Bruised

                                    

                                          
*July 28th*
Keira's pov:
It was our second match in the World Cup, and the tension was palpable. We were in Australia, surrounded by some of the best players in the world. But all I could think about was Lucy and our conversation. I needed to focus on the game. We had to win this.
The stadium was electric as we took our positions on the field. The referee blew the whistle, and the game began. We moved as a unit, determined and focused. In the 6th minute, Lauren made a brilliant run. She danced around the defenders with ease and then struck the ball with power, sending it straight into the net. The crowd erupted in cheers.
"Yes, Lauren!" I shouted, feeling a surge of excitement. Maybe today would be a good day.
We kept the pressure on, working hard to maintain our lead. Then, in the 35th minute, everything went wrong. I was sprinting down the field, my eyes on the ball. One of the opposing players kicked it towards her teammate, and I lunged to intercept it. My foot slipped, and I felt a sharp pain shoot through my knee as I hit the ground hard.
Time seemed to slow down. I clutched my knee, crying out in pain. The referee blew the whistle, stopping the game. Georgia was the first to reach me. With her face full of concern, she touched my shoulder and it almost looked like she was trying to pick me up. I saw Lucy running towards me, but I didn't focus on that as much as the pain in my knee. I shouted at Georgia: "get off, just get off, just get off!" and when Lucy heard me, she understood that I wanted some space, so she lightly pushed Georgia back, who had a slightly confused look on her face. 
Lucy stood a few meters away, watching as I writhed in pain. When the physios arrived, I signaled to them from a distance that I wouldn't be able to continue playing. "I've done my knee in," I told them, grimacing.
Lucy and Georgia remained by my side the entire time. As they loaded me onto the stretcher and lifted me up, Lucy suddenly said, "Hey, remember when we cooked together at my place and my flat almost burned down?"
I couldn't help but laugh at the randomness of her comment. It was such an unexpected thing to say at that moment, but it somehow eased the tension. As they carried me off the field, I saw Lucy watching, concern etched on her face. Georgia leaned in, kissed my forehead, and whispered, "It's okay."
The match continued without me, and our team managed to hold onto the 1-0 lead, securing another victory. After the game, I was immediately taken for tests. The results showed that my knee was only bruised, not seriously injured. The doctor advised that I would need at least three days of rest before I could consider returning to training.
As I lay in the medical room, my thoughts drifted to the team celebrating our win. I felt a mix of relief that my injury wasn't severe and frustration at being sidelined, even if only for a few days. The door opened, and Sarina walked in, her face a mixture of concern and relief.
"How are you feeling, Keira?" she asked, sitting down beside me.
"Better now that I know it's not serious," I replied, trying to smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't finish the match."
Sarina shook her head. "Don't apologize. Your health is the priority. We're just glad it's not a long-term injury."
We talked for a while about the match and the team's performance. As she was about to leave, Sarina paused at the door. "Take these few days to rest and recover, Keira. We need you at your best for the upcoming matches."
After Sarina left, I was alone with my thoughts again. The adrenaline from the match had worn off, and the reality of my situation began to sink in. I was in Australia, thousands of miles from home, injured during one of the most important tournaments of my career. And to top it all off, things with Lucy were still unresolved.