Chapter 25: The Afterglow
The locker room was chaos, the good kind of chaos that only came after something unforgettable.
Laughter bounced around like a ball hitting every wall, players shouted over each other, and the sharp hiss of water bottles being popped open filled the air. Someone had taken their shirt off and was swinging it like a lasso, and somebody else was trying to turn one of the benches into a drum. It was messy and loud and beautiful. The scent of sweat mixed with the slight tinge of grass and mud, and somehow, it all felt perfect.
Lecce had done it. A three-one win over Monza. Not just a win, but a statement. A roar. A reminder to anyone watching that this team was alive and fighting.
Alex Walker stepped into the dressing room slowly. He didn’t say anything at first. Just let it all hit him, let the sound and the color of the moment settle deep into his bones. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching his players like a teacher watching his students celebrate graduation. There was pride in his eyes, the kind you couldn’t fake.
Then he clapped. Once. Twice. Then a third time, louder than the others.
"OI! SHUT UP FOR A SECOND!" Alex’s voice cracked through the noise like a whip.
The reaction was immediate. The room simmered down, though no one stopped smiling. Their bodies might’ve slowed, but their spirits were still flying.
Alex stepped forward, his eyes scanning the room. He saw Krstovic sitting on the bench, grinning like he’d just won the lottery. And in a way, maybe he had. Two goals in a single match could change a striker’s season. Ramadani and Berisha were leaning against the wall, their jerseys half peeled off, chests heaving, but their eyes shining. And then there was Patrick Dorgu, shirtless and glowing, cheeks red, legs still trembling a little. His assist and his goal were written all over his face.
Alex walked slowly, pacing like a general who’d just returned from war.
"That," he began, his voice growing louder with each word, "is what it fucking feels like to WIN."
That one word echoed. Win. It was more than just a result. It was everything.