Quinn Walker - Let's Start Over

Chapter One - Bronze Medal Match

They lost. It sucks. My first time watching a professional soccer match and my team lost. I've got to give them credit because it was a bronze medal match at the World Cup, but still, come on Aussies you're one of the best teams in the world. Not to discredit the hard work of the Swedes, but our defensive line could have been better, and so could our offensive line.

I watched as the players dropped to the grass tilting their heads between their knees or into the shoulders of their fellow teammates. These women were my inspiration so it was hard to watch them all look broken at the 2 - 0 score they had to succumb to. I wore my number nine jersey with pride as I tapped the Australian badge a few times to remind myself that I'm proud to be Australian no matter what. This was a home World Cup and I managed to get a ticket to the bronze medal match to watch the Matildas play, I should be happy enough with that.

The crowds were beginning to pour out of the stadium, I was sat five rows from the front, so I decided to stick around to see if I could meet any of the players. Many of the Australian fans left even before the bronze medal presentation so I managed to sneak around to a more open part of the barricade. I was positioned next to the tunnel as everyone was trying to crowd around the seated players. 

None of the girls seemed particularly in the mood to sign anything so I didn't set my hopes too high, instead, I found a spare seat in the corner and waited. It had been a long day, I had to catch the bus from a couple of hours away to make it to Suncorp Stadium and it was beginning to get very late. I pulled my hood over my head, listened to the announcement for the Swedes to collect their medals, and decided to shut my eyes whilst I waited for the players to head inside.

* * *

The next thing I knew someone was rather aggressively shaking my arm, as I rubbed my eyes to wake myself. I fell asleep! I glanced to my side to see a security guard with a stern look on his face looking at me. "Time to go, young lady," he said as he grabbed me by the upper arm.

His grip was tight and was definitely going to leave a mark. He began to lift me out of the chair by my bicep but I hated the feeling of his touch on my body. I shook it off and ran, at least if he wanted me out I would run out shortly. I expected him not to follow but I could hear his heavy footsteps and words telling me to 'stop' and 'slow down'. Did he think chasing me was really going to make me stop running?

I had next to no idea where I was running but I knew I'd definitely missed my bus home. I focused on the concrete under my feet as I ran as fast as I possibly could up the flights of stairs and into the body of the stadium. Missing my chance to get my jersey signed was not on my agenda for tonight, but at least I saw the game, right?

Finally finding an exit, the building spat me out onto the dark roads of Brisbane with no idea of where I was to go. There were still numerous crowds around, with one being much larger than the others. I noticed one final barricade blocking the large group of people from a much quieter road so I took off straight for it, hopping it in one smooth motion. An uproar of people was heard behind me as heavy footsteps approached.

"Stop!" someone yelled causing me to freeze. I took a few steps back trying to avoid wherever the voice was booming, but I crashed directly into someone. I flinched at the sudden contact on my body and squeezed my eyes shut to hide from the reality I was in. 

"You need to go," said a deep voice as two hands grabbed my shoulders and attempted to pull me away from the person I was standing against. But whoever it was I bumped into pushed the firm grip off and wrapped their arms around me. Did I like it at first? No. But at some point between the yelling and the random grabs at my shoulders, I melted into the arms of this random person.