The rookie

Part 7

As I entered the room, the laughter soon came to a halt. "Hey" I look around the room and notice people I haven't been introduced to yet. Lauren hemp, Ellie roebuck, Hannah Hampton, and Alex greenwood.

"Hey kid, didn't expect you back so early" Ellen tried to explain, "come here meet some of my team mates from city!" She exclaims excitedly. "This is Hempo, Ellie, and Alex, and over there is Hannah, she isn't on my team but I guess she is an exception" they all laugh again,

"Hey guys" is all I could squeeze out knowing that before I walked in they were all taking the piss out of me.

"Hey rookie, White was just telling us all how great your first session was, can't wait to be training with you tomorrow" Ellie roebuck was the first to talk. Acting as though they weren't just talking about me behind my back 2 minutes ago.

"Yeah can't wait either." I smile gritting my teeth.

"I'm sure we will work great together on the pitch" hemp speaks up, causing the others to chuckle. I know this is a dig at me not playing in a team before, but I can't let them know I eavesdropped. I play along.

"Yeah I'm sure, it will be great just to share the pitch with you." How am I still doing this. I fear that tears are going to spill any moment.

"Hey kid, it's almost time for dinner, how about you head down and save us a seat whilst we get ready?" Ellen asks. Great I'm being kicked out of my own room. I nod and head out without another word, hearing bundles of laughter coming from the room as I exit. I can't help it anymore. I burst into tears. Why am I even here? No one wants me here? What did I do? Maybe I should just head back to the abuse factory early? That would be better than this. At least I can play football in peace that way.
 
As I enter the room, eyes red, to my surprise two people were already sat. And for once luck was on my side. As I collected my food I was called over, "hey kid, come sit with us" Rachel daly shouts, although there was no one else in the room other than the chefs.

I smiled and made my way over to them. As I sat they both looked at me with an expression I couldn't read.

"What's up?" Millie bright breaks the silence.

"Huh?" I questioned them.

"It looks as though you've been crying kid." I quickly look down at my food realising the state my face must be in. Why didn't I go and wash my face in the bathrooms before hand? I curse at myself before answering,

"Umm I fine, just hay fever I guess." What a bad excuse, come on you know better than that. Just as they were about to question me again, more people walked into the room.

"Quick hurry! Before your Daly dose of brightness eats all your food!" Lucy bronze voice booms through the corridor and dining room. They both laugh hysterically as everyone runs into the room. More people started to join our table, just as I finished. I went to go stand up.

"Hey kid where you going?" Millie asks me.

"I've um finished" I reply looking down at my plate with still half the food on it.

"You've barely touched anything" great now Rachel has joined in.

"I had a big breakfast" I reply smiling, now the whole table is looking at me great.

"We haven't been formally introduced yet, please sit, I want to know more about you" Lucy pipes up. I hesitantly sit back down as Rachel and Millie smiles.

"Lia, this is Lucy bronze, and Keira walsh, guaranteed wherever you find one the other is always close behind" Rachel says chuckling,

"Hey that's the same with you and mills though!" Lucy backfired. "But nice to meet you officially kid, I've seen you around but never spoke."

"You too, I guess we are just always busy" I say making an excuse for not speaking to the team. I mean the first time I saw her she was sat with Leah and they were all laughing together at the joke they made about me. No wonder I've been to scared to talk to either of them.

"I saw you training today, quite some skills you carry in that tiny body there" Lucy continues to compliment me,

"Thank you, but I don't think I'd ever be able to level with your amount of talent." I say blushing. I've always looked up to Lucy as a football player. She is one of the best after all.

"Looks like you have a fan here Luce" Keira finally spoke, chuckling.

"Well at least she can notice talent when she sees it" Lucy responds making the whole team chuckle, including me. I'm laughing genuinely for the first time at the camp.

"You finished kid?" I turn my head to Millie. And hum yes. "Come on then, let's make our way over to the gym session." She says whilst standing up along with Rachel. "See you guys there" she waves at Lucy and Keira before I place my plate on the counter and leave with Millie and Rachel. 

I think I finally made friends with someone on this team.

Suddenly we stop before the doors of the gym, and Rachel speaks up. "Look kid we know you only had a banana for breakfast, we saw you." I've been caught out. Why were they watching me?

"I guess I'm just not a big eater" I reply quietly all of a sudden taking an interest to the ground. God Julia stop looking so guilty.

"Then why lie to us kid?" Millie now speaks up.

"I, I, ugh, I" I try to come up with an excuse whilst stumbling over my own words, "I don't know" is all I could resort to.

"You need to eat more kid, especially with this level of training, it isn't healthy, plus your already skinny enough as it is." My head shoots up, wondering how they know I'm scrawny, I've only ever wore baggy clothes in front of the team. "We noticed you wear size small clothing and they are still baggy as hell on you." Millie responds to my furrowed eyebrows. I look down at the floor again. I know they are right, but I can't get use to eating a lot of food. What's going to happen when I go back to the hell hole and get not even one meal a day again.

They must have seen me deep in thought because Rachel snapped me back to reality, "look kid we aren't having a go at you, we are just looking out for you." A sympathetic smile on her face. I smile back.

"I know, I'm sorry for lying to you guys." I reply.

"It's fine, just please start eating more. For us" Millie says, I nod, know I can't promise them, as I wouldn't be able to keep it, and with that final remark we enter the gym.

Millie's POV:

Me and Rachel could tell something was wrong with this girl, as soon as she slipped up when taking about her parents in the hallway. We spoke about the situation in the room and tried to ignore it until we have noticed how skinny she was and how little she was eating, our worry for the kid only grew. Something wasn't right, I'm not too sure what it was but I know this girl is hiding something, not in a bad way. My heart just went out for her. All we can do is show that we are there for her. Maybe then she will open up.