It's Our Secret

Chapter 20 - Roster

The team roster for the Olympics got announced soon after the WSL season ended. I was nervous about it. I was nervous that I wouldn't make it, or Keira wouldn't, or Leah. I wanted to go, more than anything. I had been a regular for the Lionesses since my debut, but Team GB was different. It was a culmination of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. It would be harder to make.

I was on facetime with Keira the night before the team was set to be announced.
"I'm nervous," I said to her.
"Ett, you're going to be fine. You haven't missed a Lionesses game since 2015! Trust me, you're okay. And you and Luce have that great left/right back connection, and Team GB will want to exploit that." She gave me the reassurance I needed. Keira's always been able to do that. She's my person - always has been and always will be.
"You'll be good too," I said to her, "you had the season of your life."
"Wow, we are being so nice to each other today," Keira said, laughing.
"I know! Must be the maturity thing."
"Dad was right," Keira added, "maybe this distance has been good for us." I nodded, agreeing with her.
"Yeah, independence has never been our strong suit, but it's working."

I heard the door open, and it was Leah coming home from the store. She was carrying some groceries, and placed them on the table.
"Lee's here," I said to Keira. Keira knew that Leah had moved into my place, as her and Jordan had broken up, although it still wasn't public knowledge.
"Leah!" Keira called out, over the phone.
"Kie Kie!" Leah replied.
"Are you ready for the announcement tomorrow?" Keira asked.
"Yeah, it's slightly nerve racking but also exciting."
"Good mentality," Keira replied. I soon hung up the phone with Keira, and helped Leah unpack the groceries.

As we woke up the next morning, we had to wait only a little while for the team announcement.

Team GB
Karen Bardsley
Ellie Roebuck
Millie Bright
Lucy Bronze
Rachel Daly
Steph Houghton
Juliette Walsh
Leah WIlliamson
Sophie Ingle
Kim Little
Jill Scott
Keira Walsh
Caroline Weir
Lauren Hemp
Fran Kirby
Nikita Parris
Georgia Stanway
Ellen White

As both Leah and I looked at the team, we were so ecstatic. My heart was beating out of my chest at the fact that Keira, Leah and I had all made the team.

"We did it!" I said to Leah, running up to her, and wrapping my legs around her. I was smiling out of my skin.
"Yeah," she said, slightly down, "we did."
"Is everything okay?" I asked her.
"Yeah, it's just," she started to reply, "Jords didn't." I hadn't thought about Jordan in a while. Somehow I made sure I didn't think of her, as otherwise pitts of uncertainty would arise in my stomach. But I knew that not only did people still think Leah and Jordan were together, but also that her and Jordan were still friends. I shouldn't forget that.
I didn't really know what to say, so I didn't. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her slightly, knowing she was disappointed for Jordan. I can't expect her to still not feel for her, and care for her.
"You should go talk to her, see how she is doing." Leah nodded, smiling at me.
"You're amazing," Leah said, tucking some of my long, brown hair behind my ear, "so amazing." She kissed me, before leaving the apartment.

I sat on the couch, trying to get back to the excitement of the Olympics. I looked at my phone and saw I got a text from Georgia.

Georgia: guess we are going to the freakin Olympics!

Ettie: I guess we are. It's so crazy. Can't even fathom it.

Georgia: reckon we can room for team gb too? Don't really wanna be stuck with anyone else

Ettie: neither tbh!! I'm sure we will be good. See you at camp soon

I love Georgia, and always have. She joined City a year after I did, and as we were both such young players, in a team full of experience, we gravitated towards each other. Although, we didn't really become as tight as we are now until she debuted for the Lionesses in 2018, and we became roomies. She became the person that I needed. Keira had Leah, and I had Georgia. I was close with girls, like Millie and Rachel, but they had each other. Georgia was my closest person at camp, and she came exactly when I needed her.

When Leah arrived back, after a few hours out, I had already called Rachel, Millie, Keira and Lucy, all of us so excited to have made the team and start the preparations for the games.

"Was she okay?" I asked her, as she walked through the door.
"Yeah, I mean, Beth was also there. They are both gutted, absolutely gutted." She came over and sat beside me, laying down and resting her head on my lap. Her soft, blonde hair sprawled across my lap, and I ran my hands through it. "It's just, they are both amazing players and I don't see how coaches don't see that." I nodded, understanding and agreeing.
"Yeah, I know."

We stayed like that for a while, just being in the presence of one another. I was so excited to start training and to get into the team environment. When I'm away from the team for too long, I get restless, and no one likes that feeling.