Finding Martins

Chapter 1

"Martins cutting on the left, she nutmegs Dalton, she's sprinting towards the goal, entering the box and now it's 1v1, the forward against the goalkeeper she kicks and SHE SCORES!!!!! MARTINS IS ON HER 8TH GOAL THIS MATCH!! SHE IS A BEAST!!"

"WOMAN OF THE MATCH MICHELLE MARTINS!!"

"RECEIVING HER 4TH HERMANN TROPHY, MICHELLE MARTINS!!"

"SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN!! A BEAST ON THE FIELD!! A PURE FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH!!"

"MICHELLE!! MICHELLE!! CAN WE PLEASE HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH!!"

"How are you feeling? 10 goals this match?" The forward gave the camera a small smile as she looked down and rubbed her neck. "I'm just doing my job as a forward. My midfielders did a great job at feeding me the ball and I'm just doing my best to actually finish it."

"Do you plan on playing for the NWSL in the near future or...?" The forward chuckled and shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest, right now I'm just focusing all my energy on my education."

"Apparently, Michelle Martins declined Greg Ryan's invitation to join the United States Women's National Team Camp this season."

"Michelle Martins, a soccer prodigy, one of the best forwards to EVER exist, disappears after helping her team, the Cardinals, win the NCAA Championship."

"Apparently Johnny, she didn't go into the NWSL draft. Her name wasn't there and we interviewed a lot of coaches and asked why nobody picked her but apparently, she didn't enter the draft in the first place, they tried to contact her but nada, zilch, no answer. It's like she just fell off of the face of the earth or something."

"Where has Michelle Martins gone?"

.

(August 2018)

I fixed my shades and tightened my ponytail as I pulled up in front of Roosevelt High School. The car door opened and my 11-year-old daughter, Isabella, came in and threw her soccer bag at the back seat.

I gave her a smile as I watched her sigh and slump in her seat.

"How was your first day of middle school sweetie?"

I pulled out of the school with lots of curious gaze on us through our very tinted windows. Isabella entered school a week later because we just moved here and I thought it would be best for her to rest and fix her room before actually going back to attend school.

"It was okay. I got into the soccer team, which was to be expected. My teachers looked like they were kind though and I don't know how to feel about that."

"That's what they all look like at first Izzy, don't be fooled."

I watched as my daughter laughed making me smile at the sound. I would literally do anything for my daughter, for her happiness. She's my best friend, and I am hers. We only have each other.

"Well, what do you say we drive by your Aunt's house and raid her fridge. I heard she had steak and pizza for lunch, I'm pretty sure she still has a whole untouched box on her kitchen counter."

She smirked at me.

"Deal."

.

I watched as my daughter ate her pizza while watching television, both her feet were propped up on the coffee table in front of her.

"Jonathan dropped off some of your stuff here since he doesn't know where you and Issa are staying at."

I nodded and made my way to the boxes that were positioned at the corner of the kitchen.

"Good, it's best if nobody knows where I live, especially that son of a bitch."

I opened the box and saw that it was some of my sports equipment. I quickly closed it and got the tape from the counter and taped the box up multiple times.

"C'mon, he's not that bad."

I stood up quickly from my position and looked at my best friend with a raised eyebrow.

"He tried to stage an on-the-spot "intervention" complete with psychiatrists and shit, wanting to send me to the goddamn looney bin asking me to do it willingly... Willingly Sandra!! Who the fuck does that?"

I sat on the chair with a huff and glared at the window. I felt a hand on my shoulder, knowing it's Sandra I didn't brush it off.

"He did that out of love."

I let out a bitter chuckle and shook my head.

"So he also slept with another woman out of love huh? Plus I don't need any help, I am perfectly capable of handling things like emotions by myself. I have Izzy and she's all I need in this god-forsaken world."

I quickly got the box and hurriedly walked to the living room.

"Let's go, Isabella, we need to go home you have school tomorrow."

I watched as my daughter quickly stood up and followed me to the front door.

"JILL ELLIS TRIED TO CALL AGAIN!"

"TELL THE OLD HAG TO FUCK OFF!!"

I put the box in the trunk of the car and slammed it shut. As I was about to enter the driver's seat, I was stopped by Sandra who was holding out my phone towards me.

"It's time you get your social life back?"

I scoffed and tried to give it back to her.

"Social life? I don't need that."

She shook her head and shoved it back towards me. I let out a whine as I stomped my feet.

"But I cut off my relationship with gadgets 10 years ago. Honestly, a menace to society that one is, brainwashing people and turning them into zombies."

"Bitch you're technically a zombie too, what's the fucking difference?"

I groaned and snatched it from her while giving her a glare.

"Won't work on me Martins, you've done it more times than I could count, I'm practically immune."

I scoffed and entered my car and we drove off to a house I just bought for my daughter and me to live in.

A/n: let's pretend that the tournament of nations extended until the end of August, like the last week.