Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

We'll Make Sure She Sees It

Beth's POV

Lia and Leah had just run off, following Jill on the search for Hunter. I hope she was alright, I knew was strong but I did worry slightly. 

I chewed on my lip, feeling the tension only heighten around me as the silence continued. 

I loved Hunter, I really did. I understood where the others came from when they said she was full on but I loved that. Hunter was a character in a see of bland personalities. She was the rainbow to bring color to a darkened sky. She was this young puppy to run circles around all the other dogs. Hunter had a charm which you couldn't replicate, she also had this weapon-like flipside though. 

Hunter did get annoyed and she did lash out. I'd seen Hunter, countless times before, step so close to the line that people found it offensive, people felt scared that one day she'd cross it.

But that didn't give them a right to treat her like they did. 

I saw it clearer now. I saw how Hunter loved the team, she truly from the bottom of her heart adored us all like her own family. I saw how everyone looked over her true feelings, she sat there speaking directly from her soul, tears in her eyes, and no one had seen the pain. 

"That wasn't right guys," I shook my head. 

Danielle stepped in, "Beth, I think enough has already happened tonight."

"No," I told her, "Nothing has actually happened though, we never reached any sort of resolution."

Lisa gave me a questioning look, "Do you truly think we are going to reach a resolution?"

"She's our sister," I told them, now realizing that my little sister had run off believing no one loved her, "we are finding a resolution."

Kim sighed, she hated drama so she'd always sweep it under the rug but this wasn't something we could just ignore, "It's been a long day Beth."

"No," I told them once again, holding my ground as I clapped my hands, gaining the attention of the entire team, "Team meeting!"

There were a few murmurs of confusion or complaints of their exhaustion.

I yelled above the noise, "No, team meeting now! My room!"

People still didn't seem on board and considering I wasn't exactly a leader within the team, it didn't surprise me. I gave Kim a wide eyed look, eventually she stood up, "Everyone to Beth's room! Now!"

Thanks to the captain, everyone followed me to my room and sat down all looking up at me for answers at why such a randomly timed meeting had been called.

I cleared my throat, "I am going to talk and you will all let me," I said, knowing otherwise there'd be some unappreciated interruptions, "We are a family here at Arsenal. Everyone says it, everyone knows it, everyone feels it. And as a family, we should be looking after our own; everyone in our family. And we haven't, we have screwed up and now is the time when we have to admit that. Now's the time when we need to fix this massive mistake."

Jordan looked puzzled, scratching the top of her head, "I agree with everything you said Beth but I'm lost. What's happened?"

Lisa huffed, "There was a big argument with Hunter at dinner. Long story short, she doesn't think any of us love or appreciate her."

"What?" Jordan scrunched her face up, "Course we do."

Everyone seemed puzzled even if they were the ones to start this situation. So I spoke up again, "Whether you realize it or not, we haven't been fair on Hunter. The constant shit talking, the snide comments, the ignoring her; it all has to stop. Because I think everyone here does love her, I do, but I think we also don't love her as we should."

It was true, I did believe that everyone thought of Hunter as family but that didn't make it a healthy relationship. They never showed their love for Hunter, only their criticisms of the girl and that wasn't fair when she would do anything for us, yet we didn't even treat her with the respect she deserved. 

"Well there is another way to look at it," Lisa replied, "I don't think she is completely innocent."

Jordan now became defensive of her friend, "I don't think she's ever done anything wrong. What's she done?"

Lisa shrugged.

"Come on Lis," Jordan scoffed, "If you're going to say that, you've got to back it up."

"Okay," Lisa nodded, "Well I think she takes everything too far."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "I don't think that's fair to say though."

"It's fair to say when she's messing up matches because she looses her temper," Lisa reasoned. 

"Lisa!" Viv disagreed with her girlfriend, shaking her head, "I don't think you can accuse Hunter of messing up matches. She's the top goal scorer in the league, we'd be struggling without her."

"And no offence Katie," Jordan seemed a little apologetic, "But you've got a bit of a temper on the pitch and everyone laughs about it. Why are you annoyed at Hunter but fine with Katie?"
Jordan made a good point, it seemed as soon as we spelled the situation out for her, she was realizing everything slotting into place. 

Lisa huffed, "I just think we can't deny that she's done things that are wrong."

"Okay," I nodded, knowing she wouldn't budge on that point, "Possibly at times, Hunter has taken things too far. Maybe people find her too blunt and honest. Maybe people think she's immature but we've all got criticisms of one another, we just keep them to ourselves. But the bottom line is, we all love Hunter like family. Right?"

Everyone nodded or voiced their agreements, even Lisa. 

"Thankyou," I nodded, "So we need to show her that. Because we all know that she'd do anything for us but we don't show her that."

"Is she okay?" Jen asked, looking worried for one of our youngest players. 

"I hope so," My voice cracked slightly, I'd seen the worried expressions on Jill, Leah and Lia's faces, "But I am here to tell you, that we are all going to make it up to her. I don't care what you think because if you love Hunter, you accept her for everything she does and says."

Kim stood up beside me, sighing slightly, "I do hate to comment on these situation but I don't think this is drama. I think this is a genuine problem and we're all, as a family, are going to fix it. You're not doing this because you're being forced into it, you're doing this because you love Hunter and if you don't, feel free to leave. Because I'm not going to stand here and tell you to fake a friendship, I'm telling you to show your sister that you love her."

I smiled slightly at Kim, I knew she thought of Hunter as her most troublesome daughter but she loved her for it. I knew Kim wouldn't change Hunter for the world, even if she drove her half mad at times, and I felt the same. I think most of the team felt the same, whether they'd realized it before or not. 

"Okay you can go back to dinner now," I sighed, "Sorry for interrupting your desserts, I just thought this couldn't wait."

Jordan nodded, staying back as everyone left, "I feel awful," She told me, "How didn't I see it?"

I put my arm around her shoulders, "It just matters that now you know. Hunter loves us but she's hurt so it's going to take time but she has got us around her, whether she sees that or not. I hope she'll see it from now on."

Jordan looked to the floor, "we'll make sure she sees it."