Empty Chairs

12

Keegan's POV

"What the hell." I mumble when I get to my locker.

"What?" Alex asks.

"Why is the captains armband in my locker?"

"Because you're the captain today." Alex says causing me to sigh. 

"Alright." I say then I put my stuff in my locker

Once my stuff is in my locker I change into my warm up shirt, game shorts, my socks and my gold and blue boots.

After I'm dressed I put my long brown hair up into a ponytail then I head out to the pitch with the rest of the team. When I get on the pitch I run through my warm ups with the starters for a while then head back to the locker room.

Once in the locker room I change out of the training top and change into my white jersey.

After I'm dressed I wait in my locker until we're told to head out to the tunnel.

I don't really feel like singing today.

Eventually we're told to head to the tunnel so everyone does their last minute things before we leave the locker room then the starters and I head to the tunnel to get in line for the pre match shit. When we get to the tunnel I head to the front of our line then stand there until we're led onto the pitch.

Eventually we are lead onto the pitch and once on the pitch we stand for the anthems, shake hands with the French and the refs, take a starting XI photo, then I do the coin toss with Amandine.

After the coin toss I head back to the bench so we can do a team huddle.

After the team huddle is done I head to the center circle and when I get there I stand on the center spot for five seconds.

After the five seconds are up I bow to the North stand, turn, bow to the East stand, turn, bow to the South stand, turn, then bow to the West stand which completes my pregame ritual.

Once my ritual is complete I walk to my position moments before France kick off the game.

In the third minute of the game we get a free kick so Sam takes it quickly and plays it down the left side to me. As I run onto the ball Mbock Bathy brings me down which earns us a free kick. 

"You okay?" Alex asks as she helps me up.

"I'm fine." I say as I get to my feet.

When I get to my feet I see Mbock Bathy getting a yellow card then I grab the ball, set up for the free kick, and wait for the ref's whistle.

The moment the ref blow's her whistle I do my run up then I put my foot through the ball in such a way that, in theory, it bends around the two man wall and stays low.

After the ball leaves my foot I watch as it does exactly as planned. It bends around the two man wall, stays low, and dips under everybody's legs then it hits the back of the net putting us 1-0.

"YEAH KEEGS." Julie shouts as she and the rest of the team run to me.

When Julie gets to me she hugs me at the same time I feel someone jump on my back then the rest of the team hug me.

After I've hugged everyone I look up to the sky and blow a kiss.

"I'm sorry." I whisper as I look up to the heavens then I head back up field.

Once I'm onside the French restart the game.

Throughout the rest of the first half we dominate possession and we pepper the French goal with shots, but Bouhaddi keeps everything out of the goal so when the ref blows for halftime we're still 1-0 up.