GOLDEN | DANI ROJAS

XIII: Bad Luck

A/N: This is based off the episode where the ball hits Earl the Greyhound, so it may potentially be upsetting for some! So, read cautiously, and if you want to skip it then that is also fine! Take care of yourselves, my friends!

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It was fair to say that Connie was thrilled to be back on the pitch. Well, the side of the pitch. She had been forced to take a fortnight off by Rebecca who had told her that she works too hard and must use some holiday hours. Connie was not too happy, as she genuinely loved her job, but she took the opportunity anyway, visiting a lot of places in the surrounding area alone and taking pictures of things other than football players for once.

The match had been tense so far, but absolutely no goals had been scored. Another tie was on the horizon, and that was something Richmond absolutely could not afford anymore. It was utterly depressing to tie every match, and at this point, Connie think they'd have preferred a loss just to feel something other than a sense of 'oh well, that happened'. It was painful for both members and supporters alike to see the team look so utterly defeated even in the absence of a loss, and Connie was struggling to capture the usual joy that was present in her photography.

Connie's camera had lain low against her belly for a good portion of the second half. She had decided her shots of the first half had been good enough, and her camera was still switched on if any action actually started to pick up. Instead, she watched the match intently, stood near Ted, Beard and Nate. Her hands were tucked in the pockets of her AFC Richmond quarter-zip fleece, and she rocked back and forth on her heels absentmindedly as she watched.

"Go Sam!" exclaimed Connie, trying to keep her voice hushed as to not appear too eager. Ted noticed though, smiling warmly as he saw her jump in excitement out of the corner of his eye. "Dani! Oh, fuck off, that's a penalty, isn't it?"

"Sure hope so, little lady," replied Ted, both of them then pumping their fists in the air when it was announced that they did in fact have a penalty. "You enjoying the match?"

"More than usual," said Connie with a shrug, raising her camera to her face, wanting some shots of what would likely finally be a goal. "I'm usually watching it all through a lens more focused on getting shots than enjoying it. But, hey, they're doing so terribly, there's not much to take pictures of."

"Thanks for the reminder, Con," replied Ted with a pat on the back, not once tearing his eyes from Dani as he took the ball and began to walk to the right spot. "You're like a little ray of sunshine, as always. A pleasure to be around a gal who reminds me of my losing team."

"Hey, nothing wrong with a tie. You're technically not losing," pointed out Connie. She took a picture as Dani kissed the ball, and then shook her head at the theatrical dramatics of it all. Honestly, sometimes he seemed a totally different person when he was on the pitch.

"Ain't winning either," murmured Ted.

The conversation ended there as Ted, Connie and everyone else at Nelson Road Stadium directed their attention to Dani Rojas. They all knew it would go in, because it's Dani who is talented in every sense of the word. But, that didn't stop people from watching on anxiously, putting hands over their mouths in nervous anticipation or grabbing the arm of the person next to them. Connie kept her hold on her camera, but could not deny the way she shivered in anticipation as Dani lined up the ball and then, when he was content, took a few steps back and prepared to kick.