"Hunter you better keep your feet to yourself or I'll cut them off for you" I scold her after she's almost got her second yellow of the game for a bad tackle.
"We're still in this okay! They got a goal back so what, we go and do the same thing okay?" I say to my team as we have a quick water break.
"Get it together girls! We've got a trophy to lift" Bailey says clapping her hands together as we disperse again.
"How you feeling cap?" She asks coming up to my side
"I don't know, nervous I guess, I mean Hope is here with Kelley to watch me and that's enough added pressure as it is," I say trying to keep my voice down so the other girls don't overhear.
"Forget about her okay, you don't need to prove anything to that woman she needs to be doing that with you. You're Elena Carter to everyone here, not a Solo" B tells me and pats my shoulder before getting into her position at the back.
She's right, I'm not a Solo so why am I putting the pressure of living up to Hope when in reality I shouldn't care what she thinks. It's my life and I'm not letting her or the name dictate how I go about it.
The other team take their free-kick at Hunter's expense and we push hard to get a goal back and seal this game off for good. I keep my eyes on the ball and watch where it's going, one of their players runs back and puts her hand out signalling for a pass and I know it's my chance.
I sprint after her and quickly slide in front, stopping the ball from reaching her feet and instead, getting to mine. I quickly get off the floor and sprint forward with the ball close at my feet, keeping my head up to see anyone I could pass to.
Nobody seemed to expect the interception so I find myself on a solo counterattack hoping to do something with this ball. I do some small skills to get past my defender and end up sending her to the floor getting a loud reaction from the crowd.
I take a look-up and watch the keeper powering towards me, arms spread out wide in hope to intimidate me but there's no chance that's happening. I pull my leg back and fake a powerful shot to my left but use my other foot to tap it past her into an empty goal.
I jog up to the line and stop it there for a second and smirk a little as I finally put it over, waiting for my team to catch up and celebrate with me.
"That was a bitch move and I love it!" Chelsea says jumping onto my back
"Told you Carter," Elena says smugly, wrapping her arm around my shoulder as we walk back to our half.
It's not long after we start again that the referee blows her whistle signalling the end of the game and our names in the school history books. The team all run at eachother, going around to hug everyone they can in celebration not actually believing we did it.
"You did it Elena, I'm proud of you kid I know you're going to do great things at Stanford" Coach says coming up to hug me as well
"Thanks coach, I know I couldn't have gotten where I am without your support," I tell him honestly
"Go and celebrate with your team captain, you deserve it" He says shoving me away jokingly.
- - - -
"Let's hear it for our CC!" Hunter shouts as I walk into the changing room
"Hunter what the hell is CC" I say to the girl not understanding how her brain works sometimes
"I've just made it up, Captain Carter so it's now CC, genius I know" She explains grinning widely like she's just discovered chocolate for the first time.
"Everyone hurry up getting ready, we've got to get to Teddy's in like 15 minutes!" Bailey yells causing a mass scramble to start happening. I start getting changed when she comes over
"You ready to tell the team everything, I'm sure we can come up with an excuse?"
"No, they deserve to know the truth, I shouldn't keep things from them all especially being captain, doesn't set a very good example," I tell B
"That was way too nice, I don't know what has happened to my usual bitchy best friend but I want her back please"! Bailey says pulling a face at me
"Will you just shut up please and get your ass out of those short that's if you can since they're so rolled up I think they're getting lost up there" I reply with a grin on my face
"And there she is, oh how it feels nice to be insulted by you again" Bailey sighs out as I shake my head at her peculiar behaviour
I change out of my gear and wait for Bailey to finish so I can ride with her to the Diner, we get out there and I spot Hope standing a little away from everyone with a cap over her head and arms across as she leans against the hood.
"Okay that's just weird, you two literally stand the same way," Bailey says in my ear
"I'll meet you in the car, let me go talk to her for a second" I tell B as she nods her head and heads off in the other direction.
My relationship with Hope has never been good as everyone knows and its been weird enough being around her again. Most the time I avoid her in the house and if I have to have some human interaction I make sure its with Kelley.
I mean the reason I stopped playing soccer was because of her so I'm not sure how I feel about her watching my game, it was hard enough for Bails to get me to come back, I'm not letting her fuck this up for me.
"Good game Lennie" Hope says and I grit my teeth at the name
"It's Bailey, you lost the right to call me that when you left. I'm going to Teddy's with the girls to celebrate. I'll only be an hour max" I tell Hope and spot Kelley leaning in from the car
"We need to get back on the roa-"
"We'll pick you up then kid, go have fun with your team," Kelley says smiling at me as she cuts Hope off
I smile back and don't take a second glance at my sister before turning to walk back to Bailey's car and hop into the passenger side door, slamming it as I shut it
"She is still family at the end of the day, you know how I feel about stuff like this, she's done a better job than my dad ever did"
"She gets under my skin so much and I don't even know why!" I angrily groan out, throwing my head back onto the seat
"It's called emotions El. I know you're not used to dealing with them but seeing she who shall not be named again has probably brought them back up"
"Well they can go back down 'cause I'm really not in the mood to be dealing with them right now," I say in response as Bailey decides to drive off.
Now I have to explain everything to the team, that's going to be so much fun.
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...
