Fine Line

We'll Be Alright

The mood was solemn, they fell at the final hurdle. When it mattered most, they failed. Ella felt anger, frustration in its purest form. She wanted to kick and scream, their dream dangled in front of their faces, only to be ripped away through their own doing.

Spain were the better side, but that fact only soured the taste in her mouth.

The media were already having a field day. Photos of their distraught, shell shocked faces plastered across every article. Red, puffy eyes standing out in each photo.

But there was one picture that ripped through Ella's gut.

It was one of Alessia. Her usual beaming smile shattered, her teeth nipping the inside of her lip as she looked up to the stands. Her eyes filled with pain, she was one of the many players taking it very hard. Between Lucy, Mary and Millie there was nothing but utter anguish behind their eyes. But in Alessia's eyes, Ella seen something different. Something was missing. She wasn't sure what.

She was yanked from her stirring thoughts as the team were ushered through the gates to their flight. Australia had been amazing but now - Ella was ready for home.

They settled into their seats, listening to the usual safety demos, the painfully spirited flight attendant was making Ella restless. She fidgeted, sighing a bit louder than she meant to, earning a sideways smirk from Georgia who sat in the middle row.

It was something Alessia would usually tease her for, but when she looked over to the blonde. She was staring blankly ahead. Her face emotionless, her eyes hollow.

Seeing her like this just rehashed every feeling from that game for Ella. Her heart fell heavy, she chewed her lip as she looked down to her lap. Holding back the lump in her own throat.

****

They had been in the air for about 4 hours at this point. The majority of the team were sleeping. Everyone except Tooney, Alessia and a few others in the back row, who were watching a film. Alessia hadn't spoken a word. In fact, she had barely moved.

She wasn't being cold with the midfielder but Ella just didn't know what to say or do.

'It wasn't meant to be'

'our time will come'

'you played amazing'

'We done our country proud'

'We placed second in a World Cup! That's such an achievement'

That final thought made Ella's entire body cringe. It was a sentence she had heard far too much over the last 48 hours. She knew deep down it was true. If she could tell her 5 year old self that she would represent the Lionesses at a World Cup and leave with a medal around her neck, her younger self would never sleep again, no matter the colour of the medal. The excitement would be too much... But right now - her emotions were still raw.

She thought back to Alessia's face when Sarina had announced it in the changing rooms following the game... The striker looked as though their coach had rubbed salt into an open wound.

'I'm here for you'

'Please stop beating yourself up'

'It's not your fault'

With each thought she was getting more and more frustrated. She had argued with herself for long enough, she decided to act on her instinct.