A Unique Crossover

Chapter48: Just one little word

David's POV

For a moment, I didn't think I heard that. What was said came out in a small voice which didn't come from my inner or outer voice. Turning my head towards the light tanned girl standing beside me, staring at the beautiful painting in front of us with her heart on her sleeve.

Her expression was this mixture of amazement, deep sadness, enchantment and guilt, "I'm sorry that I've gotten into a fight with that jackass Ivan, I'm sorry for getting injured on the field during second half, I'm sorry for the way that I've snapped at you in the changing room; I'm sorry for not talking to you when I asked you to."

I wanted to stop Ariel from apologising for things that she didn't really had to, but just as my mouth opened, I closed it again. Remembering what Ryan had told me to do after I finally get a moment alone with her, that's when she turned to face me with her expression changed completely.

Instead of having sadness, wonder and guilt printed onto her face, she was staring at me with the same expression that she had during our argument in the changing room earlier. This time, it was even stronger and powerful than it was before, "But I'm not sorry for standing up for myself to Ivan, Markson and to you, I'm not sorry for speaking my mind on how you've been treating the team, Jimmy and me today. I'm not sorry at all for pointing out the flaws and errors of yours when it comes to leading the team.
That's something that someone had to talk to you about a long time ago, because if no one else was going to, then you would have either prevent them from winning a tournament that they have been working hard for. Or worse, your Uncle might have taken you out of the team entirely."

Hearing those words was like being thrown into an ice bath without pacing yourself, having yourself be rushed into the bath while tons of ice are thrown on top of you in great speed. Some part of me always knew that if I had to keep on giving just fifty percent in leading the Knights that Uncle Richard would have kicked me off the team.
Yet hearing Ariel point that thought out honestly just opens my eyes wider to realise that the thought was the red light that I've been ignoring for far too long.

Swallowing tightly before inhaling softly when I felt her warm hands take hold of mine as she takes one step closer.
Staring into my eyes with hers that became softer yet remain strong, "You are a good Captain, David. Probably the best that I've ever seen and played with.
You have this incredible skill of leading people that comes off you so naturally. Throughout the years of playing and watching soccer, I've seen many team Captains who often leads them down a road of failure and disappointments, because of their attitude towards them and their role. And there's a very handful of them who always leads their team to victory and go down as being the great of the greatest, and you are one of those Captains."

What Ariel was saying to me were things that I haven't believed in for a long time, after the short time of being the Captain of KAU's Knights soccer team, we've only been able to reach second and third place in the tournament. When Carson was still with us and leading the team, he managed to lead us to victory at least twice before I joined and taste both the glory days of winning and bitterness of lost.

I felt her hand squeeze mine when she said something that took me off my feet, "I can see that everything about your leadership in the team are things that you've learnt from Carson which he has taught you so brilliantly well. Please don't disappoint him by letting his knowledge be forgotten."

That was what caused me to feel the greatest shame and disappointment towards myself for everything that I've done. Neglecting all of the lessons that the great of the greats have taught me, for not caring about my words and actions in the team, for giving only fifty percent of myself when I should have be giving twice than that to everyone in the team.