The Rising Star - Alexia Putellas

Part 138

A/N: Hola chicas! I'm back! Sorry for the absence. I had a lot of stuff to figure out, but I'm back and I hope you all will enjoy the chapter! 

It's usually mandatory that the day after the game, we have a slow training session. One that was meant as a recovery. Henry didn't seem to agree with that though, but only with me of course.

Just like the previous training, nothing I did was good enough. Every drill we did, every pass I gave, he kept yelling at me, pushing me.

"Come on Eleanore! Faster!" Henry yelled at me.

We were currently in the midst of a drill. It was a fairly easy one. A simple finishing drill where the winger had to run down the line and then pass the ball inside the box.

It was my turn to be the winger. Carli was next to me and played the ball. Immediately I took off after it. Within seconds I controlled it and made my way further along the line but according to Henry, it was too slow.

"Play the ball!" He yelled again.

I hadn't even reached the back line yet when he yelled at me to pass it so I ignored him for just a bit more and then played the ball right into Alex's path, who wasted no time in slotting that ball into the net. My cross to Alex was precise, perfectly where she wanted it yet that was not what Henry saw.

"Great work Alex!" He complimented her, then he spun around and walked my way. "Queen! When I tell you to pass the ball, you pass the ball!" He told me sternly.

"You might have been lucky yesterday during the game against Sweden but if you play like this against Costa Rica, they will kick your ass and you will cost the team our victory. One more warning and you're doing laps." I received one more glare before he turned around again and told the next group to start.

I however was left with a devastating feeling but I tried not to let it bother me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carli and Alyssa looking at me. It was Alyssa who said something to Carli that made her come over.

"Hey, cheer up. You did great. That was a beautiful cross." she patted my back and then went to take her place for the next exercise.

I followed Carli's example and stood behind her to start the next drill. Just like Henry yelled at me, I pushed myself even harder. I did everything he asked but still that wasn't enough.

"Again." I snapped my head into the direction of my assistant coach. "Excuse me?" I knitted my eyebrows together, highly confused about his sudden words.

"Do the drill again." He simply repeated himself but this time with more words.

"But we're done." Carli came to a stop right next to me and looked at Henry confused.

"Yes, you are done." He looked at Carli with a smile then turned to me. "But you are not." This time he pointed at me.

"Do the drill again, but this time with more intensity." He said and glared at me. As demanded I did what I was told. I took the ball and did the drill again and again and again and again. Each time he pushed me harder and harder and harder till my lungs and legs were burning.

When I was finally allowed to stop, I bent over, leaning my hands on my knees. I needed to catch my breath for a minute but before I could I heard an unmistakable voice of someone who was deliberately trying to break me.

"Make no mistake. You may have assisted and scored a goal, but the poor performance yesterday was your fault. You're the one everyone is counting on. Are you still sure you can fill those shoes?" He quietly said. To everyone around us It must have looked like he was consoling me but in reality he was tearing me down piece by piece.