Has anyone got any requests - I'm open in terms of players.... I just want some inspiration maybe before doing the next part of A Blast From The Past???
The second shout brought the both of you out of your little bubble. All you had time to do was quickly wipe your eyes of any remaining tears and put at least a foot between you both on the sofa before you were joined by the third presence.
It was only then that you remembered one crucial detail. This wasn’t Alexia from all those years ago, this wasn’t your Alexia, in fact there was a good chance she was someone else’s and going by the beautiful girl who just walked in – you were already too late. “Sorry I didn’t know you had company.”
“No it’s fine, I was just leaving.” You murmured, just about remembering to grab your bag and phone before practically sprinting to the door. Ignoring the eyes of both Alexia and the girl in the doorway. “Sorry for interrupting your night.”
“Y/N-“
Alexia’s voice was cut off as you shut the door not waiting for that embarrassment to see the light of day. For a second in there you thought you had a chance, you’d been through the heartache, you’d found your way back to each other and now this was your chance to be happy. But sometimes life just doesn’t work that way.
You somehow managed to get both out of Alexia’s gate and safely drive yourself home without crashing your car. For a second in that room, sat on that sofa, you thought it was possible. That these years apart could be forgotten and you could start afresh. Now you realised you were just her teammate’s doctor she met again by accident, nothing more.
……
The next week went by with a blur, you were trying everything possible to get her out of your head and yet it was impossible. Work was a distraction, when you were with patients you could clear your mind but then the second you entered your lonely apartment it all came flooding back. She’d called you a few times that night and the days after but the messages she left went unheard.
You should have known things couldn’t go back to each other, you’d moved on, she’d moved on. Except you hadn’t moved on and as you ate your lunch on your day off you’d never felt more lonely, more isolated in a city where you still had no-one.
It was your phone that brought you out of your slumber, the bowl of pasta in front of you going slightly cold as you looked out over the city. A city full of life – a city that was home and wasn’t home at the same time.
The unknown number puzzled you but you answered it anyway. “Hello?”
“Hey,” The voice was familiar but not familiar enough that you could put a name to it. “It’s Kika.”
“Kika, is everything ok?”
“Yes….no…. I don’t really know.” She confused and the way her voice slightly broke mid-answer broke your heart a bit. “I’m sorry for calling you, I know you probably don’t want to be talking about work…”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ve got nothing better to do. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Could we meet somewhere? I know a nice café a few blocks from where I live, but maybe you don’t live in the centre, it was a stupid idea-“
“Kika, send me the location, I’ll be there in ten.”
The café wasn’t quite what you were expecting. It was a cozy place, nestled in a little alleyway, barely anyone in and you spotted Kika instantly sat at the back. You just ordered a coffee and cake before joining her.
“Hey, how are you doing?” You asked the brunette, not rushing her as she tumbled through her own mind.
The silence only lasted a few seconds but it was deafening. “I’m worried.”
Again it went quiet before you filled in the gaps. “About the surgery.” The surgery that was scheduled for tomorrow, first on the list.
“I’ve just about got my life together, I’m playing well at a huge club and now I’m about to be bed bound for the next few days.”
“I know there’s nothing I can do to calm your nerves but I’ve done your surgery before, it went well. I’m confident yours will be a success. Have you got someone to be there afterwards?”
“My family are staying with me, they’ll be there.”
“Good. I know it’s hard but have a good night’s sleep tonight and we’ll be all ready for you tomorrow.”
“How did you get into surgery if you don’t mind me asking.”
“No ask away.” The distraction technique was one you knew all to well. “I grew up in a little town, when I was young my younger sister became quite unwell, I had to watch her go in and out of hospital. The doctors and surgeons saved her life, and I wanted to help people like that.”
“Was your younger sister ok in the end?”
“Yes, she has to go in for checks every now and then but so far she’s healthy. When I was 18, I moved to Barcelona to come to medical school and apart from a few years, I’ve lived here ever since.”
“Have you worked with footballers before?”
“No, I try and stay away from them if I’m particularly honest-“ Shit maybe that was too close to home.
“What do you mean?”
“I just know how much you love your job and well let’s face it some of you can be tricky to work with.”
You waited to see how she would react to that and thankfully you managed to get a laugh out of Kika. “You’ve got a fair point there. We’re not all like that though.”
“No?”
“No.” She confirmed. “They’re all good at Barcelona, they’ve looked after me.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“They all of course have their funks – like Alexia right now this past week she’s been a nightmare.”
Of course that perked you up but you had to keep a nonchalant face right now. “Do you know why?
“No idea, all I know is she came in a few days ago and she’s just in a mood all the time.”
“Maybe it’s just something going on at home.” You tried to suggest. “We all sometimes struggle with issues with our families or partners.”
“Alexia and partner you’ve got to be joking. Alexia only spends time wither her family.”
Like you hadn’t seen someone else in her house literally the other night. “You never know, she might just keep it private.”
“Nah, everyone on the team teases her about it. Apparently she’s never even seemed interested – must have had her heart broken or something.”
Oh if only she knew. “Yeah….”
“Anyway, I’m sure you’ve got other stuff to be doing so I’ll let you go, thank you for meeting me.”
“No worries, like I said if you ever need me, I’m only a phone call away.”
“Thank you”
…..
Alexia didn’t know what to do.
She’d tried ringing you, you didn’t answer.
She left you messages, you never responded, maybe you’d never even read them.
She respected you too much to show up to your place of work but after a week she was becoming desparate.
It looked bad, she could admit that. The two of you were having a moment on the sofa, she knew you felt it as much as she had.
She’d tried to date at the very start, none of them made it past the second date if that. They never had what you two had right from the start and that wasn’t good enough for her. So it became futile, she would have moments, nights even, with other women but that’s where it stayed.
Kika had her surgery yesterday, the club had informed everyone it had gone well and Kika was resting well at home. Of course as captain Alexia felt like she had a duty to play here, this was one of her players, a friend now and she had a spare evening.
It was pretty well known to everyone where Kika lived, the social butterfly was always one to offer her apartment for any team events. The door code was pinned in one of the many team group chats, each with their own content.
With flowers in one hand and chocolates in the other she managed to get all the way to her apartment floor before realising she should have checked whether someone else would be in to answer the door. Kika was meant to be on bed rest.
Thankfully though for her before she could even knock the door flung open and an older coupled, who looked similar to Kika walked out.
“Hola, you must be Alexia.”
“Nice to meet you, I just brought some things for Kika.”
“Go straight in,” The woman, who must be Kika’s mother answer. “Someone else just arrived so we thought we’ve leave them to it and have the night off. I’m sure they’ll be glad for some company.”
“Thank you.”
She wasn’t sure who she was expecting to find here. In her mind it was probably Ellie, maybe Ingrid, maybe Esme.
What she hadn’t prepared for was to find Kika led across one couch and the other to be occupied by you – the two of you laughing between you both. She might have been here for one friend but she couldn’t take her eyes off you.
“Alexia.” Kika noticed her presence. Her eyes shifted before you could catch her staring but she could feel her cheecks heating up anyway. “What are you doing here?”
