If You Could See Me

16

"Back"

I receive the ball from Shannon , and I'm running towards the left flank with Tobin playing defensively against me. I push her back and pass it to Christen coming by. It didn't cross my mind at the moment, I just pushed my idol. Christen scores from my assist. She runs over to me and she wraps her arms around my neck, I can't help but feel like this was an intimate hug. I wrap my arms around her, we pull apart and celebrate with the other girls.

"Alright let's go girls!" I yell and clap, I run to my position. Feels like I'm back in a high school game as the captain within me comes out. In this situation, I'm just another player.

We go into halftime and I look to the stands where I see my girl Billie, and I wave to her before I walk to the locker rooms. I walk by Christen and I brush my hand against hers. She looks up at me with a smile.

"Trying to hold my hand Martin?"

"Yes" I tell her and I grab her hand and we interlace our fingers together. I smile at her and getting one back in return. We enter the locker rooms and we let go of each others hand as we walk in different directions. I walk to my locker and I sit, and just cool off. Waiting on coach to come in. I grab a towel and wipe my face from the sweat. I look up, my eyes meet with Christen's. I think she's been looking at me for quite some time. Our connection is lost when Sofia comes over to me, and she sits on my lap.

"Dude you've been a beast. We're up 3-1. I feel like you'll score anytime soon" she tells me, and I smile and kiss her cheek.

I chuckle "Yeah I know", I give give her a cocky smile. She playfully hits my shoulder. Coach comes in and he starts talking. I feel eyes burning into my head, and I look towards Christen's direction. She's glaring at me, and she looks at Sofia too. Sofia leans over and whispers in my ear, "Your girlfriend is looking at me like she's figuring out a thousand ways to kill me" I start laughing silently, she chuckles nervously as she looks back at Christen. The rest of the time, we just listen to coach and start hydrating before we go out. Sofia gets off of me and walks to her locker.  I pull out my brush and take my ponytail down, and start brushing my hair. This takes me back to when my dad would brush my hair and he would braid it, well try to braid it right before a game. If I was playing a real important game, he would be the first one outside the locker rooms waiting on me with roses. My favorite rose's, white. I put my hair in a ponytail and tighten it. We start walking out of the locker room and to the field. I feel a type of engery, one I felt every game I played at my high school. It didn't matter where I was, who was around, all I needed was a soccer ball.

"Let's go baby!" I hear someone cheer as I walk out to the sidelines. I recognize the voice and look to the direction I heard it coming from. My mom is here?  I wave to her with a big smile. I can't believe she's actually here. We get called in, and eventually depart from the huddle and start jogging to the field for formation. Tobin being next to me, and we start kick off, running opposite ways. Portland having position of the ball. We eventually have to stop play, and the opportunity for Julie to come in for Shannon. I have chemistry with Julie, so this will be a quicker one touch to the other. 

"Control!" I tell Julie, I run pass the defender by me, and I point where I want the ball when its time "here!" She kicks the ball a few feet ahead of me, and I run to catch up and I run towards goal. The goalkeeper running up making the goal smaller, I kick the ball from under and it goes over the goalkeeper and into goal. I chipped the goalkeeper. I'm attacked by hugs, Julie being the one to hug me first. We all pull away, and go back to formation.

When the final whistles blown. I can't help but smile, not because the game is over.. I would play forever if I could. I'm happy because, I'm a professional soccer player. I've just scored and assisted in my first cap, with a professional team. I walk over to shake hands with the Thorns, and I'm stopped by Christine Sinclair.

"You did great today" she tells me, we shake hands "thank you, you too!" I tell her, and she nods smiling. I walk to the stands, where my mom is. She's by the rail, and other little girls waiting to get their autographs. I look up to her with the biggest smile, and watery eyes.

"I got you something" she brings her arm to the front from her back, holding my favorite rose's. The tears that were threatening to come down, finally did. I hug the flowers and look up at the sky with my eyes closed. Taking in the moment. My dad would have been here, watching the game. Cheering me on, he would try to be the loudest one. Holding white roses for me. He'll never get to see me play professionally or in the biggest stages of soccer.. gosh I wish you were here dad.

"Thank you mom, I love them"