Dark past, Bright Future.

[25] - Dream Debut

Today we play Brighton away. We meet at the training ground first for a meeting about todays game. After the meeting we will go on the team bus to the game.

We sit round a big round table during the meeting and I can't help but look at Leah. We make eye contact but instead of looking away like we usually would we just gaze at each other it's oddly settling.

Jonas soon starts the meeting and reveals the starting line up. I'm not starting but that wasn't a surprise. He tells me that I may come on at half time if things are going to plan.

The meeting finishes up after Jonas goes over tactics and some of the key players strengths and weaknesses.

We pile on the bus and I just walk straight to the back and sit in a two seater on my own. I wouldn't mind if someone sat with me but I also wouldn't mind sitting alone.

I'm looking down at my phone when someone sits next to me. I know who it is instantly.

"Leah."

"Hi you okay B." She asks.

"Yeah I'm good, great now you're sitting next to me." I reply with a slight laugh.

She laughs too and we soon fall into an easy conversation.

   ***

"I'm a bit tired." Leah yawns.

"You should try and get some sleep then we still have an hour or so until we get there."

"Yeah you're right."

Leah places her head gently on my shoulder. It makes me happy that she is comfortable enough to do that with me. After a while I feel her body relax and I assume she has fallen asleep.

  ***

"Leah" I whisper to Leah as we arrive at the ground. "You've got to get up now."

She stirs slightly but ends up with her head pressed further into my shoulder.

"Leah, come on we are getting off now." I say this as I gently move a stray piece of hair from her face.

"Sorry." She mumbles as she lifts her head slowly from my shoulder.

"No it's okay." I tell her.

***

After our warm up we go back into the changing room to get ready for the match.

I'm not starting but I still have to be ready in my kit as I'm a sub. Once I'm all ready I notice Leah sat in the corner bouncing her leg so I go over and place a hand gently on her knee.

She looks up at me as if she never even realised someone had sat next to her but once she meets my eyes she seems to relax a bit.

"You're gonna be great." I tell her.

"Thanks I just get a bit on edge before games sometimes but I'm usually fine as soon as we get on the pitch." She explains.

"Yeah I get that, I mean I don't usually get nervous but like I get the feeling of everything else fading into the background once you're on the pitch." I tell her.

We are told the starting 11 needs to line up in the tunnel now. So I get up and pull Leah into a hug wishing her good luck before going to take my place on the bench.

  ***

We are 2-0 up at the end of the half. Beth scored in 22nd minute when Leah played a ball into the middle to Katie who managed to create some space with impressive footwork before passing it off to Beth who blasted it home. Then we scored again in 38th minute when Caitlin managed to get her head on it from a corner and it sailed into the top corner making us 2 up at the break.

Jonas came over to me just before half time to tell me I'll be going on. After we have a team talk in the changing room we head back out to hopefully further our lead.

"Good luck kid." Jen says to me as she goes to take her place back on the bench.

"Thanks Jen." I reply.

"Go well Blair." Steph says to me as she runs past me to her position on the pitch.

"Thanks." I call after her.

With that the whistle blows and we are off again. It takes us a few minutes to settle back into the flow of the game.

Kim manages to steal the ball in the middle before passing it off to Caitlin on the wing. Caitlin plays a quick one two with me round a player. once I play the ball back to her I make a run straight into the box. She manages to find my feet again and I quickly cut back and send the defender the wrong way before taking the shot. It's a cracking goal and I'm thrilled to score on my debut.

I run to the corner my teammates chasing me I slide on my knees before my teammates surround me. They celebrate with me and send me congratulations.

"Nice shot B." Leah whispers in my ear with her hand covering her mouth as she gives me quick hug in celebration. This makes me smile almost more than the goal itself.

We quickly run back to our half for the restart. We dominate the possession but it soon gets a bit scrappy just outside the box as Brighton are desperate to score. Katie draws the foul. Kim tells me to take the free kick. I stand over the ball and quickly decide that the angle isn't right to shoot. I glance at Viv and send her quick wink letting her know it's coming her way. I float the ball up beautifully and viv manages to connect with it nicely. It's in the back of the net and we are now 4-0 up with 15 minutes to go.

Nothing much comes for the next 13 minutes or so Brightons defence has got tighter and increasingly hard to break down on tired legs. We have been playing the ball along the outside of the box for the last 5 minutes or so just trying to find a way in but nothing seems to be coming. I find myself with the ball at my feet a small way outside the box. I decide to take a risk seen as we are 4-0 up. I quickly tap the ball through the legs of the defender coming to close me down before sending a quick shot off. It curls in the air before wizzing over the keepers out stretched hand. It dinks the underside of the cross bar and lands just over the line. It's in.

I run over to the corner and recreate my previous celebration. I truly feel on top of the world surrounded by my teammates, my friends, my new family.

The game ends 5-0 and I'm awarded player of the match on my debut. For 2 goals and an assist.

"Well it truly was a spectacular performance wasn't it from Blair Young on her debut. The whole game shifted around her as soon as she stepped foot on the pitch." Alex Scott says as she debriefs the game.

"It certainly did, the ball seemed to follow her round the pitch definitely a player to watch for in the future I mean she is only 18. She has so much time to improve on her game even more." Ian wright says.

"Looks like we have her here now to present her with the player of the match award." Alex says.

I walk into shot and she shakes my hand as she presents me the trophy.

"Thanks." I say as I take it.

"So Blair how was it out there?" Wrighty asks.

"Aw look it was incredible it was truly a dream debut but I couldn't have done it without all of the support from the club and the rest of the team since I arrived at the club." I answer.

"It was a very impressive performance and you played with such good chemistry with the team how did you manage to build that connection so quickly."

"Yeah I mean all the girls have been super welcoming and have made me feel like I was part of the team right from the start so I think that made it very easy for me to just slot in."

"Thanks so much Blair, we will let you get back." Alex says.

I walk off screen.

"That was Blair Young our Barclays player of the match." Alex says to the camera signing off.

***

We get back on the bus and I end up sitting round a table of four with Katie, Jen and Beth we sing and dance the whole way back to London. I'm ecstatic about my day and everyone is is happy for me.