Fighting Society

kiddo needs help- part 2

The full time whistle went, Leah dropping to her knees as soon as she heard it go, placing her head straight into her hands.

She didn't have it in her immediately to congratulate the Wolfsburg girls, nor to go round and comfort her girls. She needed the time, the few moments, to soak in the fact they had lost. They had made it so far, and had lost. The final was in their reach, being only a game away, but they just hadn't made it.

A soft hand was placed on her shoulder, reaching out to help pull her off the floor, taking the hand so that she could stand. The two hugged for a few moments, Lia slowly running her hand up and down Leah's back.

"We did everything we could Le. The team needs us now."

Taking a deep breath, she broke away from the hug, nodding her head as the two separated, taking their duties as two of the more senior players to go round and help their players. With the occasional handshake as she made her way past some Wolfsburg players, exchanging her congrats, Leah moved to make sure that each and everyone of her team had someone.

The field was littered with red shirts sat on the floor, some with their knees tucked into their chest, others with their heads in hands. A lot of the senior players had already made their way up, moving around to get to their players; Katie was over with Teyah, who had been subbed on, and Steph and Caitlin were sat with Kyra, who Leah could've sworn she had never seen without a smile on her face, up until now.

Out the corner of her eye, she spotted one player in a red shirt, alone, on the floor, brushing off anyone else who came near to her. A couple Wolfsburg players made their way over, as the defender simply reached her hand out, before placing them back down. Leah took her time to make her way over to her, sitting beside her, keeping a slight distance.

"You played really well Lotte."

"It was my fault."

"No, it wasn't. It was no ones fault. As a team, we just couldn't get to their standard."

"I was caught out of position."

"We were pushing up, Lotte, everybody knew that was a risk, and we agreed to take it, as a team. This loss, we'll take as a loss as a team. Not one person."

She reached across, offering her hand to help Lotte up, similarly to how Lia did to her, the defender hesitantly taking it. As soon as she got to her feet, Leah wrapped her arms around Lotte, allowing her to soak in the hug for a bit, leaning back to look at her in the eyes.

"This won't be the only semi-final you'll make Lotte. You are an incredible player, with the world at your feet. Your time will come, and when it does, you'll embrace it, and win it all, it's just unfortunate that it's not today."

Together, the two of them broke from their hug, being the last few players to make it into the team huddle which had gathered in the centre of the pitch, alongside Vic, who was being supported clearly by Beth, the winger keeping her arms tightly wrapped around the Dutch to guide her over, similarly to Leah and Lotte.

They squeezed themselves in-between some people in the circle, Leah ensuring to keep her arm wrapped tightly around Lotte's waist, turning to note Kathrine who was also stood next to her, noting to speak to the Dane later. She was stood on her own, and clearly was refusing to let anybody in.

"Girls... You played so so well out there. So well. And I am incredibly proud to be your manager. The determination, the teamwork. You didn't deserve to loose."

Leah zoned out as Jonas' words continued going, turning to look at the people around her, each and every one of them broken as the next. A sad tear rolled down Kathrine's cheek, who quickly moved to wipe it off her face, allowing Leah to move forward to whisper to her,