It's Our Secret

Chapter 13 - Blues

Our game on the weekend would be against Arsenal. We were only to verse them twice in the regular season, like we would most teams, and the next time would be in January, so our games against them were to be quite early on.

"It'll be your first time versing Indi, won't it?" Sam asked me, as we ate dinner together in her living room, the day before the game.
"Yeah, it will," I replied, "but I'm defense so you're the one who is going to have to match up against her."
"Yeah, she is so tough."
"I have seen." I have watched a couple highlight clips of Indi, and she is amazing. "If we win tomorrow, we will secure the spot at the top of the table, won't we?" I asked Sam.
"Yeah, I am pretty sure."
We finished our food and I headed home in order to prepare for the game the next day.

We arrived at the field an hour before the game was set to start, and I sat in the changing room, tying my shoelaces as Emma announced the starting team to us.

"Okay, so we will do our 3-4-3 formation again," she started to say, "and Magda, Millie and Ettie will be our back three, Guro, Ji, Sophie and Jessie in the middle, and Pernille, Sam and Erin at the front."

Versing Arsenal, meant versing Leah. I hadn't spoken to her properly since she phoned me saying she got back together with Jordan. But as I waited outside the Chelsea changing room, trying to get away from the loud music that was playing in the room, I saw her, running her hands through her hair and redoing it. I wanted to turn back and go inside, but I couldn't. I didn't have the strength to do that.

"Ettie?" Leah said, after seeing me.
"Hi," I replied back. She came over and leant against the wall opposite to me.
"How have you been?" She asked.
"Fine. How about you?"
"Yeah, alright. Alright. Are you starting?"
"Yeah, center back though."
"First time I'll be playing against you in center back," she said, smiling.
"Yeah, I guess so." There was an indescribable tension brewing between us, and I wanted to get out of the situation, but I knew I shouldn't.
"Ett, I hope we are okay." She said this with such confidence and certainty that it made me believe we were. I am not petty and I never have been, but I was hurt. Very hurt. But I know I should just move on. She wanted Jordan and I can't do anything about it.
"Yeah, of course, Lee. We're fine. Life's just been a bit hectic at the moment."
"Yeah, I understand, well I better get back before they wonder where I'm off to only twenty minutes before the game is set to start." As Leah walked away, I could tell she was happy. She was strong, and back the Leah I remembered.

Just before the girls were set to meet me outside the changing room, to go out onto the pitch, I saw Indi and Jill by themselves down a hallway. Indi had reached up and put her arms around Jill, hugging her tightly, as Jill's arms wrapped around Indi's waist. They were definitely together now. As they broke apart, Indi saw me, and came over, smiling.

"Hey darls!" Indi said, embracing me in a hug.
"Hi," I replied back.
"Feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Indi said, Jill then walking over to us.
"I know, it's been too long! We need to be better!" I said.
"That we do. Where's Sammi?" Indi then asked, but as she did, Sam came through the doors.
"Speak of the devil," I said. Sam and Indi, who had just spent the last week together in Spain and Portugal, playing games for the Matildas, and myself and Jill, talked for a little before we had to go and line up to start the game.

"Good luck," I said to Indi before walking out, with Sam.

The game was very intense. The defensive pressure was immaculate, with Arsenal having no shots on target at half time, and us only having 1 shot on target by half time. As I watched Indi in defence, I could understand why everything thought of her as the best center back in the world. She was everywhere. Where the ball was, she was. Her passes were precise, and she had many interceptions and clearances.

"Wow," I said to Sam at half time, "Indi is good. Very good. You're lucky to have her in your national team."
"Tell me about it. But now it sucks that she is in England, no longer playing in the NWSL," Sam said, sarcastically obviously, as she loves having one of her best friends in London.

We went back out in the second half, and we knew we wanted the points. The full three points. So, as we got the first touch, we attacked. We tried to connect our passes as well as we could, and in the 51st minute, we had the break. I passed it down to Erin on the wing, who had Leah marking her. Unfortunately for Leah, Erin did a crossover, tricking her, then crossing it into the middle of the six yard box, which then had the ball headed into the back of the net by Sam. We were up.

The game kept going, and in the 64th minute Lotte gave away a penalty kick for us. Sam had received the ball, and started dribbling it down the field, and when in line to shoot, she was brought down. Pernille took the penalty and slotted it right in. I looked over and saw Indi, notably frustrated. She was having an outstanding game, but the rest of Arsenal were struggling.

The game ended, and we won 2-0. I was glad we kept a clean sheet as it meant I was doing my job correctly. I went over to Indi and embraced her in a hug.

"You played incredibly," I said to her.
"Yeah, well, obviously not good enough." What I had noticed, over the past few weeks, is that whenever Indi plays, she always has sleeves. It was November, in England, but it was also 12:30pm and quite a warm day, and I wouldn't think sleeves were that necessary, but everyone has their quirks.
"No, you are a star." I gave her a hug again, before going over to do some media duties.

"Hello Juliette, thank you so much for talking with us. How did it feel out there and getting the win over a very strong Arsenal side?"
"Yeah, it felt nice to get that win and I know we worked very hard for it at training, and to pull it off, always feels good."
"Goals from Sam and Pernille, do you expect anything less?" I laughed at this, and answered.
"They are both amazing goal scorers and have such talent that you can always count on them, so I think they both put out incredible performances today."
"And you did too! How has the positional move been from full back to centerback back? Especially after you played full back for the England verse England friendly. Has it been hard switching between the two?"
"Um, not too much. Each day I keep learning something new about center back and it is just a very exciting time for me, and when I play for England, full back is just my position, so it's easy to know what you're doing when you have done it for so long."
"Thank you Ettie, and congratulations on the win!"
"Thank you."

Later that evening, photos from the match came out, and most of the girls posted. Sam posted a shot of us all coming together to celebrate after her goal. In the frame, Sam, Millie, Pernille, Jessie and I were visible. I still don't like photos, but I have been starting to get used to them, and this one was very cute.

Samanthakerr20: love me some girlies from chels

Ettiewalsh7: you're the cutest

Mbrighty4: cutie <3

I decided to be brave, and post a photo. I hadn't posted since I announced my move to Chelsea, and I thought it was time. I chose a photo of me smiling, after we had just scored a goal, with Millie in the background, running up behind me.

Ettiewalsh7: blues my favourite colour

Samanthakerr20: when ett finally posts a photo!! Yayyay

Keirawalsh: wetty w the pic <3

Lucybronze: blue's a good colour

Mbrighty7: me in the background though hahah

Erincuthbert_: why did @mbrighty7 get a feature and not me!

Chelsea was starting to feel like home. It felt like my place. I was so happy to be there, away from the mess of Manchester. The mess of bloody Manchester.