Expect The Unexpected (Alexia Putellas x OC)

Chapter 54

We keep playing, and we obtain a good freekick. Hempo takes the ball. I hope she'll do as well as she did when we trained together. I see her put everything she has in the ball. Perfect trajectory. Perfect effect. Goal. 2-0. I jump on place and Hempo runs to me.

"This is for you, keeper." She high fives me. "You trained me well, I had to score."

"Keep going, champ." I wink at her.

            And she does. It's now the 39th minute, Hempo is running down her wing. She is just in front the Spain bench when Esther tackles her way harder than needed. The referee gives us a freekick and sends Esther off with a second yellow. The crowd applauds the decision and starts booing Esther as she walks off the pitch.

"Jayden!" Arjan calls me. "Give it a try."

            I nod and run to the ball. We've worked on a new strategy. As I'm one of the best with my feet, we created a freekick tactic similar to the ones we have in Chelsea when the ball is around the middle line. I wait for the referee to whistle but Jorge walks closer to me.

"You're just a pathetic nobody." He whispers to me but loud enough for the fourth official to hear. "You're just a fucking bitch. And your girlfriend is no better."

            I turn to him with the harshest glare on my face. Talk about me but don't talk about Alexia. I can tell the fourth referee heard that as the ref is running to us like Usain Bolt. I don't say a thing but look upon Jorge's shoulder towards the UEFA and FIFA people. I gesture them to write it all down and I smirk widely as Jorge is sent off too. Red card for the narcissist.

"If you think you're going to change something with your pathetic FIFA trial, you can just go fuck yourself, Daly!" Jorge screams while two people bring him inside the tunnel.

"Goalkeeper?" The referee makes me look back at her. "Are you ready to play?"

"Yeah, this man will never disturb women's football again." I nod. "So, I am okay."

            She runs back to the box and tells me to play. I don't know why but I put all my frustration in my cross. I see the ball flying way higher than expected and it surprises everyone, included Misa who has anticipated the cross. She tries to step back quickly but the ball gets down just under the crossbar. I can't believe it. I scored. I look around me in disbelief. I just did a Mapi Leon.
My entire bench jumps on me and my teammates too. 3-0. As they all get off of me, I look around to see the Spanish substitutes applauding me and giving a standing ovation. I point at them and send them a kiss. I turn around and see my sister waiting for me. We both kiss her wrist and point to the sky. Sure thing, he'll be the proudest dad tonight.

            The game restarts and we dominate the rest of the game. The second half is more or less the same as we finally win 4-0 but the Spanish girls don't touch the ball. Montse decided not to make substitutions, none of the girls even warmed up. At the end of the game, we check hands with the girls who stayed on the pitch, and we all take a picture together wearing our pre-game shirts. Then, I go to the post-game interview with the BBC girl on the side of the pitch.

"We're here with Jayden Daly." She smiles. "Jayden, weird game today... can you tell us about it?"

"I don't have much to say." I shake my head. "We just showed everyone what it is like when you have a real coach, a real staff. We all suffered with our Spanish friends recently. I won't say more, the authorities in charge will take care of it all. I'm just glad we are still in the competition. I hope we'll get to only think about football from now on."

"I wish you this." She nods. "Thank you."

I quickly walk to the tunnel and stay a bit more with Alexia as everyone else go to the shower. We hide somewhere in the corridors, and she wraps her arms around my neck.