𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙎𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘢𝘭

We were playing Manchester United today on an away game. Nervous? Yes, very much.

"Steffy!" I jumped into Steph's arms.

"You saw me quite literally thirty seconds ago, Elena." Steph says to me as she pats my back.

"I know, but thirty seconds ago I didn't know we'd be starting together."

"Wait, really?" She asks me, walking over to the middle of the changing rooms where Kim had the lineup sheet.

"Mhm." I hum. "You're right behind me."

"Sweet." She high-fives me. She walks over to Lia and Beth to tell them they'd all be starting together while I walked over to Caitlin.

"Helooo." I sit beside her.

"Hello." Caitlin says back normally, a smile placed on her lips. "Want me to braid your hair?" She asks me and I smile while I nod at her.

United was a tough game like last season. Though this time they didn't keep the ball to themselves as much so we still got a few touches in there, but definetly less than them.

I yelled for Manu to get ready when I saw Ona getting ready to shoot. We'd had less collisions this game, but I could tell she'd still rather not have to face me. I mean, the feeling was mutual, but more because I knew I'd treated her like shit and I just didn't deserve her.

Ona was a defender so, seeing her on the ball right now on the verge of shooting was throwing us all on the edge. I ran infront of the goal as the ball left her foot. I just about jumped up and kneed it away from the goal to which Lotte managed to get before Less and passed to Steph.

As I ran back forward, I got a pat on my back from Tooney, telling me it was a good save. I reached back and shook her hand before taking off again.

The score was still 0:0 even after half time. During the 86th minute, Caitlin was subbed on for Viv. We shook hands as the game continued.

We were rewarded a penalty in the 89th minute when there was a hand ball from United.

"Who's taking it?" I ask as we group up infront of the penalty box.

"You should." Beth says to me.

"No, no, no." I shake my head. "No."

"Oh come on, didn't you score a banger of a penalty during the 2019 world up?" Jen asks me and I go to speak, but Steph shakes her head.

"You're taking it." She pushes me forward and the ref looks at me before placing the ball down infront of me.

I look back at Steph and glare at her, but when I look behind her, I see Caitlin giving me a comforting smile.

I turn back around and take a few steps away from the ball as I look Mary in the eyes. Good old Mary. She was a great goal keeper. I'd seen it during international games. She saved us a lot during games. Would she save United now?

The ref blew her whistle and I took one last deep breath as I ran forward and kicked the ball. I felt my heart in my throat as I watched the ball fly through the sky and Mary dive to stop it. She was going to get it, there was no way it was going to get in.

It got in.

Mary missed it by millimetres. I'd scored us a penalty kick, making the score 0:1 to us.

I turned around with a wide smile on my face as I heard the fans chanting my name. I wasn't even thinking when my legs started moving, but for some reason I was running straight towards Caitlin and next thing you know she had her arms out and my legs were wrapping around her waist and my arms in the air as I cheered and everyone came around me and celebrated with us.