Now is the time to be cool and composed, she could be in and out and then have her meltdown. “The team brought you some flowers and I thought chocolates might help.”
“Please sit down.”
“No it’s alright I can see you have company.”
“Y/N doesn’t mind, right?”
“No of course.” You plastered on a fake smile, unfortunately the only seat free was right next to you and however much you could have ignored her across the room you definitely can’t do that now. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Liar.” Kika coughed under her breath. “Y/N’s wise you know, I’m sure she’d be able to help you with whatever’s going on right now.”
“Nothing’s going on.” Alexia denied instantly, keeping her eyes on the other sofa. “Anyway you’re the focus right now.”
“I don’t want to talk about my ankle right now. You two must be the same age right?”
“I think so.” A little bit of an underexaggeration, her birthday just a few weeks before your own was still in your calander.
“And you both went to university here, did you ever cross paths?” It would have been easy to lie, thousands of students filtered through Barcelona every near never crossing paths. Except the both of you stayed eerily silent and even with the pain medication Kika smirked in realisation. “You have met before.”
“You know what I think I’m going to leave you two to it.” Again you were fleeing but what else could you do, you weren’t exactly about to speak to one of your patients, now probable friend, about how you’d been interrupted the other night. “Kika, I’ll message you.”
You’d barely even gone out of the room before Alexia stood, she’d let you walk out on her one time and she wasn’t about to let it happen again.
“Y/N wait!” Alexia shouted, her pace catching up with you before you could even make it down the stairs, it was pointless and you’d rather do it here indoors than out there where anyone could be about.
“What do you want Alexia?”
“What do I want?” She questioned, her footsteps being met by yours retreating but you had nowhere to go and before you knew it she was right in front of you. “I want you to let me explain.”
“What is there to explain? You’ve moved on, we’re different people.”
“That’s bullshit, we showed the other night we might be older, we might be different but you’re still mine and I’m still yours.”
“And then your gilrfriend walked in on us.”
“Girlfriend.” She almost laughed but the sadness on your face made her stop. “That was my best friend, there is no girlfriend, there’s never been a girlfriend. She knew who you were, I still have some photos on my phone of us and she knew instantly it was you. How can I love someone else when I've only ever loved you.”
“I shouldn’t have ran.” You could see that now.
“Lets face it everyone would have done the same.” The silence grew between you both, you both had lots to say and nothing to say at the same time. Alexia did have one question to ask though. “There’s nothing going on between you and Kika though right? It’s just the two of you-“
“There’s nothing going on there, I would never do that to you.”
“Good.”
And then before you could think any further she leaned forward and pressed her lips to yours.
It was just like you could remember and yet ten times better, here in this corridor it was just the two of you, no-one else in the world could bother you. Her lips were soft, a hint of cherry fusing with the peach you’d applied to your own lips. Her mouth slightly opening enough to let you in and yours could only respond similarly, your mind was literally in heaven right now.
You could have stayed like that forever but someone had to let go and you knew you had to do that before it got too far.
“That was amazing.” You whispered, a blush coating both your cheeks as you tried to hide your smiles as much as possible.
“I was thinking why don’t we go back to mine, we could-“
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Alexia.” Kissing her was one thing but so was making plans with her and keeping this secret any longer.
“Why not? You’re the one for me, I know you are and I know I’m the one for you too. Stay with me.”
“I have to go.” The tears which you’d held onto for so long were coming out now as you scrambled out of her hold.
Your heart only broke further as you looked back to her own tears streaming down her face. “Don’t leave again, please.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t.”
“I can’t.” You almost shouted. “Have you told your mum and sister you’ve seen me again?”
“I’ve mentioned your name.”
“And what did they say?”
“They didn’t really say anything – nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Ask them about me again.” You reiterated moving further down the corridor.
“What about?”
“Ask them why I left and don’t stop until you find out the truth.”
The second shout brought the both of you out of your little bubble. All you had time to do was quickly wipe your eyes of any remaining tears and put at least a foot between you both on the sofa before you were joined by the third presence.
It was only then that you remembered one crucial detail. This wasn’t Alexia from all those years ago, this wasn’t your Alexia, in fact there was a good chance she was someone else’s and going by the beautiful girl who just walked in – you were already too late. “Sorry I didn’t know you had company.”
“No it’s fine, I was just leaving.” You murmured, just about remembering to grab your bag and phone before practically sprinting to the door. Ignoring the eyes of both Alexia and the girl in the doorway. “Sorry for interrupting your night.”
“Y/N-“
Alexia’s voice was cut off as you shut the door not waiting for that embarrassment to see the light of day. For a second in there you thought you had a chance, you’d been through the heartache, you’d found your way back to each other and now this was your chance to be happy. But sometimes life just doesn’t work that way.
You somehow managed to get both out of Alexia’s gate and safely drive yourself home without crashing your car. For a second in that room, sat on that sofa, you thought it was possible. That these years apart could be forgotten and you could start afresh. Now you realised you were just her teammate’s doctor she met again by accident, nothing more.
……
The next week went by with a blur, you were trying everything possible to get her out of your head and yet it was impossible. Work was a distraction, when you were with patients you could clear your mind but then the second you entered your lonely apartment it all came flooding back. She’d called you a few times that night and the days after but the messages she left went unheard.
You should have known things couldn’t go back to each other, you’d moved on, she’d moved on. Except you hadn’t moved on and as you ate your lunch on your day off you’d never felt more lonely, more isolated in a city where you still had no-one.
It was your phone that brought you out of your slumber, the bowl of pasta in front of you going slightly cold as you looked out over the city. A city full of life – a city that was home and wasn’t home at the same time.
The unknown number puzzled you but you answered it anyway. “Hello?”
“Hey,” The voice was familiar but not familiar enough that you could put a name to it. “It’s Kika.”
“Kika, is everything ok?”
“Yes….no…. I don’t really know.” She confused and the way her voice slightly broke mid-answer broke your heart a bit. “I’m sorry for calling you, I know you probably don’t want to be talking about work…”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ve got nothing better to do. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Could we meet somewhere? I know a nice café a few blocks from where I live, but maybe you don’t live in the centre, it was a stupid idea-“
“Kika, send me the location, I’ll be there in ten.”
The café wasn’t quite what you were expecting. It was a cozy place, nestled in a little alleyway, barely anyone in and you spotted Kika instantly sat at the back. You just ordered a coffee and cake before joining her.
“Hey, how are you doing?” You asked the brunette, not rushing her as she tumbled through her own mind.
The silence only lasted a few seconds but it was deafening. “I’m worried.”
Again it went quiet before you filled in the gaps. “About the surgery.” The surgery that was scheduled for tomorrow, first on the list.
“I’ve just about got my life together, I’m playing well at a huge club and now I’m about to be bed bound for the next few days.”
“I know there’s nothing I can do to calm your nerves but I’ve done your surgery before, it went well. I’m confident yours will be a success. Have you got someone to be there afterwards?”
“My family are staying with me, they’ll be there.”
“Good. I know it’s hard but have a good night’s sleep tonight and we’ll be all ready for you tomorrow.”
“How did you get into surgery if you don’t mind me asking.”
