Dani Scott 2022/2023 season - A Leah Williamson story

So what's going on here

It’s been 2 days since the champions league semi final. After we went back into the changing rooms, myself and Katie got pulled to do random drug tests. I got my result this morning, negative which I knew anyway. I was sat on the sofa looking at the email when Beth came and sat next to me. She said “what’s up?”

“This is definitely going to be hanging over me for the rest of my career isn’t it” I said and I handed her my phone to see what I was talking about.

“I don’t know what it is like for you but it must be hard, especially when you have never done anything wrong” Beth said

I said “It is but I’m going to have to learn to live with it. I am actually surprised that I haven’t been pulled again until now”

“You will keep on proving them wrong. That’s all you need to do” Beth said

“Yeah, I know. I suppose we better go or we will be late” I said

Beth drove us to training in her new blue tesla. It was a lovely car and she had fallen in love with it. The girls liked it too. They were all jealous of her.

We got to London Colney and went in different directions. We were pitch training today and Beth was starting in the gym. Half way through the session I could feel myself getting really anxious. I knew I had to put it to the back of my head and finish the session. I don’t know how but I managed to get through to the end of the session. I went straight into the changing room. I got changed and put my hoodie on and made sure that the hood was on my head. I went to the chill room as it was empty and I sat on the sofa in the corner of the room. I put my knees up and then put my head between them and just tried to breathe through it. After a little while I heard voices but couldn’t work out what was being said. I felt someone touch me trying to get my attention, I looked up it was Leah. She said “Dan, are you ok?”

I couldn’t talk so I shook my head.

“Are you having a panic attack?” She asked

I nodded again. I heard Beth come into the room, she was laughing and joking with someone. Then I heard her say “what’s going on?”

Leah said “she’s having another panic attack”

Beth walked over and said to Leah “’let me try” I felt Leah get up from next to me and then Beth sat down. I was back to looking down again. Beth put her hand on my leg and said “babe, look at me”

I looked up. She smiled and said “remember just copy my breathing” she breathed in and then out. I did copy her. I didn’t take my eyes off her. It took me a couple of minutes to calm down. I wasn’t ready to talk and I think that Beth could see that. She pulled me into her and just held me for a bit.

After a couple of minutes I heard Katie say “so, what’s going on here?”

I looked up at Beth and said “I’m sorry”

“It’s fine, they would have found out soon enough anyway” Beth said

“So, Dani is your new girlfriend?” Katie asked

Beth answered “yes Katie, Dani is my girlfriend and before you ask yes Viv does know”

Kim said “as long as you two are both happy that’s all that matters”

“We are” Beth answered.

“Dani, do these attacks happen often” Kim asked.

I sat up a bit but Beth was still holding me. I said “they have been, I was doing really well. I’ve suffered with my anxiety since I was about 16. I didn’t have an attack for a couple of years. Then something triggered me and I’ve had a few over the last week or so but I’ve booked a doctor’s appointment so I can get my medication updated”

“If you ever need to talk, you know where I am” Kim said

I said “thanks Kim”