3 DAYS AGO
Semi-final day crept up on us sooner than we expected and to say we had a lot of pressure on our shoulders was an understatement. This is the furthest the school has ever gotten in over 11 years, everyone was crossing their fingers and toes that we made it to the final.
I pull on my pre-match kit and grabs my soccer bag from my dingy room before quietly walking down the stairs wondering what state my parents were going to be in today.
And just like every other day this week, they were sprawled over the couch completely passed out from whatever drugs they've decided to take this time. It was a sight I'd become too comfortable seeing.
A part of me wanted to check on them but why should I, they've neglected me most of her life - why should I even give them the courtesy to see if they're even alive. It may sound harsh to most people, but it was the only way to stay mentally stable in recent months.
So I just wordlessly grabbed my phone and keys from the side and head out the doors, standing by my front gate for Bailey to come and pick me up for the long-awaited game.
I'm not standing around in my dodgy neighbourhood longer than a couple of minutes when Bailey pulls up leaning over to open the passenger door for her me, cringing at the state of the front of my house, clearly dreading to think what it looked like inside.
"get in! We're running late" She shouts, I chuck my bag in the back and buckling in just as she speeds away.
"how were things this morning?" Bailey asks glancing over at me quickly, trying to get a better read of what mood I'm in today.
"the same as usual, passed out on the couch, at least I didn't have to handle any of their shit before the game," I says letting out a sigh
It wasn't one out of sadness but more annoyance, I'd been pissed off with having to put up with it every day, having to be the parent in the family when I should be hanging out with my friends and doing dumb shit teenagers were meant to do at my age.
"Have you thought any more about, you know who?" Bailey asks whispering the last part as if Voldermort would pop up in her backseat at any moment.
"yeah, I managed to find out where she lives from a few family friends but it's far away and it's going to take me a while to get there," I tell her
"I'm sure I can give you a lift there" Bailey replies
"I'm not going to make you do that but if you could drop me off at the bus stop that would be great," I says not knowing if I could go through with the plan if Bailey was there with me the whole time.
"Jeez, it's really happening then, you're really running away?" Bailey says sadly, turning to look at me with a frown on her face. The thought of not seeing me - only for the few months it was - clearly pinged at her heartstrings more than she'd like to admit.
I don't reply but gives her a tight-lipped smile and nod my head. In reality, I didn't have much of a clue how this is all going to work out really, I still had 2 months until graduation and not to forget about the final coming up if we win today. That's if Hope will even let me stay with her, I thought glumly - anything was better than that house.
After a pretty quiet car ride to school, Bailey parked her car in a free spot and walked in ahead of me, not bothering to even turn and look at in my direction. I couldn't blame her for being upset, I was about to leave the one person who's had been with me from day one and she can't do anything to help.
"yo what's up with Bailey this morning," Brooke says as she meets me in the corridor
"she's just upset with me, don't worry about it I'll sort it out," I tell our friend hoping she'll drop the conversation.
"Have you seen what Janene was wearing this morning, I could literally see her ass in that skirt, how does she not get pulled by any teachers!" Brooke says forgetting about the previous conversation quickly.
"well that's because like almost all the teachers are male and she's got daddy's money to flaunt around," I says sarcastically and can't help but roll my eyes at the thought of the girl
"I can't wait to never see her again when we graduate, I can finally go a day walking down the corridor where her boobs don't pop out and almost hit me in the face," Brooke says making me laugh at the genuine horrified expression flooding her face
I part ways with Brooke and heads off to my first lesson, counting down the hours until the game and where I can forget about everything for the next 90 minutes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"and lastly, good luck to our girls today who are playing in the semifinal, the first time in the schools history," The principal says over the intercom.
The people in my class all cheer loudly and turn to look at me at the back saying their good lucks. I don't reply but sets a smile on my face in hopes of not seeming too rude, in reality, I just doesn't want the extra attention on us, we've already got enough on our plates - the whole school doesn't need to thinking we've won before the games even started.
"Elena and Hunter, you can head off now, good luck out there we'll all be cheering you on," Our teacher tells the two of us. I waists no time in grabbing my bag and heading out the door, not daring to look at any of my classmates.
"Like we don't already have enough pressure on us to win" Hunter mumbles catching up with my fast pace.
"That's exactly what I was thinking, coach expects us to win, there are national scouts here to watch us and now the whole school too. I'm the captain as well!"
"it's a lot El I know but we've all got your back, whatever happens tonight it's as a team, not just you," Hunter says trying to give me some reassurance that I'm not going to become the most hated girl in the school.
After changing into my gear and listening to the quiet chatter of the changing room, coach soon comes in to run through a few things before he hands it over to me as captain.
"Listen to me girls, we've got a lot of pressure on our backs to go out and win this today but I want you to forget about it all," I say and gets a few weird looks from players wondering where this speech is going.
"Forget every single person in the crowd, forget the people at home cheering you on, forget it all. This is just another game for us, another game that we are going to win because we are the best. Nothing else to it. I know for a fact we have everything to win it and quite frankly we deserve it more." I say, having forgotten everything that I'd planned on mentioning and speaking straight from the heart.
"You guys are my family and I love you all like my sisters so no matter what happens I've got your back, through and through. Team on 3" I shout getting the locker room pumped.
"1,2 TEAM!" Is screamed just as we all head to the tunnel.
"Elena!" I hear someone shout from behind and turns to spot Bailey running up towards me.
"Look I'm sorry about this morning I overreacted when you said you were really leaving and I'm just sad about it all but I still love you okay," She says grabbing a hold of my hand.
"And I still love you too, nothing will change that even if I'm a couple of hours away from you" I say smiling back, wondering what I ever did to deserve someone as good as Bailey Dyer in my life.
"I know, now go out there and score is some goals please"
"You've got it"
YOU ARE READING
Reaching For the Stars
FanfictionWhen you're abandoned growing up by the people closet to you, you figure out pretty quickly that the only one looking out for you, is you. Elena Solo, known by everyone else as Elena Carter, was close to her sister Hope when she was growing up, but...