“No ask away.” The distraction technique was one you knew all to well. “I grew up in a little town, when I was young my younger sister became quite unwell, I had to watch her go in and out of hospital. The doctors and surgeons saved her life, and I wanted to help people like that.”
“Was your younger sister ok in the end?”
“Yes, she has to go in for checks every now and then but so far she’s healthy. When I was 18, I moved to Barcelona to come to medical school and apart from a few years, I’ve lived here ever since.”
“Have you worked with footballers before?”
“No, I try and stay away from them if I’m particularly honest-“ Shit maybe that was too close to home.
“What do you mean?”
“I just know how much you love your job and well let’s face it some of you can be tricky to work with.”
You waited to see how she would react to that and thankfully you managed to get a laugh out of Kika. “You’ve got a fair point there. We’re not all like that though.”
“No?”
“No.” She confirmed. “They’re all good at Barcelona, they’ve looked after me.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“They all of course have their funks – like Alexia right now this past week she’s been a nightmare.”
Of course that perked you up but you had to keep a nonchalant face right now. “Do you know why?
“No idea, all I know is she came in a few days ago and she’s just in a mood all the time.”
“Maybe it’s just something going on at home.” You tried to suggest. “We all sometimes struggle with issues with our families or partners.”
“Alexia and partner you’ve got to be joking. Alexia only spends time wither her family.”
Like you hadn’t seen someone else in her house literally the other night. “You never know, she might just keep it private.”
“Nah, everyone on the team teases her about it. Apparently she’s never even seemed interested – must have had her heart broken or something.”
Oh if only she knew. “Yeah….”
“Anyway, I’m sure you’ve got other stuff to be doing so I’ll let you go, thank you for meeting me.”
“No worries, like I said if you ever need me, I’m only a phone call away.”
“Thank you”
…..
Alexia didn’t know what to do.
She’d tried ringing you, you didn’t answer.
She left you messages, you never responded, maybe you’d never even read them.
She respected you too much to show up to your place of work but after a week she was becoming desparate.
It looked bad, she could admit that. The two of you were having a moment on the sofa, she knew you felt it as much as she had.
She’d tried to date at the very start, none of them made it past the second date if that. They never had what you two had right from the start and that wasn’t good enough for her. So it became futile, she would have moments, nights even, with other women but that’s where it stayed.
Kika had her surgery yesterday, the club had informed everyone it had gone well and Kika was resting well at home. Of course as captain Alexia felt like she had a duty to play here, this was one of her players, a friend now and she had a spare evening.
It was pretty well known to everyone where Kika lived, the social butterfly was always one to offer her apartment for any team events. The door code was pinned in one of the many team group chats, each with their own content.
With flowers in one hand and chocolates in the other she managed to get all the way to her apartment floor before realising she should have checked whether someone else would be in to answer the door. Kika was meant to be on bed rest.
Thankfully though for her before she could even knock the door flung open and an older coupled, who looked similar to Kika walked out.
“Hola, you must be Alexia.”
“Nice to meet you, I just brought some things for Kika.”
“Go straight in,” The woman, who must be Kika’s mother answer. “Someone else just arrived so we thought we’ve leave them to it and have the night off. I’m sure they’ll be glad for some company.”
“Thank you.”
She wasn’t sure who she was expecting to find here. In her mind it was probably Ellie, maybe Ingrid, maybe Esme.
What she hadn’t prepared for was to find Kika led across one couch and the other to be occupied by you – the two of you laughing between you both. She might have been here for one friend but she couldn’t take her eyes off you.
“Alexia.” Kika noticed her presence. Her eyes shifted before you could catch her staring but she could feel her cheecks heating up anyway. “What are you doing here?”
Now is the time to be cool and composed, she could be in and out and then have her meltdown. “The team brought you some flowers and I thought chocolates might help.”
“Please sit down.”
“No it’s alright I can see you have company.”
“Y/N doesn’t mind, right?”
“No of course.” You plastered on a fake smile, unfortunately the only seat free was right next to you and however much you could have ignored her across the room you definitely can’t do that now. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Liar.” Kika coughed under her breath. “Y/N’s wise you know, I’m sure she’d be able to help you with whatever’s going on right now.”
“Nothing’s going on.” Alexia denied instantly, keeping her eyes on the other sofa. “Anyway you’re the focus right now.”
“I don’t want to talk about my ankle right now. You two must be the same age right?”
“I think so.” A little bit of an underexaggeration, her birthday just a few weeks before your own was still in your calander.
“And you both went to university here, did you ever cross paths?” It would have been easy to lie, thousands of students filtered through Barcelona every near never crossing paths. Except the both of you stayed eerily silent and even with the pain medication Kika smirked in realisation. “You have met before.”
“You know what I think I’m going to leave you two to it.” Again you were fleeing but what else could you do, you weren’t exactly about to speak to one of your patients, now probable friend, about how you’d been interrupted the other night. “Kika, I’ll message you.”
You’d barely even gone out of the room before Alexia stood, she’d let you walk out on her one time and she wasn’t about to let it happen again.
“Y/N wait!” Alexia shouted, her pace catching up with you before you could even make it down the stairs, it was pointless and you’d rather do it here indoors than out there where anyone could be about.
“What do you want Alexia?”
“What do I want?” She questioned, her footsteps being met by yours retreating but you had nowhere to go and before you knew it she was right in front of you. “I want you to let me explain.”
“What is there to explain? You’ve moved on, we’re different people.”
“That’s bullshit, we showed the other night we might be older, we might be different but you’re still mine and I’m still yours.”
“And then your gilrfriend walked in on us.”
“Girlfriend.” She almost laughed but the sadness on your face made her stop. “That was my best friend, there is no girlfriend, there’s never been a girlfriend. She knew who you were, I still have some photos on my phone of us and she knew instantly it was you. How can I love someone else when I've only ever loved you.”
“I shouldn’t have ran.” You could see that now.
“Lets face it everyone would have done the same.” The silence grew between you both, you both had lots to say and nothing to say at the same time. Alexia did have one question to ask though. “There’s nothing going on between you and Kika though right? It’s just the two of you-“
“There’s nothing going on there, I would never do that to you.”
“Good.”
And then before you could think any further she leaned forward and pressed her lips to yours.
It was just like you could remember and yet ten times better, here in this corridor it was just the two of you, no-one else in the world could bother you. Her lips were soft, a hint of cherry fusing with the peach you’d applied to your own lips. Her mouth slightly opening enough to let you in and yours could only respond similarly, your mind was literally in heaven right now.
You could have stayed like that forever but someone had to let go and you knew you had to do that before it got too far.
“That was amazing.” You whispered, a blush coating both your cheeks as you tried to hide your smiles as much as possible.
“I was thinking why don’t we go back to mine, we could-“
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Alexia.” Kissing her was one thing but so was making plans with her and keeping this secret any longer.
“Why not? You’re the one for me, I know you are and I know I’m the one for you too. Stay with me.”
“I have to go.” The tears which you’d held onto for so long were coming out now as you scrambled out of her hold.
Your heart only broke further as you looked back to her own tears streaming down her face. “Don’t leave again, please.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then don’t.”
