Fighting Society

kiddo needs you subbed off

Jess was sat, leaning her entire body weight up against Leah, tucked away in the number 6's locker. 

Jonas was stood in the centre of the changing room, giving his usual team talk, but she wasn't paying any attention to it. Her head was all over the place, an almost fuzzy sensation, her sight ever so slightly blurred. She didn't feel sick, there was no temperature, and she hadn't been sick, she just wasn't feeling great.

They were at Meadow Park for the home fixture against West Ham, the girls all raring to go. The line up had already been announce, which of course, had Leah starting, meaning Jess was taking in all the time she could before she had to go out onto the pitch for 90 plus minutes. 

She was curled into the side of Leah, her older sisters arm wrapped round her. The defender was listening intently to Jonas' talk, slowly stroking Jess' side, meaning the smaller girl couldn't interrupt it. Instead, she just remained calmly in her side, trying her best to take deep breaths.

When she'd woken up that morning, she knew she didn't feel great, immediately seeking out a hug from her older sister. As the same now though, Jess didn't know what was wrong with her, just feeling out of sorts.

The team talk was broken up as the girls all stood from their lockers, moving to place their hands into the centre for their team huddle, like they always did before the match. Leah hopped out her locker, bringing Jess to stand with her, as she placed her hand into the centre to join the others.

"You too kiddo, hand in!"

An Irish voice called out, trying to encourage her to feel at one with the team. Unlike usual though, when Jess would jump to join in with the other girls, she turned herself round to face into Leah, burying her head into the defenders stomach, wrapping her arms around her waist.

She missed the concerned look flash across Leah's face when she did so, the English captain using her spare hand to give a small stroke to the girls back, whilst still able to join in with the huddle with her team mates.

It made it more difficult when she noted the Scot walking over to take Jess out to the bench, knowing it was time to leave her younger sister. Almost immediately, Jen picked up on the more reserved nature of the twelve year old, who was clearly searching for forms of comfort in anyway she could get them.

The two adults shared a concerned glance, knowing there was no time to discuss it as Leah had to rush out into the tunnel. 

"Wheelchair bug?"

A soft shake of her head gave the answer, moving her body to turn into Jen, allowing the Scot to wrap her muscular arms around the girls petite body, lifting her up ever so slightly, the vulnerability of the small girl shining through. Leah made the turn to catch up to the other girls who had made their way to lining up to walk out the tunnel, leaving Jen and her sister alone in the changing rooms. 

The two of them made their way out onto the bench, ensuring that Jess had her ear defenders firmly on. She felt bad. There was no physical symptoms still, but she just didn't feel good in any way, finding herself clinging onto Jen to the point where her knuckles were going a pale white, as if the Scot was just going to up and leave at any point.

They sat between Steph and Manu, both of whom were being rested against the West Ham team, giving Sabs the chance in goal, and moving Emily out to LB to try. There was no attempt to move Jess off Jen's lap, knowing that it was vital to just embrace where she was already comfortable.

Manu had somehow started a conversation about something she had read in the news; it didn't take long for Jess to realise that the Austrian was a yapper, who was clearly not used to being on the bench, doing everything and anything to fill the empty space whilst the girls were out on the pitch.