Your eyes were locked in, eyebrows furrowed and squinting slightly to assert dominance as you sauntered up to the penalty spot opposite Mary. She had that dirty smirk on her face that she does when she's trying to intimidate people but that doesn't work on you - she knew that so you wondered why she's even trying! You'd been friends for years and became roommates after you both joined Man U but since moving to Barcelona, you're now on the opposite side of the field. As the ref tried to sort out a ruckus between the players behind, you cemented the spot as yours. Nobody knows you like Mary.. but nobody knows Mary like you either. Endless days of practicing penalties against her probably makes her think she can read you like a book. But you know her tactics too; how she reads body language and positioning, studies every member of a team before a game and has player stats on her water bottle. You noticed she didn't check it for you though, clearly thinking she had this one in the bag. Since leaving the country for Spain you hadn't kept in contact at all, she'd unfollowed you on social media and blocked your number. It's sad but it's not your fault, she's the one that ruined the friendship.
From teenagers you'd grown into women together, spending nights holding each other's hair back over a toilet is where your friendship blossomed after your under 19 games. She was a liability but she was your liability and equally you were hers - always taking it in turns to be the sensible one. As you grew up, both of you realised you wanted to take football more seriously and those nights became few and far between... probably for the best really! Your late nights turned into bleary eyed car rides and sitting on the boot analysing the stars. Sometimes you would catch yourself missing it when you were driving home in the dark by yourself, wondering if she looks at the stars and thinks of you too. Those were the days when days were simple. You had plans to grow old together in the same care home causing havoc everyday but moving in together you soon realised you weren't compatible as roommates. Well.. it wasn't Mary that was the problem, she was your platonic soulmate, it was her boyfriend that caused the breakdown in your friendship. Mary's boyfriend took great offence to the different people you bought home most weekends, he didn't want Mary around that and for someone who never had a problem with it, she soon took his side over yours. You were young and single, what else was there to do? She used to be like that too until she wanted something better.
You're not bitter, you just hate the way things were left. It was a huge row fuelled by her boyfriend being home one night when you bought yet another person back to the flat. He lit the spark, making one simple comment then sat back and watched Mary implode; throwing you out along with all of your belongings in the middle of the night. Ripping her friendship bracelet off like you would a wedding ring and throwing it as she slammed the door in your face. Luckily, that's when Barca approached and just in time to get you out of the WSL and out of the country.
Unfortunately for you though Man U had qualified for the Champion's League this season which meant playing them and her in the quarter final. There's nothing you would have loved more than to be benched for this game but you'd really come on leaps and bounds since being at Barca. They'd developed your game into something you could have only dreamed about when you were little and was now a firm starter on the team. Unluckily for Mary, you were their star penalty taker too.
After one misplaced and badly timed tackle caused Geyse to fall to the floor inside the box, a penalty was immediately awarded. The score was currently 1-1 and with not a lot of time left on the clock, this was your time to shine. Mary had the longest clean sheet streak in the WSL and was only a few games away from making women's football history. You know how much keeping her clean sheet means to her which meant you had to break it. There's nothing you want more than to rip her streak away from her and rub that smug look off of her face.
You knew she would never expect you to shoot with your left foot, but that's just one skill you'd picked up in Spain that she didn't know about yet. Yeah, it's your weaker foot but it's your highest chance of getting it past the best goalie in the world - as much as you hated her winning that award, you knew she deserved it. The ref's whistle hurtled through your ears as you started your run up. Making sure you didn't give her any inkling of what way you were going until the last possible second. Watching her dive left as you shot right -
GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!
Not waiting for the ball to hit the back of the net you ran to the fans, knee sliding into the corner as you were bundled from behind by your teammates. One by one the bodies plucked themselves from you just as they were replaying the goal on the big screen. Looking up to see Mary's pissed off face projected onto it made you the happiest you'd been in ages, revenge certainly feels sweet!
Confidently taking your time strolling to the middle of the pitch to restart, nothing could wipe the happy little smirk off your face. Touching the ball a few times before the final whistle blew and cementing your team into the championship final. Shaking hands with your old teammates who passed you and chatting to the few who stopped to catch up, you didn't see Mary approach from behind. Gloved hands grabbed your shoulders and turned your body around to face her, "when did you learn to shoot with your left foot?" her voice sounding annoyed and a little impressed at the same time. "Few months ago, been saving it for a special occasion" you shrugged, not knowing what the reaction would be to your response. "Oh and you thought ruining my streak was a special occasion aih?" her voice animated as she nudged your ribs. "It was the only way I'd get it past the best goalie in the world" a hint of sarcasm in your sentence raised a small one sided smile from your ex best friend. "If anyone was going to ruin it, I'm glad it was you" taking your hand in hers and pulling your chests into each other. Disentangling your limbs you sensed a slight glimmer in both your eyes, wondering if the other remembered your old handshake. A few seconds passed as the situation was assessed by both of you before bursting into amateur dramatics and performing the handshake that was created on your 17th birthday.
Laughing together in the middle of the pitch you stopped suddenly, tilting your head to one side and sighing. "I've missed you" taking the first step of admitting the truth about the estranged friendship. Throwing her arm around your shoulders as you walked towards the dugouts, "me too, we've got lots to catch up on" Mary smiled disappearing up the tunnel together, loud giggling echoing off the metal walls.