“I can’t.” You almost shouted. “Have you told your mum and sister you’ve seen me again?”
“I’ve mentioned your name.”
“And what did they say?”
“They didn’t really say anything – nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Ask them about me again.” You reiterated moving further down the corridor.
“What about?”
“Ask them why I left and don’t stop until you find out the truth.”
Where you and Kelly are in a private not secret relationship.....
Arsenal was your club. It was your life.
Your earliest memory was going to Highbury as a child every weekend, a signed photo of your favourite player at the time sat about your bed, changing every season as your mind flittered between players. At the age of eight you had to beg your mum and dad to redecorate your room from the baby pink princess wonderland to a bright red Arsenal inspired mural. You were a goner through and through.
All you wanted to do was play for Arsenal, in front of thousands of supporters all cheering your name. Your gender was the only issue.
So whilst your twin brother moved through the age groups, eventually signing on for a local lower league club, you were left to face the real world.
From the ages of 16 to 25 you spent your weekdays behind a desk, an admin assistant role you couldn’t have hated more if you tried. You lived for those evenings you spent with your local women’s football team. You weren’t paid, you had to wash your own kits, the other team didn’t turn up sometimes, but you loved it.
And that love paid off. When you were scouted by Arsenal it was a dream come true. It might not have been the glamour you were expecting as a child, you still had to work, you still had to wash your own kits, the crowds were usually hundreds not thousands. But you played for the childhood team you adored.
Your favourite footballing memory came in that 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup final, at 23 it felt like you’d conquered the world. As a central defender your two clean sheets more than contributed to a 1-0 double legged win over the favourites.
But you had a lot more to thank Arsenal for than just the footballing memories.
It gave you the family you so desperately loved. Kelly was the star in that team, the person you all looked to in hard times, and the person you fell for from day one. And maybe if it wasn’t for those celebrations in 2007, following 2 years of pining for her, you wouldn’t have ever had the courage to go for it.
And that led you to today.
When the both of you retired in 2017 you were very lucky to have different offers available to you both, whilst Kelly went down the coaching route, heavily being involved within the game and now sitting as assistant coach for Arsenal women. You on the other hand took a role in front of the camera, now a regular on several platforms, presenting and commentating on the game you loved. All of that whilst being a regular at Arsenal, taking on a mentoring role within the club.
You never intended to keep your relationship a secret. At the start maybe, the 7-year age gap between you both wasn’t something you wanted to be twisted in the media, you knew you had something good and that was all that mattered.
But then the moment just never arrived, of course the fans now knew you were together, but you had never spoken in public about it. Private but not secret.
Your wedding following your retirement was very intimate, a few close friends and family probably sealed the deal in the minds of many. It was too much of a co-incidence for you both to post pictures of your own wedding bands at the same time.
If not then your growing family definitely did. In 2019 you welcomed your first daughter into the world, Elsie, followed by Theo in 2021 and your family was completed by the arrival of Ava in 2024. You’d been spotted by fans together on multiple occasions, been in the background of photos together but you never felt the need to make any sort of statement on it.
But today was special in so many ways.
Arsenal had the chance to win a European cup for the first time since you did back in 2007.
You’d barely seen Kelly for the past week, she was either sleeping, playing with the children or at Arsenal. You arrived in Lisbon late last night, heading straight to your hotel, both of your parents accompanying you on the trip, not just to help with the flight but you were working today.
Of course you had both mentioned what was happening today enough that your kids knew what was happening, at 7 you were woken by Elsie and Theo jumping on top of you ready to start the day.
“Mummy’s going to do it today.” Elsie mentioned as you all sat and ate breakfast, Ava suckling the bottle you’d prepped earlier as you ate with the other hand. “She told me.”
“Do you think?”
“Of course, she’s the best.” You probably should have emphasised how good Barcelona were, how Arsenal were the underdogs in many peoples’ eyes. But today felt different, you’d visited some of the squad this week. You built up a mentoring relationship with some of the players, Leah and Lotte especially at some points had felt like your adopted children. Katie was the kid’s crazy auntie. Your kids had become regular visitors at the training ground. You knew every player would give it everything today and on their day they could beat anyone. “Then when I’m older I’m going to win it.”
“With Arsenal?”
“Why would I play for anyone else?”
…..
Your job as a presenter took you to some incredible stadiums. You’d been part of the crew at the past two World Cups and the Euro’s in England, Lisbon matched all of them.
You liked to arrive early, take in the atmosphere both before everyone was on the move and everything was rushed. The children were all taken care of by their grandparents, you were yet to get changed, still in your shorts and old Arsenal shirt and you stood in the centre circle, just taking it all in.
You could feel the nerves creeping in, you’d been so confident all week, it felt different and yet football was nothing without nerves. This mattered and with that came nerves. You wanted this, not just for women’s sport in England, not just for those players, for this club, all the staff, you wanted it for Kelly. For all the work she’s put in, for those long hours and night away. For her.
“Any final words of wisdom?” You were so in your own head you’d blocked out the stream of players now making their way into centre field, Leah coming to wrap her arm around your shoulder. “You good?”
“I will be tonight.” You replied, wrapping your own arm around her waist. “How are you?”
“I’m good, it’s going to be tough but we have to believe.” She sounded confident. “At least that’s what you’ve been telling me all week.”
“Don’t leave any regrets out there, as long as you do that then you can look back on today as a good experience. Whatever happens, it’s all out there.”
“How are the kids?”
“Excited, Elsie told me this morning that you’re going to win tonight and then she’ll win it when she’s older.”
“That girl.” That look told you all you needed to know, you were going to have your hands full with that girl.
“I know.”
“How can she not be when she’s got two legends for mums.”
“Well one at least, not sure about the other one.” Kelly sneaked up behind you both, her body language the image of cool.
“I’ll leave you to it, see you later.” Leah leaned in to give you a hug.
“Go shine out there.” You whispered in her ear, giving her one final tap before you were left alone. “You ready?”
“Of course, what time are they due to get here?”
“Not until just before kick-off, they’ll never sit still otherwise. They’ve got your genes after all.”
“Nothing to do with you of course.”
“Never, I-“
“Y/N, make-up are ready for you.” The floor runner interrupted you both. “Sorry.”
“No worries.” You waved her off before pulling Kelly into your arms, the small number of cameras in the vicinity not enough to spoil this moment. “Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
……
You could never be impartial in a game like this.
You just about managed to be persuaded to take off your Arsenal shirt, the compromise being a bright red satin skirt with a white shirt tucked in.
Your make up was done, you’d ironed out your shirt, checked in on the kids en-route and now it was time to be in front of the camera.
Karen Carney and Fara Williams would be with you today, Becky anchoring the show. The analysis shifted between both teams as they warmed up behind you, the atmosphere building as the crowd grew.
“Y/N you were part of that team back in 2007,” Becky turned to you. “We all know you work closely with Arsenal. What advice have you given them these past few weeks?”
“The cliché is to just say go out and enjoy it. Of course I’ve told them that but it’s just about leaving it all out there. As long as you do your job and you do it to the best of your ability then you can leave today without any regrets.”
“How are your nerves holding up?” Fara teased you. “You love this club.”
