The Rising Star - Alexia Putellas

Part 107

When everyone had calmed down and took their places again, Ale asked if I felt good enough to take the free kick. I initially thought she was crazy, she or Mapi were the ones to take the freekicks but she handed the ball to me nonetheless.

I placed down the ball, got myself ready and took a deep breath, trying to calm down my nerves. The ref blew her whistle and I took the free kick, shooting the ball past the wall, right in the top left corner.

My teammates jumped on my back, congratulating me on my goal. The ref ushered us back to our half and we resumed the game but by that time it was already over. The score remained  the same.

We did our round and greeted our fans. At some point I had even ran in to grab my phone and a spare shirt to give to someone. I was so busy signing stuff and taking pictures with the fans that when I looked around, I noticed that I was the only player left on the field.

I took one more picture, said my goodbyes and hurried to the tunnel. There I was greeted by one of our staff members, telling me to go to a medical room so they could check up on my ankle that took some hits during the game.

I ran down the corridors in search of this medical room and rushed in when suddenly I got shoved into the wall.

"What the hell?!" I pushed Kheira off me.

I remained with my back against the wall. Kheira stumbled back a bit but soon regained her composure again. Her hands were balled into fists and she had an angry scowl on her face.

"You should have passed me the ball!" She spat at me.

"What are you talking about?" I lightly shook my head and raised my eyebrows in confusion but that only seemed to anger the midfielder more.

"You should have passed it to me but no, you wanted your own glory." She took a step forward and pushed me again which caused me to slam into the wall a bit rougher this time.

"You bitch!" Jacob yelled and shoved me into the wall, causing me to hit my head.

I shook my head, desperately trying to get rid of the memory. It took me a second to regain myself again and to fight back. I went over the game in my head until it clicked.

"Are you talking about the phase before the free kick?" I asked her in disbelief.

How could she be mad about that. I wanted to pass her the ball but I got fouled before I could. That's not my fault but Kheira didn't seem to think so. Now that I had finally found my voice to push back, I had also taken a step towards her, closing the proximity between us.

"Just say it. You wanted to score yourself!" She aggressively poked her finger into my chest.

"I got fouled! I barely got the ball before I got knocked down!" I swatted her finger away, glaring at her.

"You're unbelievable." She sarcastically chuckled, shaking her head. She turned around, about to walk away but it was too late.

I had lost my temper. Ever since I got here she had been on my ass for everything and I don't even know why. Up until now it was just words with, yes a bad tackle but now she aggressively saw me out and I'm done.

"What is actually your problem with me?!" I took a couple of steps forward and yelled after her, causing the girl to turn around again.

It was then that I realized I had made a mistake. I should have let her walk away. I should have let it go, now I have only made it worse.

"You!" She pointed at me and rushed over, so she was once again standing right in front of me.

"You're the problem! You think you're so special. That you're the hero, the champion but here's the thing, you're not." She spat at me, her words hitting me one by one.