USWNT Oneshots

Not Smart- Mal Pugh

notes from author:
i'm going to start typing in lowercase. if y'all don't like lowercase, i can change back to capitals. also, i will start to go back and put the name of the person, that the oneshot is about. this will help people if they only like one person, or two people. hopefully this helps people!!

..........

i sprinted up the side, trying to get back in front of the dutch player. i sped past the sideline with my team and heard them. they were all yelling encouraging things. cheering me on.

adrenaline rushed through my body hearing them. i told my legs to move faster. i looked down and continued to sprint.

i made it in front of the girl, but just as i go for the ball i feel hands shove me from behind.

i put my hands up in front of me, ready to hit the ground. and as i do, an unnoticeable crack can be heard.

the whistle blows, and i quickly stand up. i walk around trying to shake out the pain in my hand.

abby, becky, and crystal run over to me. the dutch player is currently receiving a yellow card.

"you good leah?" abby asked and i clenched my eyes shut trying to rid of the pain.

"let me see it." becky holds out her hand and i set my wrist in it. the girls gasp at my swollen wrist.

"that's broken le. you need to go off." crystal says quickly and i shake me head.

"i can't go off. i'll just run over and get it wrapped." i quickly say, fighting off the pain.

"we're getting word that the current foul is being reviewed for further judgment of call." the announcer speaks over the stadium and the fans clap.

"go." becky motions for me.

i jog over to the sideline and jill, along with trainers are standing there. the rest of my teammates, along with my girlfriend are all standing up worried.

"sit down girls." one of our coaches says pushing the girls back.

"your doing phenomenal leah. what seems to be the problem?" jill asks and i hold up my wrist. jill makes a face that doesn't look promising.

"you need to come off leah. that's broken." i shake my head at her statement.

"no. i refuse. just wrap it please. jill i need to finish this." i beg of my coach and she motions for the trainers to come over.

the girls start talking behind everyone. i look up at them and smile. they all wave and give me thumbs up. i look over at mal and she looks worried. she's talking to emily. i nod my head signaling i'm okay. she nods back and smiles.

"your 19 leah. this is too much stress on your body." jill says seriously to me. i hold out my arm and let the trainers wrap it.

"and i got it under control. you've known me since i was 16 jill. i handle this stuff perfectly." i say back and flash her a smile.

she scoffs, "would you like to discuss that concussion 2 years ago. 'i'm fine coach. seriously.' you ended up having a brain bleed."

"that was once jill. this is nothing." i'm interrupted by the crowd cheering. the player who did this was awarded a red card.

i look down at my arm and see it wrapped in white bandage.

"guess that's my cue!" i say nicely to jill.

"leah this isn't smart!" jill answers and i'm already jogging back onto the field.

"10 minutes jill! that's alllll!" i teasingly joke back.

i return to my spot, passing alex and christen on the way.

"you good le?" christen asks and picks up my arm. even she makes a face.

"i'm fine. perfect almost." i smile and she nods unassure.

the whistle blows and play resumes. i continue playing through the pain for the next 8 minutes or so. my wrist actually feels numb now, which i don't think is necessarily good...but i can't feel it. so that's a plus!

we just pass around for the last couple minutes of injury time.

when that whistle blows, my world feels perfect. the air smells better. everything sounds more clear.

i see some of my teammates running over to me with huge smiles on they're faces. i smile back and look up. praying to god for a second, before bodies collide with me.

i open my eyes to see my best friends. rose, lindsey, sonnet, and mal of course. we all hug tightly for a minute, just enjoying the moment.

"i'm so proud of us!" lindsey yells making all of jump.

"linds we were having a moment." mal says and i giggle.

we hear cheers coming towards us and all the oldies are running to us. with the exception of tierna. she's a newbie. a youngin like us.

"YOUNG ONES!" kelly yells as all of them hug us. we all giggle as we're wrapped in the biggest and tightest hug.

everyone quickly separates and break up into different groups. i giggle as mal wraps her arms around my waist due to a joke lindsey made about me.

"le le! how's the arm?" rose asks and i shrug.

"can't feel it, so i don't know." i joke and emily along with rose laughs.

mal looks up at me.

"that's not good you dummy. you need to get it looked at. everyone on the sidelines knew it was broke when you walked over. ash and pinoe betted on it."

"of course they did." i whispered placing a kiss on mal's forehead.

jill ran over to us along with dawn. we all stood around in a circle. we were close.

"i'm so incredibly proud of each and every one of you girls! you did it! we did it! WE WON!" jill exclaims and we all clap.

"couldn't of done it without you jolly jilly." sam teases using the nickname us youngins made.

"sam don't turn into the devils. please. we don't need anymore." dawn groans and all the old people laugh.

"hey! we're right here. oldies." i yell out and they all laugh at me.

"okay snapped bone." tobin jokes back making everyone laugh again.

"speaking of, leah, the trainers have a sling for that. kelly, you need to get tested for a concussion, and becky we can get a band aid for that." dawn goes over the injuries.

"jill. in all seriousness..why did you let leah go back out. i thought she was for sure done." carli ask and some girls agree.

"well i tried to get her to sit out, but she didn't want to. she wasn't very smart about it."

"not smart at all." mal whispers and puts her hand on my stomach. we all giggle and continue to celebrate, talk, and bond.