“I do, I was doing alright until about two hours ago. Now I’m nervous, I just want it so much for all of them.”
The focus switched to the change in Barcelona’s coach before the attention switched back to Arsenal and their new team.
“Obviously Renee can’t do it alone, she’s joined by Kelly Smith. Y/N your old teammate, what does she offer to this team?” Becky ever the professional asked, a few snickers coming from your counter-parts.
“She’s again just the ultimate professional. There’s no-one better for the team to have around them when she’s there to offer advice. She loves Arsenal and she’s committed to making this team better and taking them to days like today.”
“How has she coped this week?” Karen asked.
“She’s very chilled,” You answered honestly. “At least that’s the version I see, she works long hours and then comes home and switches off.”
It felt natural to speak about her, you were private as a couple but it felt right to give her credit.
“I’m sure right now she’s just in the zone, maybe if you cross to her in the final ten minutes she’ll be anything but calm.”
……
You were anything but calm.
If you had a heart rate monitor on right now, you were sure it would be through the roof. Your ring finger was red raw from fidgeting with your wedding ring throughout. You couldn’t sit still. The air felt tight around you, your chest pounding as you watched the clock slowly tick.
Time was slowing down but Arsenal were winning.
Arsenal were minutes away from being European Champions.
Football in your mind was separated into moments as a player and moments as a supporter and the moment that Stina goal went in was the most joy you’d had as a spectator. You’d grabbed Fara next to you, clinging on for dear life as you jumped onto the seat. Soaking in the atmosphere as the Arsenal red around you jumped for joy.
That moment felt like a lifetime ago now as you watched the board for 7 added minutes go up.
You’d been ushered over to pitch side, ready to step on the moment the whistle went, except now you weren’t just fidgeting in your seat. You were pacing, back and forth, back and forth. Glancing at the clock. Watching the play. Closing your eyes.
It was almost over, Barcelona had a freekick in their own half. Last chance saloon. You couldn’t watch as they got the ball going again.
Then it was all over.
The ref’s whistle blew.
The crowds showed the two sides of football. Barcelona fans slumped in their seats, Arsenal fans jumped out of theirs.
Arsenal were champions.
You were known as the steely defender in your playing days, sent off on a couple of occasions. Not against the odd yellow card. But right now you couldn’t stop the tears from coming as you watched the players and staff swarm on the pitch. Their joy bringing you so much joy.
They only increased as you looked up into the stands, your eyes trained on the little figures in their box, away from the mess currently in the crowds, the smile on their faces as they jumped up and down enough to bring out a little sob. They were right.
You were glad the cameras weren’t on you right now as the TV pictures stayed on the players, your voices now transmitting over them.
“Y/N we can see you’re very emotional right now.” Becky said. “Can you describe how you’re feeling right now?”
“I’m just so happy for the players and the staff, everyone. They deserve it so much, they were all exceptional today to a woman they all did their job. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
“She’s just glad it’s all over.” Fara interrupted you. “I think she lost ten years in those last ten minutes.”
“Maybe more.”
You handed back over to the commentary team for the team to be given their medals and then the trophy lift. It was a good thing they didn’t need you for commentary as you were honestly left speechless watching on as your wife and all her colleagues received their medals and then joined the team on the podium.
You rejoined your own colleagues on the podium as the team began to disperse around the pitch, giving the fans in the stadium a lap of honour with the trophy.
“Y/N talk us through how tiring it is to defend like Arsenal did over 90 minutes.” Becky asked you.
“It’s exhausting, Barcelona enjoyed really good spells of possession at times today. It would have felt like it’s just them coming in waves and waves, you have to stay pinpoint focused otherwise they’ve got players like Aitana and Alexia who can take an inch and produce a goal.”
“You’ll all have had tough moments in your careers, Stina Blackstenius has had lots of those moments over the past season. How will today have felt for her?”
“Well live for those moments as footballers.” Fara started. “Football comes with it’s tough moments, there are times for everyone where-“
You should have been expecting it really, you were patiently waiting to speak to the players, expecting to get your moment in turn. What you definitely weren’t expecting was for a body to jump on your back, completely knocking you off balance and tumbling to the floor.
“Yess girllllll.” The Irish accent gave it away, so many more bodies piling on top of you, the cameras capturing the moment you were stuck at the bottom of a full pile on, sweat all over your body but you couldn’t care less.
Their smiles lit up the whole pitch as they helped you back on your feet, Leah, Katie, Vic, Lotte, Steph all giving you massive hugs.
“Girls can we get some thoughts on today.” Fara asked them, each of them putting their happiness into words, a few swears coming out but it was filled with delight.
“But I have to thank Y/N.” Katie said pulling you into her arms again. “As a young girl you took me in, under your wing, you showed me what it took to become a professional footballer. You looked after me when I was homesick, invited me into your home.”
These girls couldn’t stop making you cry.
“Even now I know I can always come and get your advice, on football, life, anything. You mean so much to the whole team.” The other girls nodded in agreement. “This one is for you as well. I love you girl.”
“I love you lots.” You whispered back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Go and celebrate.”
“I’ll save you a tequila.”
“You better.”
You’d only just gotten over that, the focus turning back to analysis, watching back their highlights of the game when you spotted a figure walking towards you.
Fuck professionalism, this was your moment. “I’m sorry.” You apologised, setting down the microphone on the podium and running. Running into the awaiting arms of Kelly, her arms wrapping around your waist as she spun you in the air. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” She whispered back, sealing your lips in a short kiss. “We did it!”
“You did it.”
Kelly was a national treasure, of course they would want an interview and you held her hand as you both made your way back to the podium.
Of course she did the usual questions, the nerves, the game plan, how the players performed. “How does this compare to 2007?” Karen asked Kelly.
“It feels different, we were in Borehamwood, in front of fractions compared to today. Lots of us had work to go to the next day. Now we all know what this means, we’ve worked for months, years for this moment.” She explained. “Plus I’ve got a family here watching on, people I want to make proud.”
“And you did just that.” You confirmed, wrapping your arms around her. “People won’t see the hard work you’ve put in to get to this moment but I do, our children do, you’re the best partner, best mum and you’re our hero.”
“You guys…..” Karen teased you both. “I think you’ve got some little people here to celebrate with.”
You couldn’t do anything but watch as Elsie and Theo ran onto the pitch, straight into Kelly’s arms. You let them have their moment, going over to the sidelines to grab Ava from your mum’s arms before joining them all in a group hug.
“You did it mum!”
“We did.” You couldn’t help but laugh as a mixture of tears and joy lined all your faces.
“I need to find Auntie Katie,” Elsie muttered leaving your grasp. “She promised me something…..”
It wouldn’t be till later on you found out what that was, as you sat in Kelly’s arms in the corner of the party. The two of you all danced out as you watched the younger girls dance the night away, alcohol and pizza lining their stomachs. The two of you in your own little bubble of love.
“Oi you two, how would I go about getting a football net installed in your background…..”
Thank you for all the love on the first part. I hope you enjoy x
Part 1 can be found here.
TW: mentions of surgery, car accident
2.5k
Unknown Number: Meet me tomorrow at 7.
