8th May 2014
Chloé pov - present
Here I am at 19 playing my last game for my childhood club. For as long as I can remember it's been Lyon I joined the youth academy at 7 and it's been up, up and away ever since. By the age of 15 I was playing for the under 17s then at 16 it was under 23s until the day I turned 17. Only a few days passed after my 17th birthday before I was offered my first senior contract and of course I took it with open arms. The last few years playing for Lyon have been amazing but I think it's time for a change. A new challenge. Liga F. I'm tired of wanting more. So, I signed the contract for Athletico Madrid and next season I start my contract with them. I'm not the only new kid on the block for Athletico either they also signed center back Maria León from Espanyol, she's the same age as me so hopefully it's going to be quite easy to get along with her. Now that I think back at all the years I have spent with Lyon I really am grateful this club as given so much for me to succeed it sometimes makes me tear up but not only that but the awards and titles I and the team has won. I on my own have won the Golden Boot last season. God knows how many man of the match awards and this season and two players player of the year awards and as a team we won two league titles and 1 champions league.
I stand in the tunnel getting myself ready for the game we're playing PSG one of the biggest games of the season. I block all the sound around me so I can focus on the game but my thoughts and time to prepare myself are cut short by my teammate for club and country, best friend Ève Périsset telling me it's time. I walk out and do all the usual shake hands with the opponent and refs then take my place on the pitch getting ready to kick off the game. The ref blows the whistle and I pass the ball to Megan Rapinoe and we're underway. We dominated the first half possession wise but still found ourselves 1-0 down with a goal by Kenza Dali. The second half was different though something felt different we weren't as confident but that didn't stop us from attacking.
Commentators pov - present
"Renard plays a long ball up to Le Sommer, Le Sommer crosses it into the box and Laurent gets on the end of it 1-1 in the 75th minute." It's the 90th minute, we have 2 minutes of injury time, it's the final attack. "Rapinoe wins the ball she passes it to Laurent, Laurent is drifting through defenders and... IN IT GOES CHLOÉ LAURENT GETS A LAST MINUTE GOAL 2-1 LYON, GOAL BY CHLOÉ LAURENT 90+2 MINUTES"
Chloé pov - present
there it is the final whistle before I can do anything I'm surrounded by my teammates all congratulating me on my last game.
*** ***
20th June 2014
"Oui mère. (yes mother.)" I see someone walking over. "Mère, je dois y aller, je t'appellerai plus tard. (mother i gotta go I'll call you later.)" I put the phone down. I could swear I recognise this person walking over to me. Brown hair, brown eyes, about 5'6 ish, is that Maria León?! She gets closer and my hands start to sweat a bit, I've played against Maria many times in the international youth teams, she's really good. She gets closer, how do I introduce myself?! Spanish? English? French? What am I kidding of course I'm not going to speak french, she's Spanish. What if I make a fool of myself and say something wrong like earlier? Gosh why does this have to be so difficult? She's almost In front of me, that's it I've decided I'll speak in Spanish, with the little Spanish that I know. Praying to a god that I don't believe in that I make at least a somewhat good first impression.
She's here. She sticks her hand out for me to shake and says "Hola (hello)"
"Bonj- Hel- H-hola (hello)" I wipe the sweat off my hand onto my shorts then shake her hand. She laughs and puts her hand back in her pocket. "¿Estás bien? (You alright?)"
"Sí (yes)"
"Ok"
"¿hablas inglés? (Do you speak English?)"
"Sí (yes)" she says and with that I relax a bit. "So you're Maria, right?"
"Yep that's me, call me Mapi. And you are?"
"Chloé, Chloé Laurent"
"Nice to meet you Chloé"
"This feels weird, being on the same team as you, I mean you've always kinda annoyed me when I've played against you, you're impossible to get past" I laugh.
"I get that, you've also kinda annoyed me on the pitch, let me tell you, you're a pain in the ass to mark"
"I've been told that before." We talk for about 30 minutes or so but it feels like so much less, I guess time does really fly by when you're having fun. A man comes over to us and talks to us about all the of the photos, videos and announcement stuff. We spend the rest of the day laughing, talking and filming. It's nice to have a friend like Mapi before meeting the rest of the team, especially because it's a new country, language and culture, I've got some sort of guidance. I've already been looked at like I was crazy because of a miss communication. One thing I know for sure is me and Mapi have an breakable bond... For now at least.
A/n: hope you enjoyed the first chapter :)
Word count: 950