The Rising Star - Alexia Putellas

Part 119

A/N: Well it's not monday but I have been having a crazy day and I felt a bit overwhelmed so I thought why not make others happy. Anyway, hope you're all are doing good and enjoy the treat. 

After some more celebrations, we did our victory lap around the stadium, applauding the fans, taking pictures and signing stuff. I tried my best to tend to most of the fans but it was impossible.

Once I spotted my family, I walked over to them, hugging my little brother first. After a few minutes he finally let me go but it took some persuading from my mom who was eager to hug me as well.

One of the staff members came out to get us and told me to wrap it up because I needed to get ready so we could leave. Tonight, we would go out celebrating our win, Jill and our last night of camp in general.

My family and I said our goodbyes but not before they told me how proud they were and we took some pictures together. Then it was time to leave again.

I was the last one to go back to the locker room when Jill came up next to me. We crossed the pitch in silence, not a single word being said until we reached the tunnel.

"Great game." She hummed, her gaze still set in front of her.

"Thanks." I said with a smile but my smile soon turned into a confused one.

Jill stopped walking and turned to look at me. This caused me to stop as well. The coach was wearing a proud smile on her face, one a mother would hold for her child when they did something great.

"You showed true leadership today. I'm proud of you." She hummed.

"It was nothing." I brushed her off, my cheeks turning a light shade of pink from the compliment.

"It was. They had lost hope. You made them believe again, you won this game all on your own." Jill said again.

"I didn't. Without Alex her goal we wouldn't have equalized and Pinoe could have easily scored that free kick herself." I brushed her off.

"Yet you were the one who kept believing in Alex and who assisted her and Pinoe could have scored that free kick but she trusted you with it instead." She countered immediately with a determined glint in her eyes.

"You played phenomenal, yes but you won the game by that half time speech you gave." I didn't know Jill had heard my half time speech, but it confirmed what she always thought, that I would be a great captain.

"I just said a few things. That's it. They pumped themselves up." I refused to take credit for the way we played our second half.

"And sometimes all you need is a spark to start a fire. I'm proud of you." She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled at me but that smile soon turned into a sorrowful look.

"I regret not taking you with me to the Olympics in 2016." She said barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Jill." I sighed out. The coach had nothing to be sorry for. I understood her choice. I was only seventeen. I was so young and the competition was tough in my position. I get why she left me at home.

"No, it was a mistake and I need to owe up to it. You should have been on the squad. Hope was right." She shook her head remembering her argument with Hope the first camp after the selection got out.

You could say whatever you want about Hope but you always knew where you stood with her. She always had my back and believed in me from day one. She had made that very clear to Jill when she hadn't selected me.