One day I'll have it all. // Williamson

Arsenal V Man U

60,000.

Sixty thousand.

Sixty thousand fucking people.

There were cities with fewer people than that.

It was almost two times the population of Liechtenstein.

More than half of Boyle Heights.

I wondered how many boxes of smarties would it take to get to that number.

It was also more than the number of grains of rice in a 1kg bag.

No idea how I knew that.

My right foot kept tapping the floor incessantly, my nails scratching my left arm to the point it had been gnawing at me all day, ever since I received the news. Sixty thousand people. The thought echoed in my mind like a relentless drumbeat, each repetition only amplifying the overwhelming sense of pressure that weighed heavily on my shoulders.

Next to me, Leah was focused on her phone, her AirPods in her ears, she didn't seem to be anxious.

She didn't seem to be. But she was.

I knew that beneath her calm exterior, Leah was feeling the weight of the situation just as much as I was.

She had seen more. During the Euro final, the crowd had gotten close to ninety thousand people. But it wasn't the Emirates.

And the Emirates was special. Especially for Leah. The Emirates meant home. It meant family. It meant that women's football existed. And it was stronger than it ever had been before.

It meant history, passion, and a legacy built on the sweat and determination of generations of players who had graced its hallowed grounds. The Emirates Stadium was more than just a venue; it was a symbol of everything we had fought for, everything we had achieved, and everything we still had yet to accomplish.

"Valentina, stop that, you're gonna start bleeding." I heard Katie tell me. I jumped a little, not expecting someone to talk to me. Katie was sat in front of me on the bus riding from Colney to the Emirates. Next to her was Lia, too focused on her music to even acknowledge us.

I forced myself to still my restless movements, realizing that Katie was right. My nails had already left angry red marks on my arm, a physical manifestation of the turmoil raging within me. With a sheepish nod, I tucked my hands into my pockets. Katie gave me a sympathetic smile, her eyes filled with understanding. She knew as well as I did the significance of what lay ahead. The weight of responsibility hung heavy in the air, a silent reminder of the magnitude of the task that awaited us.

We lost, we were out of the title race.
We lost, we lost in front of 60,000 gooners.

I should have put my earphones on.

Katie had experienced a filled Emirates already, against Wolfsburg. I guess it made her less anxious. Or maybe she was just never much stressed about these things.

Leah glanced up from her phone, a knowing look passing between us as our eyes met. She didn't say anything. Just grabbed my hand in hers.

As the bus pulled up to the Emirates Stadium, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of the imposing structure looming before us. Sixty thousand pairs of eyes would soon be fixed upon us, scrutinizing our every move, our every decision.

Stepping off the bus and onto the hallowed grounds of the Emirates Stadium, I was in awe. It was my first time ever entering this stadium. And I loved it so much. Loved it every time I saw the girls play in it, rolling it up little by little.

We directly went into the locker room. And thank god. Because I wasn't sure I was ready to face the crowd yet.

Even the locker room looked incredibly luxurious, with its high ceilings and rows of neatly arranged lockers.