Unbreakable Bonds

Chapter 20

(Remember this is fake. Obvs aware Australia didn't go this far but we are gonna pretend)

With the Olympics well underway, getting a medal was the only this you cared about. For you, the Olympics were a reminder of what you lost. 3 weeks after Australia won their first gold medal in the soccer, your family was ripped apart. It made you more determined to be better and do better. For them.

Unfortunately for your team, you had a pretty hard group. Having to go up against Canada, Germany and Zimbabwe. The first game against Canada was hard. They played well, it was super physical and exhausting but ultimately you lost 2-0. The pressure you had put on yourself to be the best was getting to you. After the game, you rushed back into the change room, making a beeline straight to the showers before anyone came in so you could cry. You were disappointed in yourself. You knew you could do better.

The second game was against Germany, both you and Sam scored and out Australia in the lead. That was until the 88th minute when Germany finally got a second goal, making it a tie. That's how the game ended. 2-2. It wasn't a loss but you knew to get further you needed a win, everyone was determined to do better. Communication with Lex had dropped off. You were trying to focus as much as you could do you could get a medal. Lex had asked Ronnie about you. She was honest, the girls were worried about you and how much pressure you put on yourself.

The last game of the group stage was against Zimbabwe. A fire light inside of you as you walked out of the tunnel. This was it. Win and you'd go through, lose and you were going home. Determined, you managed to get a hat trick. Playing more as a midfielder that game then a striker, you were everywhere. Winning the game 6-1 made you emotional. You were through to the quarter finals. This was your chance.

You briefly spoke to Lexi, mainly to calm her, telling her you were fine even if she could see differently. The stress and tiredness was evident on your face but you didn't care. You needed this. The knockout stage began, playing the hosts, Brazil. The game was hard. It was a draw until the 90+3", a corner was up for us, Alannah kicking the ball perfectly to your knees, you managed a bicycle kick, and the ball landed in the back on the net. You ran to your bench, wanting to include them in this, everyone was jumping all over you. Shortly after the referee blew the whistle for full time. Exhausted but excited you hugged everyone.

The team had a rest day the following day. You finally felt a sense of peace, making it easier to talk to Lex, you spent a few hours talking to her. It was like normal. You missed her, like crazy. Sleeping wasn't as easy or good when you weren't with you. You struggled, not telling her or anyone about it as you didn't want to worry them. The semi final was going to be against Sweden. Another hard game to play.

It stayed a tie throughout the 90 minutes, then through the extra time. It doesn't end well for you or your team. You missed your penalty. You fucking missed. You lost the game. Shattering the teams hopes and your own, playing for gold. You were so incredibly pissed off at yourself, storming straight into the change room, not even shaking your opponents hands or your teams. You fucked up, it was all on you. Your fault, no one else's. You distanced yourself from the team, choosing not to shower and just get changed, then practically running onto the bus. You didn't listen to anything anyone said. Drowning out everyone's voices.

As you made your way back into the hotel room, you went straight into the bathroom. Showering off the sweat, letting the tears fall and the hatred towards yourself consume you. After you made sure Alannah was asleep, you snuck out. Down to one of your conference rooms, setting the game up on the projector. You and Lex watch games back all the time, giving each other ideas for what to do better next time, or complimenting each other. This time was different, it was just you and your anger. Everyone else was asleep. Before you knew it, the sun had risen. You must have watched it 100 times. Pages and pages filled with what to do better, the anger slowly turned into determination.

You didn't even look at your phone until breakfast. Opting to sit alone with your fruit and toast. When you finally did, you saw many missed messages from Lex, Eli and the Barca group chat. Ignoring them all, even Alexia's. You couldn't deal with it. Thankfully before the Olympics you had been smart enough to delete all the social media apps from your phone. You didn't care what people said about you, you didn't care for the encouraging messages. You simply weren't in the mood for any of it. While everyone went off to enjoy their free time, you went to the training fields. Pelting ball after ball, only leaving when you finally felt exhausted. Sleep still didn't come easy that night and the following morning you looked worse. Everyone was worried. Especially Ronnie, Lexi had rang her in a panic when she still hadn't heard from you. Ronnie knew it wasn't like you to ignore Ale, but you were. She made a note to keep a close eye on you.

The stage was set, the bronze medal game against Canada. This was it. Your last chance to get a medal. Canada scored first, but your team were determined to even the score. That's what happened, 1 minute before half time, you managed to put the ball in the back of the net after a beautiful cross from Sam. You went into the second half on a high. You all believed you could do it, until you couldn't. For 48 minutes the defence were able to hold out on Canada. The fleeting seconds of the game and they scored. The sounded of the final whistle sent you done. Bawling on the field. Your efforts weren't enough. You weren't enough.

You'd won the golden boot for the games, but you didn't care. Heartbreakingly you accepted the award, smiling for the cameras and for the interviews but once you were alone it was different. You felt like a failure, you couldn't bring home a medal, you couldn't make your family proud, make Lexi proud. You came back from Brazil different. The Barca girls could see it, alexia and Ronnie were worried. Worried you'd snap at any moment.