My Cure - Mallory Pugh/USWNT (Sequel to Attached)

Chapter 11

June 17th, 2022

Morgana's POV

The game started slowly on both sides to be honest, I got 2 decent shots on goal, but nothing that was going to put us on the board. 

Then in the 20th, Vanessa DiBernardo gave Mal a great pass right in the box, and a defender came out of nowhere to absoultely bodyslam her. 

We got called for a PK, but I didn't care. Mal was down, and looked hurt. I rn over to her and knelt down next to her. 

"Mal. Mallory. Mal." I said, tapping her a bit. 

"Morg. Morgana. Morg." She said. 

"Are you okay? What hurts?" I asked, putting my head on the ground so it was level with hers. 

I probably looked completely stupid, but I didn't care. 

"Just got the wind knocked out of me, that's all." She said, and I sat up to help her sit up. 

"Arms up." I said, helping pull her up. 

"I got it." She lifted her arms above her head, and I looked over to see the ref giving the defender a yellow card, and her and her team fighting back. 

"She's getting a yellow." I told Mal, and then I helped her stand up. The crowd cheered, and I went over to where the ref was with the team. 

"Leave her alone. It was a clear yellow, now let's get on with the game." I said to the defender. 

"Why don't you mind your own?" She said. 

"Stoppage time kills." I said, referring to the last game KC played, in which they lost in stoppage. 

"Why do you care?" 

"Why do you ask so many questions?" 

The ref told us to break it up, and we did. 

But here comes our payback. 

The coach left it up to us to decide who would take the PK, becaise Mal had be taken off by the trainers for a minute, and she'd be back on, but not before the PK has to be taken. 

"You take it, Morgana." Said Rachel Hill. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Very." Said Tatumn Milazzo, and we all got in position for me to take the kick. 

I stared at the ball on the spot, just standing right over it. I took a deep breath, and then the whistle was blown, signaling that I could kick, I backed up straight back. 

My best PK tactic was the go straight back, because then it's harder to read where I'm going to go. 

Then I ran up to the ball and took a strike with my left foot, my non dominant foot, right to the corner, where the goalie didn't have a chance. 

The first thing I did after the ball went in was turn to look for Mal, and I did 2 thumbs up as everyone crowded around me for the goal celebration. 

Mal came back on, and the game went on as usual. 

In the 35th minute,  I had a breakaway, but was shut down with a slide tack from the defender that took out Mal. 

I fell forward, saving myself by doing a somersalt when I hit the ground. I got up, and went to get back in the play without a word, but she smirked and laughed a bit. 

That made me angry, because I'm not gonna be perfect all the time. I also got past her twice already. 

I brushed it off, and waited for the throw in. And it fell right to my feet, so I turned the ball around and guess who was behind me?