You’d be lying if you said you weren’t expecting a message from her. What you wasn’t quite expecting was for it to come within mere hours of your meeting.
She didn’t need to put a location, the two of you had a place all those years ago, somewhere you hadn’t been since. You’d walked past it many times, the cute little bar where the two of you met sat on a little quiet street not too far from where you live. In fact you’d contemplated going in, no-where else in the city quite made your favourite drink like they did. But it was too much for you to handle, too many good memories tainted in sadness.
At least now you could close that door from your past, the two of you were ancient history and this would confirm that.
….
“Ale. Alleeee. ALEXIA!” Friday night had been family night for as long as Alexia could remember. Providing she didn’t have a game, it was spent with her mum and sister and tonight was no different. “ALEXIA!”
Her mother’s voice broke her out of her thoughts, “Sorry. What were you saying?” Tonight though was not like any other night, in just under 24 hours she would be meeting you again.
She couldn’t help herself having sent that text, for years afterwards she’d carried some mixture of anger, sadness, loneliness whenever she thought of you. That soon turned solely to longing and now, well it was something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“What’s the matter with you tonight? Your head is somewhere else.” Eli questioned her eldest daughter as they shared her famous pasta bake. “Is it training?”
“No mami, everything it fine.”
“Well is it the game tomorrow?” Eli pushed further.
“No, no. I’m just thinking.” The sigh that followed let everyone know that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows in the footballer’s mind.
“That’s never a good thing.” Alba teased. “What’s going on?”
“Do you remember Y/N?”
Had Alexia not been so far in her own head she might have noticed the look shared between Eli and Alba, both their eyes portraying a hint of panic at that name being brought up. “That girl you were with for a few months?” Eli tried to mask any sort of memory she had.
“Yeah, I saw her today.”
“Where?”
“She’s a surgeon now, she’s part of the team working on Kika. I went to a meeting with them and she was there.” Alexia explained.
“Wow, she always took me for quite a free person. I never thought she’d stay in Barcelona.”
“I don’t know, I’ve never seen her before today and that was the team that worked on my ACL. Maybe she hasn’t been here.”
“Good for her.” Eli told her daughter. “Young love is a funny thing, 13 years you’re probably two very different people now.”
“Yeah.” Alexia had always been close to her family about everything but for some reason she felt like keeping this private – plus at the moment she was true. They were very different people. “I guess it’s not like I’m ever going to see her again.”
“No.” Eli breathed out a sigh of relief. “Lets have some desert.”
….
Everything had gone wrong today.
You’d woken up full of apprehension about your meeting with Alexia that night but then the rest of the day was meant to be clear. Your plan was to go and do some shopping, go for a walk. Anything to take your mind of it.
Instead you found yourself scrubbed up and in theatre. Your mind focused only on the job at hand.
At 11 you got a call that a serious trauma had been brought into hospital, multiple broken bones, internal bleeding, a head injury. Spanning across five people. The conclusion of a truck on car collision.
That meant they had to put an extension surgical team together and who were you to say shopping was more important than saving a family.
By 12 o’clock you were stood in theatre, passing on instructions to a surgical team and about to operate on a 17-year-old. In orthopaedics you often performed surgery on young people, those in sport who often came in with broken ankles or arms. This felt different, there was a panic to this one. Not least because you and your partner in the surgery would be operating on multiple limbs, whilst down the hall their other family members were also fighting for their life.
“Let’s get started then.” You instructed the team, looking down at the patient on the operating table as you always do. “We’ll get you sorted.”
Surgery was a long process, it was tiring and mind-numbing. For over six hours your mind had been filled with all the information you could occupy. The processes you had to complete, the numbers you’d been told as they deteriorated and then eventually improved, what came next. In the end it had been a success, a lot would depend on their recovery but you’d done all you could for them.
It wasn’t something you could just switch off from either. You always made sure the patient was settled in the ward, checked in with the team and gave them a debrief before completing all the paperwork.
That’s how you found yourself sat in the office staring into space, suddenly remembering you had plans tonight.
“Shit.” You whispered, your head whipping round to find the clock at the opposite end of the room. It might have been dark but it was light enough to show it was already past 8. “Shit. Shit.”
The hospital and bar were a good fifteen-minute drive apart, not to mention parking. Panic built as you quickly logged off your computer, just about managing to grab your keys and phone before practically running to your car.
You probably broke every speed limit trying to make it across the city, parked on double yellows and then it was only when you were walking up to the door that you remembered you were still wearing the sweats and hoodie you pulled on this morning. It definitely fulfilled the brief of shopping attire more than ‘meeting with your ex for the first time in over a decade’ attire.
“Fuck it.” You sighed, it wasn’t like you could turn away now. She might not even be here at this point, you were already nearly 2 hours late.
But there she was, she may have had her back to you but you knew it was her. Sat at your table, a glass of presumably water in her hand with a glass of wine opposite. She was still here.
She hadn’t noticed you were there yet as you snuck up behind her, noticing the phone stuck to her ear.
“It was stupid – I thought if I made the effort then maybe I might get some answers. But she didn’t show….” Alexia told whoever it was she was on the phone to. “Nothing. I mean she could have at least text…… No I’m going to go-“
“Don’t.” You rounded the table stealing her attention. “Give me five minutes and I’ll explain.”
“I’ll call you back.” She didn’t give the other person the time to answer before putting the phone down, her eyes not leaving yours as you sat down. “You’re late.”
“I’m really sorry about that.” You answered, taking what can only be described as a large gulp of wine. The bitter taste of the red calming some of your nerves.
“It feels like this is becoming a habit now.”
“What is?”
“You leaving me stranded.”
You’d be lying if you said that one didn’t hurt. It was true – at least superficially and to her. “I’ve been in surgery all day.” There was no point in sugar coating it – you would never have left her stranded otherwise. “I was planning on being here on time but when you get the call it’s not exactly something you can avoid. I didn’t realise what time it was but I came straight from the hospital when I realised.”
She wasn’t heartless, you knew Alexia and you could see the relief on her face even now. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too. But as soon as I realised the time I raced here, I wouldn’t have left you hanging otherwise. I obviously also didn’t plan on wearing this.” Your sweats were nothing in comparison to the turtleneck and blazer Alexia was sporting.
“You look beautiful.” She always had a way with words – there was no doubt in her voice as she complimented you. “I do need to go though.”
“Alexia – just…”
“Not because of you. I have a game tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a good look for me to stay out this late the night before. If any fans see….”
“I understand.” Maybe it just wasn’t your day, nothing was going right.
“I don’t want to be too forward but how about you come back to mine.” Before you could protest she shut you up. “We can talk without being seen. It doesn’t have to be weird – we’re just old friends.”
You worried if you didn’t agree then you would just have this conversation hanging over you for the next few days and for your own sake you needed for everything to be over with. That’s how you found yourself agreeing and driving over to Alexia’s – the two of you taking your own cars after she provided you with her address.
The drive was nowhere near long enough before you found yourself parking up outside the gated house, her car though nowhere in sight. You genuinely thought you’d been the one ditched this time before her car came in sight maybe ten minutes later, opening the gates as you followed on foot.
