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Happiness to Ali was playing soccer. Ali didn’t just play soccer, she lived soccer and she loved playing with her best friend.
Ali was the right-back for her club team, and the vice-captain. The captain was Ali’s best friend Beth. She played centre mid and always took charge on the field. Ali and Beth had the best friendship; they looked out for each other on and off the pitch. On the pitch they had the best connection, making plays no one else could even imagine. If one of them was having a bad game then the other would step in. If Ali wanted to push higher up the pitch all it took was one look at Beth for each of them to know what to do. Ali would push and Beth would automatically drop into the space Ali left. Off the pitch they were loud and bubbly, off the pitch they were focused and determined. They could communicate without talking but also used each other to vent their frustrations. The only time they switched off from this was when one of them scored, especially if the other had got the assist.
There was only one thing that separated them.
Beth played for the youth national teams. She had done for a few years and now stories had started to arise about her being the ‘next big thing’. Beth was on a one way path the stardom and Ali was by her side every step. Ali wasn’t going to deny the slight pangs of jealously every time Beth went away to camp but those feeling were massively over ridden by the feelings of pride she felt for Beth.
One thing Ali truly admired was how humble Beth was about everything. You could ask Beth if she thought she was going to turn professional and everyone could see clearly that she would, but Beth would always say the same thing, ‘I don’t know, maybe, we’ll see what happens.’
She never said it in a cocky, arrogant way though, you could see that she genuinely didn’t know, no matter what happened she didn’t want to assume things and certainly didn’t want everyone to know about her ability. Hell, not even half of her year at school knew she played for the national teams. But that’s the kind of person Beth was, not enjoying the attention and not wanting anyone to feel any less than her. Whenever Ali came to Beth with any news about her football Beth was always so happy for Ali. And not in a sympathetic way either, Ali could always tell Beth was truly proud of her achievements, even if they were tiny compared to her achievements herself.
Often people kept their soccer life separate from their personal life, having soccer friends and then school and social friends. Ali and Beth however didn’t do that, they were virtually inseparable; you didn’t get one without the other. Of course Beth had friends on the national teams but Ali never heard much about them because Beth kept pretty quiet about her time with the national teams. She did this so Ali didn’t get too upset about where she was and to help her believe in herself. There was one player Ali heard about though, Ashlyn Harris. From the brief stores Ali had heard, Ashlyn sounded like one hell of a character, always pranking team mates and such. Ali had to admit that she definitely sounded like someone she wouldn’t get along with. She was loud, Ali was quiet. She was brash and cocky, Ali was just quietly confident with her ability.
1 hour. 1 hour was all it took for Ali’s life to be changed forever. She had returned home from a tournament with her team and by their own reckoning had ‘killed it’. They had won the tournament only conceding 2 goals the whole time. Ali and Beth had both played some of the best soccer they ever had in their lives and they were so happy. Neither of them could wipe the smiles of their faces as they collected the trophy.
So in 1 hour Ali was brought crashing back down to Earth. She got home to see her mother stood solemnly at the door. Ali’s initial thoughts were to Kyle, what had happened to him? Her mother reassured her it wasn’t Kyle and told Ali just to sit in the living room.
Ali sunk slowly into the sofa and waited for her mother to come through. Her mind was racing but she couldn’t work out what the problem was. Her mother came in and sat next to her and Ali could see the tears building up in her eyes.
‘Mum please, just tell me what it is’ Ali aid her voice becoming panicked.
‘Ali ‘ her mum started ‘I don’t know how to say this and I don’t know what to do to make this bet-‘
‘Mum just tell me’ Ali cut in, she knew it wasn’t good news and dragging this out was only making it worse.
‘O-okay, Ali it’s about Beth. She was in car accident on the way home.’
Ali just looked confused, ‘Is she alright? Can we go see her?’
‘That’s the thing Ali, she isn’t alright and you can’t see her’ Ali’s mother took a deep breath. ‘Ali, Beth she… she didn’t make it. Ali I’m sorry but Beth was killed in the crash.’
Ali felt tears rolling down her cheeks so stood up and made her way to her bedroom, not saying a thing to her mother who had begun to cry and was shouting after her.
Ali entered her bedroom and tore off her kit. She didn’t want to be wearing this when she knew Beth never would or could again.
Ali didn’t want to be the one sat here right now. Beth was going into national team camp in a few days she was so excited and Ali was just going to be going to school like normal. Beth was going places, Ali might just get into a Division 1 college. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. After throwing her kit across the room Ali just collapsed onto the floor her back resting against the door so no one could come in. Still Ali didn’t cry, to Ali if she cried that meant Beth truly was gone. Ali was just numb, she didn’t know what to do. Ali was lost.