I didn't choose her, my heart did

The determination

Keira's POV:

The minutes seemed like hours as we waited for the ambulance. Lucy sat against the bench, her face white with pain and fear. I held her hand tightly, trying to suppress my own panic.

'Kei, what if... what if this is something serious?' she asked softly, her voice broken.

I shook my head and forced myself to remain calm, despite the storm raging inside me. 'We don't know anything yet, Luce. It will be fine. You're strong, you've already proved that.'

But deep inside, I felt uncertainty gnawing at me. What if this wasn't just something? What if... what if this meant the end of her career? Or worse, her mobility?

_

The doctors were quick and professional, but the hours we spent in the examination room were excruciating. Lucy underwent scans, tests and questionnaires, while I waited outside the room. My legs would not stay still; I walked up and down the corridor, my hands shaking.

Finally, a doctor approached me. 'Keira, you can go in.'

I rushed to Lucy's room and found her upright in bed, but her gaze was blank.

'What did they say?' I asked cautiously.

She took a deep breath. 'They say there is nerve damage, Kei. It's not permanent, but recovery could take months or longer.' Her voice broke at the last part of the sentence.

I sat down next to her, my hand on hers. 'Luce, this is a bump in the road. We'll get through this, together.'

But I could see from her eyes that the words did not reassure her.

_

The recovery process began again, but this time it seemed more difficult. Lucy was quieter, more withdrawn. She laughed less, talked less, and I felt the gap between us growing.
I tried to be there for her, but it felt like nothing I did was enough. Every time I encouraged her, I could see the pain in her eyes. She was frustrated, angry at her own body.

One evening, while I was making dinner, I heard her sighing from the living room. When I looked inside, I saw her staring at old pictures, pictures of her on the field, smiling, strong.

I sat down next to her. 'Luce, why are you doing this to yourself?'

She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. 'Because I don't know who I am without football, Keira. And I don't know if I'll ever get back to that level.'

My heart broke. 'Lucy, you are so much more than football. And whatever happens, I'm staying here. I love you, not because of what you do, but because of who you are.'

_

Slowly, very slowly, Lucy began to open up again. She went to her rehabilitation sessions, though often reluctantly. But one small moment changed everything.

During one session, for the first time, she tried a few steps again without help. I was there to catch her but she did it. And when she turned to me, with that little smile of pride on her face, I knew there was hope.

'See? You are stronger than you think,' I said as I hugged her.

She laughed softly. 'Maybe. But I can't do this without you, Kei.'

_

As the weeks passed, Lucy began to cautiously dream of the field. Her physiotherapist encouraged her to slowly start light exercises again. It was not easy; every failed attempt seemed to pull her down again.

One day, I stood in the doorway as she practised with a ball in the backyard. She kicked the ball against the wall, again and again, with a mix of determination and frustration on her face.Noticing me, she called out, 'Come on, Kei. Show what you can do.'

I laughed and ran out, ready to challenge her. We played a gentle game, and for a few minutes everything seemed normal. Her laughter filled the air, and I saw the old Lucy coming back, if only for a moment.

But reality soon caught up with us. One day, after an intensive session, Lucy collapsed from exhaustion. I ran to her, my heart pounding in my chest.

'Lucy, are you okay?' I asked in a panic.

She nodded weakly. 'I'm just... tired. Kei, what if it's never enough? What if I can never go back?'

I helped her up and looked at her sternly. 'It's not about going back, Lucy. It's about moving forward. One step at a time. And when you fall down, you get up again. That's who you are.'

_

It seemed like we were finally moving forward, but fate had another surprise in store.One morning, while I was helping Lucy with her exercises, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and found Sarina on the pavement.

'I heard what happened,' she said. 'Can I come in?'

I let her in, and Lucy's eyes got big when she saw Sarina.

'Lucy,' Sarina began, 'I want you to know that your place in the team has never been in doubt. But I'm here to ask: what do you want? Do you want to keep fighting? Or are you thinking about something else?'

The question hung heavy in the air, and I felt my breath caught in my throat. Lucy looked from Sarina to me, her face a mixture of emotion.

'I want to fight,' she finally said, her voice determined.

Sarina nodded. 'Good. But know this: it's your journey, Lucy. Not anyone else's. Do it your way.'

That night, while Lucy lay beside me and finally seemed to be deep asleep, I could not catch sleep myself. Her words to Sarina had touched me, but I knew the road to recovery was still long.

And then, in the middle of the night, I felt Lucy move next to me. Her breathing quickened, and she shot straight up.

'Kei,' she whispered, her voice shaky. 'I felt it again... my leg. It tingled, as if it fell away again.'

My heart skipped a beat. What did this mean again? Was this a sign of more obstacles to come? Or was this just a nerve recovering?

'Calm down, Luce,' I said, pulling her against me. 'We'll go to the doctor tomorrow. But whatever happens, we'll do this together. Okay?'

She nodded, but I could see the fear in her eyes. And deep inside, I felt it too. What else lay in our path?