“I thought you’d given me the wrong address.” You tried to break the awkward tension as she got out of her car. She didn’t exactly give you any answers before reaching behind her, her hands revealing a paper bag and extending it to you. “What is it?”
“Food – I figured you hadn’t eaten and I don’t feel like cooking at this time.”
You looked in the bag to find three polystyrene boxes – the smells suggesting a burger and chips must have been the contents of at least two of them. “But you can’t have any.” You might not have been a nutritionist but you know enough that it wasn’t exactly night before a game’s food.
“It’s a good thing it’s all for you then. You always did like greasy food after a shift.”
“Thank you.”
Your words went unanswered as she opened up the door to reveal what could only be described as the sleekest house you’ve ever seen. Everything was black and white, the majority of the space open plan as she led you into the kitchen.
“Would you like a drink?”
“A water please.”
The whole house was silent as she pulled out a plate for you, indicating you could plate your food up as she got the drinks and led herself over to the sofa. You plated up the burger, half of the chips and a mini garlic bread not quite realising how hungry you were until this point. The last thing you could remember eating was your porridge this morning.
The tension was still in the air as you sat down, practically gulping down the burger before turning to the footballer, her eyes already on you.
“Why did you ask to meet me Alexia?” You had to ask her the question, her answer would lead this conversation.
“Why? I turn up to a meeting expecting to find an old surgeon and I find the girl who broke up with me 13 years ago and never bothered to even give me an explanation. I need answers.”
“Alexia it was 13 years ago.” You hadn’t been in this house too long and already you’d noticed that the majority of the picture frames dotted around contained either Eli, Alba or both of them. “It’s not worth it.”
“It is to me. You left without a word – I loved you and all I got was this text spouting about how you ‘couldn’t do it anymore’. What about me?” When you were together you loved Alexia all the time, but you especially loved her when she was passionate about something and even now as she raised her voice you couldn’t help but admire her. “I deserve answers.”
“I wasn’t good enough for you.” You admitted, not daring to look at her and instead focusing on the food. “Our lives don’t mix. You’re the best footballer in the world and I spend my life either sleeping or working.”
“We were making it work.”
“No you were spending every weekend watching me in that café – you could have been spending it with your teammates.”
“Because I loved you.” The tears building in your eyes spilt over the edge as you took in her words. “I might have loved football but my highlight of the week, every week, was sitting in my car after training with you or spending your lunch break eating those soggy chips.”
“You said you loved those chips.”
“I did.” Why did you have to fall in love with someone so perfect? She was everything you wanted, even now and yet you couldn’t have her. “Then you left and I was left wondering if I even meant anything to you.”
“Of course you did.”
“Then why leave?”
“Because I loved you more than anything.” You shouted this time. “Because the thought that I could have been distracting you was too much for me to handle. You spoke every day about being the best Alexia and I couldn’t be the reason that didn’t happen.”
“It didn’t have to be one or the other.”
“Didn’t it? You did it, you became the best.”
“And I did all of it being lonely. I’d watch my teammates fall in love, celebrate with their partners and I was alone.”
If your heart wasn’t already broken it was then. “Alexia….”
“I was angry at first, I hated you for not saying it too my face. But I never stopped loving you. In Turin I looked for you, in Eindhoven you were the first person I thought about. When I had my ACL surgery I wished more than anything for you to appear.” The two of you were a sobbing mess on that sofa and without realising you’d gravitated towards each other, your hands intertwined and shoulders pressed together. “I wanted to be the best but I also wanted to be loved.”
“I-“ But before you could answer you were stopped by the sound of the door opening.
Thank you for all the love on the first part. I hope you enjoy x
Part 1 can be found here.
TW: mentions of surgery, car accident
2.5k
Unknown Number: Meet me tomorrow at 7.
You’d be lying if you said you weren’t expecting a message from her. What you wasn’t quite expecting was for it to come within mere hours of your meeting.
She didn’t need to put a location, the two of you had a place all those years ago, somewhere you hadn’t been since. You’d walked past it many times, the cute little bar where the two of you met sat on a little quiet street not too far from where you live. In fact you’d contemplated going in, no-where else in the city quite made your favourite drink like they did. But it was too much for you to handle, too many good memories tainted in sadness.
At least now you could close that door from your past, the two of you were ancient history and this would confirm that.
….
“Ale. Alleeee. ALEXIA!” Friday night had been family night for as long as Alexia could remember. Providing she didn’t have a game, it was spent with her mum and sister and tonight was no different. “ALEXIA!”
Her mother’s voice broke her out of her thoughts, “Sorry. What were you saying?” Tonight though was not like any other night, in just under 24 hours she would be meeting you again.
She couldn’t help herself having sent that text, for years afterwards she’d carried some mixture of anger, sadness, loneliness whenever she thought of you. That soon turned solely to longing and now, well it was something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“What’s the matter with you tonight? Your head is somewhere else.” Eli questioned her eldest daughter as they shared her famous pasta bake. “Is it training?”
“No mami, everything it fine.”
“Well is it the game tomorrow?” Eli pushed further.
“No, no. I’m just thinking.” The sigh that followed let everyone know that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows in the footballer’s mind.
“That’s never a good thing.” Alba teased. “What’s going on?”
“Do you remember Y/N?”
Had Alexia not been so far in her own head she might have noticed the look shared between Eli and Alba, both their eyes portraying a hint of panic at that name being brought up. “That girl you were with for a few months?” Eli tried to mask any sort of memory she had.
“Yeah, I saw her today.”
“Where?”
“She’s a surgeon now, she’s part of the team working on Kika. I went to a meeting with them and she was there.” Alexia explained.
“Wow, she always took me for quite a free person. I never thought she’d stay in Barcelona.”
“I don’t know, I’ve never seen her before today and that was the team that worked on my ACL. Maybe she hasn’t been here.”
“Good for her.” Eli told her daughter. “Young love is a funny thing, 13 years you’re probably two very different people now.”
“Yeah.” Alexia had always been close to her family about everything but for some reason she felt like keeping this private – plus at the moment she was true. They were very different people. “I guess it’s not like I’m ever going to see her again.”
“No.” Eli breathed out a sigh of relief. “Lets have some desert.”
….
Everything had gone wrong today.
You’d woken up full of apprehension about your meeting with Alexia that night but then the rest of the day was meant to be clear. Your plan was to go and do some shopping, go for a walk. Anything to take your mind of it.
Instead you found yourself scrubbed up and in theatre. Your mind focused only on the job at hand.
At 11 you got a call that a serious trauma had been brought into hospital, multiple broken bones, internal bleeding, a head injury. Spanning across five people. The conclusion of a truck on car collision.
That meant they had to put an extension surgical team together and who were you to say shopping was more important than saving a family.
By 12 o’clock you were stood in theatre, passing on instructions to a surgical team and about to operate on a 17-year-old. In orthopaedics you often performed surgery on young people, those in sport who often came in with broken ankles or arms. This felt different, there was a panic to this one. Not least because you and your partner in the surgery would be operating on multiple limbs, whilst down the hall their other family members were also fighting for their life.
“Let’s get started then.” You instructed the team, looking down at the patient on the operating table as you always do. “We’ll get you sorted.”
