This Girl I Met

32

Today, we have an important game. 

I all began pretty okay : we were playing great, having good possession, which lead to a tie at halftime. But ever since the second half has begun, something went very wrong. The other team is aggressive on the ball, tackling us even though they don't do it properly. Yellow cards are flying, while our players takes more and more time to get up. Dahlkemper is probably the main target of the other team, because their forwards keep on bumping into her. I can clearly see she's trying to keep her composure. 

But around the 60th minute, shit goes down. 

When I see the Sonnetts on the stands - mother and daughter, who both hate me - my attention begins to be redirected somewhere else than in the game. I know it's not a good thing, especially since I am playing on their side of the field. Everytime I touch the ball, I know they are glaring at me meanly. 

After about twenty minutes into the second half, the ball is right in my feet. I start dribbling though the field, with only one goal in mind. I pass the first defender. And then the second, and the third. I don't hear Allie and her teammates screaming from the side, either the other players trying to warn me. I take the shot, and it goes in. But the keeper, who is way out of her line, accidentally punch me in the face really hard. I go down, hands on my face, while everybody around me start screaming. 

I briefly see one of my teammate stepping up to the keeper and punch her, while other girls are trying to hold them back. As my face is on the ground, the corner of my eye just sees Mal's face. The keeper is on the ground, her face is bleeding. 

Then, two hands are placed on my back. That person kneel next to me, and her soft voice just makes me shiver. 

"Lindsey, you all right ?" 

Emily. Of course. 

I see Ashley Sanchez holding Mal back, grabbing her arm and walking with her to the sideline. She obviously received a red card after that. Emily is slowly caressing my back, and I can feel she's nervous because I am not answering. 

"Lindsey, please tell me you're okay." she insists, sighing. "You were knocked down quite aggressively." 

No kidding, I think to myself, still holding my face. Shit, it hurts like hell. I imagine that Allie and Ashlyn are yelling at the refs, and that the rest of their teammates are backing them up. 

I roll to the side, my face still buried on my hands. I know several of my teammates are trying to calm Mal down - especially the poor Ashley, that is being yelled at by the angry brunette, while Moe is also yelling at the keeper Mal just punched.

Emily's hand is placed on my stomach, and my skin seems to burn for a second. For the first time, the pain just suddenly disappeared, while that warm feeling of her touch makes everything fade.

I remove my hand, tears falling down my eyes.

"Shit" I let out, shaking my head.

"I'm here" she then says, and I guess the others are not far away because she is whispering. "I won't leave your side, you have my word."

I shake my head once again. Even speaking hurts.

"E-Em-" I try to say, in vain.

She gets that I am in pain.

"Sssh" she softly says, her hand still on my stomach. I grab it without even thinking, just because her touch distract me from the pain. "I'm gonna stay right next to you, okay ? And you will get better, little fighter."

"Why are you dating him ?"

My voice just came out of my mouth without me even knowing why. Emily's face is in shock, and her eyes invaded in fear. She immediately removes her hand from my stomach, and the pain appears again.

She frowns.

"Linds, don't make a big deal out of this" she hisses. "Yes, I am dating your best friend. Whats wrong with that ?"

I immediately sit down, despite the pain.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I ask in a cleat voice, and now some of our teammates are listening to us. "That's wrong because I like you, and I thought you liked me too !"

She blushes.

"B-but, how was I supposed to know that, I-" she starts, lowering her voice.

"Are you so fucking stupid ?" I yell, and this time everybody is staring. But I don't give a shit. "I opened up to you ! I freaking kissed you ! Isn't that clear enough ?"

Emily's eyes go wide.

She turns her head, and sees her mother giving her a despising look, while Emma is just frowning. Our teammates have grown silent, and Mal stopped fighting. They all are looking at us.

I should have known that Emily would say what she said next. I should have kept my mouth shut, and just shut the fuck up.

Her words are sharp.

"I don't want anything to do with you, Lindsey" she says in a voice that doesn't sound like the one she usually adresses to me. "Geez, just, leave me alone."

She leaves the field. Just like that. The crowd is silent.

I just punch the ground and get up, ignoring the pain. When I start walking away, the first person that comes to me is Cari. I haven't crossed the sideline yet.

"We love you Linds" she says, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. "Don't you ever forget that"

With that said, she hugs me so tight that I just burst into tears. Suddenly, most of the team is around me, while Sam and Moe are running behind Emily.

Cari is setting her jaw. I think the storm just began, and my heart is too weak to resist it.