The weather in training today is awful and it makes my already bad mood worse. Jonas had been on my case for the last few days, telling me I need to be working harder in training and just generally picking apart my performance after every training session and it's really starting to get under my skin. It doesn't help that Leah has made it her mission to piss me off at any chance she gets. I understand she's doing rehab for her knee and it's shitty but she is clearly taking her frustration out on me.
Today is no different, Jonas has been hurling comments at me for the last hour, criticizing every move I make. I let out a sigh of relief when he tells the team we will be finishing up after this drill because I was getting very close to launching the football at his face.
We were told to do some shooting practice, each of us taking a penalty. All the girls line up and I'm last. Everyone takes their shot, sending it into the goal with ease. when it's my turn, i line the ball up and prepare to take the shot but just as my foot connects with it I can feel myself slipping due to the wet grass and it causes me to send the ball flying along with myself. I hit the ground and as I try and stop from face planting I land on my arm awkwardly and immediately feel a sharp pain in my wrist. I don't have much time to focus on the pain shooting up and down my arm because Jonas storms over to me
"What the hell was that? It was completely off target, you're better then that and i expect better from my players" he says incredulously, staring down at me with narrowed eyes as I sit on the grass.
Before he can carry on, I get up knowing if I stay I'm going to say something I regret. I can feel the girls concerned faces watching me as I stomp towards the changing room. My wrist is throbbing and I can hear my heart beating in my ear, pain and anger taking over all of my senses.
I carry on past the changing room, heading to the medical room figuring I needed to put something on my wrist to prevent the inevitable swelling. As I'm about to walk past the gym Leah appears in front of me. It's like she shows up when I'm already about to explode and pushes my buttons to make it happen. But right now I'm really not in the mood to engage with her, so when she stands in my way trying to block my path, I push past her earning a comment from her
"watch were you're going, and pull that stick out of ur ass" she shouts after me angrily as I walk away, feeling my chest burn with rage and my eyes sting with frustrated tears. She always knows how to get under my skin and normally I would react, firing back an insult of my own but right now all I can focus in is the throbbing in my wrist.
I get into the medical room and grab an ice pack out of the freezer, grateful that the room is empty meaning I can escape without any questions. After a few minutes of searching, I finally find an empty meeting room and quickly disappear inside. I sit down and I can't hold the tears in any longer. They fall slowly down my cheeks, Jonas completely humiliated me. I'd understand if I was playing badly but I wasn't. I had scored every goal and made good passes throughout training but he used me slipping on the grass as a chance to tear apart my performance. I feel a mix of anger and helplessness rise inside me. I know the way I'm being treated isn't right but I don't know what to do about it.
As I'm racking my brain, trying to come up with an idea on how to approach the situation I hear the door click. I quickly wipe the stray tears off my cheeks but my red eyes give a clear indication that I have been crying. I really want to be alone right now
When Leah sheepishly enters the room, I let out an irritated sigh
"Leah please, I'm really not in the mood to fight with you right now if you can't tell" I tell her defeated, leaning my head back on the chair and closing my eyes, hoping she will be gone by the time I open them again
"I'm not here to fight. I want to say sorry" she says quietly. Her words cause me to snap my eyes open in shock. Is Leah Williamson really APOLOGIZING to ME right now.
"What?" I ask, confusion and suspicion lacing my tone
She sits down next to me and her eyes soften when she takes in my appearance. I try and hide my wrist that's wrapped in an ice pack behind my back, wanting to avoid any questions from her
"I was frustrated at how my rehab is going I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm sorry" she says, her voice sounding earnest, surprising me
I hum in response, still slightly in shock at everything going on around me
There's a beat of silence that follows. I stare at the wall ahead of me and I can feel Leah's stare burning into me.
"Steph told me what happened in training and it's not right. He shouldn't be taking to you or anyone like that, it's unprofessional. Me and Kim spoke and we're going to make a formal complaint, Kim said it's happened more than once." Leah tells me, her words serious as she looks at me
I don't know how to respond. The fact leah, someone who I thought hated me is doing this for me, means a lot.
"Thanks Leah" I say my words full of sincerity as I give her a small smile
As I'm looking at her I watch as her eyes glance down to my injured wrist
"What happened?" She asks, as she nods her head towards it inquisitively
I glance down at it, the pain still very prevalent as I fiddle with the ice pack
" I slipped" I mumble, slightly embarrassed, feeling my face heat up
"Is that why you missed your shot?" She asks, gently taking my arm into her hands to het a closer look at my wrist, a playful smirk pulling at her lips
"Yeah. How did you know?" I ask slightly amused
"You never miss you're shots" she says, meeting my eyes briefly, her smirk widening
I let out a chuckle, trying to hide how much her words stick. I wince as she turns my arm sideways and she apologizes quietly
"You need to get this checked out, it looks serious" she tells me her tone firm
I brush her off, pulling my arm back
"It's fine, probably just bruised " I tell her, playing down the pain to try and avoid seeing the medic
"No it's not. I can tell it hurts. Come on" she says standing up and looking down at me expectantly
I sigh, giving in and following her to the medical room
"What's the problem?" Pete, the medic asks as i sit down in front of him, leah lingering a bit behind me
"I slipped in training, it's probably just twisted" I say, removing the ice pack I had pressed on my wrist. When Pete glances at my wrist, I see his expression change
"That looks like a break y/n, you need to get an x ray" he tells me moving closer to get a better look, concern written all over his face.
I sigh in annoyance. I hate hospitals, I was really hoping it wasn't broken but the way I can't move my arm right now, makes me agree with Pete, I probably should get it looked at.
I thank Pete as I head to the changing room, wanting to change out of my sweaty kit before I have to sit in A and E for hours. Leah is still following behind me.
The air felt different between us, the usual tenseness is replace by something I can't put my finger on. I'm not used to me and Leah talking at all, but I'm not going to complain. I don't need us to be fighting right now on top of everything else.
—-
There will be a part 2 to this x
