was introduced to Rose- head of physio. She gave me a quick check, mainly focusing on my ankles since I'd injured my left one two seasons ago and then I'd torn the ligaments in my right one last season at Roma.
"How does that feel?" She asked as she rolled my ankles back a bit. I winced slightly. It hurt but I think it's just really tight. Flights tended to mess up my ankles- wether they got really swollen or just achey. "Fine."
"Mhm" she said, not fully convinced. "You know if something is sore you can say? It's better if you do. I don't know you're body or how it feels, only you do. If you damage something that could have been prevented you'll be angry with yourself for not saying something before, yeah?"
"Yep."
She carried on stretching everything out. All the while all I wanted was to get back into the gym. After Rose was done, it was lunch. I wasn't very hungry, flights made me very anxious so my body was never fully right after. Leah came over, Lia Waltï following close behind her. "Here," Leah said, handing me a plate. I nodded thanks. "You're very noddy," she smiled. I nodded before thinking momentarily about how I'd just responded, which made Lia laugh. "Noddy, I like that nickname!" She said teasingly. I giggled, great I'd been here only two and a half hours and I'd already been given a dodgy nickname. Leah walked me up to the counter. There was some sort of noodle dish? Maybe stir fry? And a chickpea and carrot soup. Also rice with beetroot and corn through it. A bit random but I don't mind. I took a small amount of the noodles, avoiding the chickpea and carrot soup- I hate carrots, and grabbing one of the smoothies that was sitting beside the rice. "You can take as much as you want, they always seem to have more," Leah said.
I nodded. "This is ok."
I sat down beside Manu, Beth, Viv, Steph, Katie and Caitlin. I brought my knees up to the sides of the chair so I was sitting cross legged across the plastic seat. Katie shot me a look of confusion.
"Contortionist?" She said, mockingly. She was smiling though, a kindness and spark in her eyes.
"Oh um I-" i spluttered, my hands looping around my legs. Id always sat like this, ever since I was five and too little for my legs to touch the floor when I sat down so i would fold them for more comfort.
"Ignore her," Caitlin said, slightly rolling her eyes but her grin being a dead give away that she wasn't actually mad. Everyone ate their food, I picked around at it. Like I said, flights always make me feel a bit dodge. Beth noticed I hadn't really eaten very much.
"You're ok, yeah? I now it's a new place, but you're good. There's a reason you're here, you're a gunner!" She said encouragingly. I nodded up at her. I hated being a burden to people and I don't want everyone thinking I'm not okay. Flights just don't go down well with me. I'm so afraid of when the plane is flying smoothly because I get scared that this is when something bad is unexpectedly going to happen. The rest of training was drills outside. Being around a football instantly eased me. During the mini matches I swerved the ball around, passing it to my team and taking shots without thinking about it twice. But then I got knocked over. Fuck. I felt a stud clip my boots and the next thing I know I was on the floor.
"per l'amor di Dio. Fanculo!" For gods sake. Fuck you! I said, hands gripping my ankle. The pitch went silent and I looked up to see Katie looking down at me.
"I'm so sorry! My studs got caught!" She spluttered, reaching her hand out for me to take. I took it and let her help me to my feet.
"Ah!" I said as I put weight on my right ankle. "non di nuovo!" Not again.
Lydia came over with a bag. "You ok Gracie?" She said, placing the bag down and taking out gloves.
"Yeah yeah" I said letting go of Katie's arm. There where white marks on her elbow from where I'd been gripping it for support. I hobbled back to my position.
"Gracie let me have a look at it" Lydia said, gesturing for me to sit back down.
"Nah I'm ok. Onestamente" honestly