Unspoken Goals

Championship

December 18th

The locker room hummed with anticipation, the energy thick and electric as the team prepared for the championship game. Last week's semifinal victory had propelled them here, to one of the biggest matches of their lives, and while most of the team exuded excitement, Juliette felt an unfamiliar weight pressing against her chest. She had always been calm and composed before games, but this was different. This was the championship. This was everything to her.

She sat on the bench, staring at the floor, knees bouncing wildly as her headphones blasted the playlist she had carefully curated to steady her nerves. Usually, it worked. Tonight, it wasn't. Her breath was uneven, the thoughts in her mind spiraling too fast to catch. Then, a warm touch on her thigh snapped her from her spiral. She looked up and met Abigail's familiar blue eyes, instantly feeling some of the pressure in her chest loosen.

Abigail motioned for her to remove her headphones. Juliette hesitated before sighing and pulling them off. "Can we go for a walk?" Abigail asked softly.

Juliette blinked at her, confusion flickering in her gaze. "Right now?"

Abigail simply nodded.

Juliette glanced at the clock on the wall, stomach twisting. "Abs, coach is going to be in here in ten minutes for the talk, and then we have to—"

Abigail didn't wait for her to finish. Instead, she stood and extended a hand. An unspoken invitation.

Juliette hesitated for only a second before sighing and slipping her hand into Abigail's. The warmth of it grounded her, steadied her more than the music ever could.

Silently, Abigail led her out of the locker room, down the empty hallways of the stadium. Their footsteps echoed off the walls, the only sound between them. When they finally stopped in a quiet corridor, away from the noise, Abigail turned to face her.

Without a word, she cupped Juliette's face in her hands, her thumbs brushing gently against her cheeks, tracing invisible lines of comfort. "What's going on, Jules?" she asked softly. "I've never seen you like this before."

Juliette swallowed hard, struggling to find the words. "I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head slightly. "I just feel this... this weight on my chest, like if I don't play perfectly, I'll let everyone down."

Abigail's brows knit together, a soft frown tugging at her lips. "Baby," she murmured, her voice tender, "no matter what happens out there, you're not letting anyone down."

Juliette pulled away, her hands finding her hips as she started to pace. "But I would. This is a lot of these girls' first time in a championship. If I screw up, if I don't execute exactly how I need to—" She let out a frustrated breath. "We could lose. And that would be on me."

Abigail watched her for a moment, then shook her head. "Jules, you do realize soccer is a team sport, right? It's not all on you." Her voice was patient but firm. "Not a single person in that locker room would blame you if we lost. And I think you know that. So what's really going on?"

Juliette stopped pacing. Her shoulders tensed, her throat tightening as a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Abigail was at her side in an instant, pulling her into a hug. Juliette melted into her, burying her face in the crook of Abigail's neck, breathing her in like she was the only air left in the world.

For a moment, the weight pressing down on her chest eased.

After a long silence, Juliette finally lifted her head, her arms still wrapped around Abigail's waist, their bodies close in the dim hallway light. Abigail's arms remained draped around her neck, waiting, patient as ever.