Snap Out Of It - Alexia Putellas

A Little Harsh

Alana's POV

I was finally allowed back to training, or I suppose I wasn't going back anywhere because the drills and timetables might have been similar to Manchester, but the feel in Barcelona was completely different. It was all so new. 

Gabby and I walked into the changing room, she sent me a wide smile before entering, I think she was just as excited about my return to the pitch as I was. It had been difficult to join a new team and immediately spend my days in physiotherapy, especially knowing Gabs was out on the pitch having fun with everyone, but I'd pushed through my recovery programme and felt good to be back. My mind had been ready since I signed that contract, but now my body was also in agreement. 

"Buenos días Gabby," Putellas stood in the center of the room as we walked in, "You're late Alana."

I furrowed my eyebrows, scoffing; Gabby wasn't late but I somehow was? And looking around the room and up to the clock, we were five minutes early, half the team hadn't even arrived yet.

"And you can't speak English," I shot back. 

For the past week or so, I had been lucky enough to avoid the captain but now that I was in training, I'd have to see her every single day. And I had no doubt that she'd make every single day a living nightmare for me. 

Putellas shrugged, "I can now."

"Convenient," I raised my eyebrows, going to walk past her before a real problem appeared between us; well, a real problem that everyone else could see. 

But Putellas stepped in my way, arms crossed, "You should have been here half an hour ago," She stated.

"According to who?" I leaned back, narrowing my eyes at the brunette.

"According to me," arrogance laced her words, her tone was already driving me up the wall. 

"And everyone else?" I questioned, tilting my head.

"They are here at the correct time, a little early actually," She looked around to her teammates. 

I would've been confused if I hadn't expected this attitude from Putellas. She clearly had a problem with me, and I could see that she thought this was her club, I'd walked into her territory, so she would do everything possible to show she was in charge. It confused me honestly because I wasn't looking to be a leader, I was still young so I wasn't coming for her role as captain. 

"And why am I late then?" I asked like I had a genuine interest in her answer. 

"Because you are injured, you should be here to train early," Alexia looked down to my ankle disapprovingly, "And we don't need any weak links in the team," and then she brushed right past me, knocking my shoulder as she walked. 

I let out a breathless laugh, smiling for some mad reason as I shook my head, wondering if anyone else had just heard the words to come out of their beloved captain's mouth. They hadn't. Putellas' words didn't upset me, I was just surprised at how much she seemed to hate me, after all she was the sole reason for my injury, it was laughable to think that I'd once expected her to apologize, because now I doubted that word sorry had ever fallen from her lips. 

As I walked over to my cubby, I looked back at Putellas and my lips formed a tight scowl, my lungs growing heavier and eyes cold. I already felt like I could read her, read the truth, and that was that her ego was larger than life itself and her arrogance was something I'd be dealing with for the next years of my life. I wondered how everyone else loved her, I wondered how she'd even made friends here, but it seemed they all adored her; she was loved at the club by the team and the fans.
I wondered why it was me who saw the truth. I wondered why it was me whom she decided to hate, because I'd done nothing to her. Nothing at all. I simply hadn't even gotten the time to make an enemy of her, like she'd done to me.

But I wouldn't stand there again and let her talk to me like that, I put my reaction, or lack of, down to shock, but next time I'd be expecting her response to be disgustingly below the belt and overly arrogant. Next time I'd beat her at her own game.
Because much as Putellas probably thought she owned the game, and the whole world it seemed, she didn't. I had some experience in it myself, I didn't like going to those places but I couldn't let Putellas win, I couldn't let her think that she was better than me.

Ingrid suddenly grabbed my arm, pulling me out onto the training pitch with the rest of the squad. 

"You and Gabby have to come round tonight," She told me with a wide smile spread across her face, "Mapi is going to cook paella for you two!"

"Sounds great," I agreed.

"It will be a girls night," Ingrid ran to collect a ball, the pair of us warming up our passes and shots.

Then Putellas clapped her hands together to make a loud announcement, god her voice was so annoying, whenever I heard her speak every thought in my head paused just in anticipation for her to shut up. 

"Estoy liderando el calentamiento hoy!" She said.

I instantly looked to Ingrid like I did whenever someone spoke in Spanish and I needed help. 

"Alexia's leading the warmup today," Ingrid told me.

"Great," I huffed. 

Ingrid just laughed, finding our whole hatred hilarious because in the brunette's eyes, she couldn't see that we had a true reason for this feud because Ingrid said we were both lovely people with much in common. I was sure Ingrid was thinking of the wrong person when she said that because Putellas and I might have shared a career but that was it, saying I was anything like her would've been the biggest insult imaginable. 

My hatred for her might have seemed sudden but people only had to show me their true colors once and that was more than enough. I was forgiving to those I loved, but new relationships always made me weary, I was quick to shut people off; I wouldn't let myself get pulled into the wrong person's trap. 

"Tres vueltas alrededor del campo," Alexia announced.

I went to whisper to Ingrid, "What did she-"

"En silencio," Alexia cut me off, glaring directly at me; I just knew that she loved the fact I couldn't understand her.

The team all looked at each other, seeming confused at their captain's sudden change in tone but started to run anyway, so I followed. Usually I'd have been fighting to be at the front of the group, but this time I needed to hang back in order to rely on those who could understand the instructions we'd been given. 

Putellas watched us from afar, apparently she didn't need to warm up.

When everyone had completed the three laps, they came to a stop so I copied the group who strode back towards the captain. 

"Ahora estirar y luego practicaremos ejercicios hasta que llegue Jonatan," Alexia instructed. 

I kept my voice quiet, "What are we doing?" I asked Ingrid. 

"Is there a problem over there?" Alexia called out, suddenly speaking English again. If she was going to lie, her story should have at least be consistent.

Ingrid went to reply, "Alana was just asking me-"

"Not you Ingrid," I saw Putellas' eyes soften as she spoke to Ingrid, instantly they darkened when she looked back to me, "You, what is the problem?"

I pursed my lips, looking straight back at her, "There is no problem," I simply replied, she wanted me to admit I couldn't understand because it would mean I couldn't keep up. It was like she needed to prove to herself that I struggled in the places that she excelled. 

"Then you shouldn't have been talking, you will distract everyone else, do an extra two laps," She nodded her head back towards the perimeter of the pitch. 

Mapi stepped forward, "Ale that's a little harsh don't you think?"

I sighed, putting a hand on my friend's shoulder, "It's fine Mapi," my glare adverted back to the taller brunette, "I'll do it."

I began my extra two laps, making sure to be quick about it and made the run look completely effortless; I knew she'd be watching and I wouldn't let her win. In ways Putellas did have more power, I couldn't argue with her instructions because she was captain, but I could avoid giving her the reaction she wanted; it would probably do everyone a favor, I don't think the world could manage if her ego grew any larger.