Surgery was a long process, it was tiring and mind-numbing. For over six hours your mind had been filled with all the information you could occupy. The processes you had to complete, the numbers you’d been told as they deteriorated and then eventually improved, what came next. In the end it had been a success, a lot would depend on their recovery but you’d done all you could for them.
It wasn’t something you could just switch off from either. You always made sure the patient was settled in the ward, checked in with the team and gave them a debrief before completing all the paperwork.
That’s how you found yourself sat in the office staring into space, suddenly remembering you had plans tonight.
“Shit.” You whispered, your head whipping round to find the clock at the opposite end of the room. It might have been dark but it was light enough to show it was already past 8. “Shit. Shit.”
The hospital and bar were a good fifteen-minute drive apart, not to mention parking. Panic built as you quickly logged off your computer, just about managing to grab your keys and phone before practically running to your car.
You probably broke every speed limit trying to make it across the city, parked on double yellows and then it was only when you were walking up to the door that you remembered you were still wearing the sweats and hoodie you pulled on this morning. It definitely fulfilled the brief of shopping attire more than ‘meeting with your ex for the first time in over a decade’ attire.
“Fuck it.” You sighed, it wasn’t like you could turn away now. She might not even be here at this point, you were already nearly 2 hours late.
But there she was, she may have had her back to you but you knew it was her. Sat at your table, a glass of presumably water in her hand with a glass of wine opposite. She was still here.
She hadn’t noticed you were there yet as you snuck up behind her, noticing the phone stuck to her ear.
“It was stupid – I thought if I made the effort then maybe I might get some answers. But she didn’t show….” Alexia told whoever it was she was on the phone to. “Nothing. I mean she could have at least text…… No I’m going to go-“
“Don’t.” You rounded the table stealing her attention. “Give me five minutes and I’ll explain.”
“I’ll call you back.” She didn’t give the other person the time to answer before putting the phone down, her eyes not leaving yours as you sat down. “You’re late.”
“I’m really sorry about that.” You answered, taking what can only be described as a large gulp of wine. The bitter taste of the red calming some of your nerves.
“It feels like this is becoming a habit now.”
“What is?”
“You leaving me stranded.”
You’d be lying if you said that one didn’t hurt. It was true – at least superficially and to her. “I’ve been in surgery all day.” There was no point in sugar coating it – you would never have left her stranded otherwise. “I was planning on being here on time but when you get the call it’s not exactly something you can avoid. I didn’t realise what time it was but I came straight from the hospital when I realised.”
She wasn’t heartless, you knew Alexia and you could see the relief on her face even now. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too. But as soon as I realised the time I raced here, I wouldn’t have left you hanging otherwise. I obviously also didn’t plan on wearing this.” Your sweats were nothing in comparison to the turtleneck and blazer Alexia was sporting.
“You look beautiful.” She always had a way with words – there was no doubt in her voice as she complimented you. “I do need to go though.”
“Alexia – just…”
“Not because of you. I have a game tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a good look for me to stay out this late the night before. If any fans see….”
“I understand.” Maybe it just wasn’t your day, nothing was going right.
“I don’t want to be too forward but how about you come back to mine.” Before you could protest she shut you up. “We can talk without being seen. It doesn’t have to be weird – we’re just old friends.”
You worried if you didn’t agree then you would just have this conversation hanging over you for the next few days and for your own sake you needed for everything to be over with. That’s how you found yourself agreeing and driving over to Alexia’s – the two of you taking your own cars after she provided you with her address.
The drive was nowhere near long enough before you found yourself parking up outside the gated house, her car though nowhere in sight. You genuinely thought you’d been the one ditched this time before her car came in sight maybe ten minutes later, opening the gates as you followed on foot.
“I thought you’d given me the wrong address.” You tried to break the awkward tension as she got out of her car. She didn’t exactly give you any answers before reaching behind her, her hands revealing a paper bag and extending it to you. “What is it?”
“Food – I figured you hadn’t eaten and I don’t feel like cooking at this time.”
You looked in the bag to find three polystyrene boxes – the smells suggesting a burger and chips must have been the contents of at least two of them. “But you can’t have any.” You might not have been a nutritionist but you know enough that it wasn’t exactly night before a game’s food.
“It’s a good thing it’s all for you then. You always did like greasy food after a shift.”
“Thank you.”
Your words went unanswered as she opened up the door to reveal what could only be described as the sleekest house you’ve ever seen. Everything was black and white, the majority of the space open plan as she led you into the kitchen.
“Would you like a drink?”
“A water please.”
The whole house was silent as she pulled out a plate for you, indicating you could plate your food up as she got the drinks and led herself over to the sofa. You plated up the burger, half of the chips and a mini garlic bread not quite realising how hungry you were until this point. The last thing you could remember eating was your porridge this morning.
The tension was still in the air as you sat down, practically gulping down the burger before turning to the footballer, her eyes already on you.
“Why did you ask to meet me Alexia?” You had to ask her the question, her answer would lead this conversation.
“Why? I turn up to a meeting expecting to find an old surgeon and I find the girl who broke up with me 13 years ago and never bothered to even give me an explanation. I need answers.”
“Alexia it was 13 years ago.” You hadn’t been in this house too long and already you’d noticed that the majority of the picture frames dotted around contained either Eli, Alba or both of them. “It’s not worth it.”
“It is to me. You left without a word – I loved you and all I got was this text spouting about how you ‘couldn’t do it anymore’. What about me?” When you were together you loved Alexia all the time, but you especially loved her when she was passionate about something and even now as she raised her voice you couldn’t help but admire her. “I deserve answers.”
“I wasn’t good enough for you.” You admitted, not daring to look at her and instead focusing on the food. “Our lives don’t mix. You’re the best footballer in the world and I spend my life either sleeping or working.”
“We were making it work.”
“No you were spending every weekend watching me in that café – you could have been spending it with your teammates.”
“Because I loved you.” The tears building in your eyes spilt over the edge as you took in her words. “I might have loved football but my highlight of the week, every week, was sitting in my car after training with you or spending your lunch break eating those soggy chips.”
“You said you loved those chips.”
“I did.” Why did you have to fall in love with someone so perfect? She was everything you wanted, even now and yet you couldn’t have her. “Then you left and I was left wondering if I even meant anything to you.”
“Of course you did.”
“Then why leave?”
“Because I loved you more than anything.” You shouted this time. “Because the thought that I could have been distracting you was too much for me to handle. You spoke every day about being the best Alexia and I couldn’t be the reason that didn’t happen.”
“It didn’t have to be one or the other.”
“Didn’t it? You did it, you became the best.”
“And I did all of it being lonely. I’d watch my teammates fall in love, celebrate with their partners and I was alone.”
If your heart wasn’t already broken it was then. “Alexia….”
“I was angry at first, I hated you for not saying it too my face. But I never stopped loving you. In Turin I looked for you, in Eindhoven you were the first person I thought about. When I had my ACL surgery I wished more than anything for you to appear.” The two of you were a sobbing mess on that sofa and without realising you’d gravitated towards each other, your hands intertwined and shoulders pressed together. “I wanted to be the best but I also wanted to be loved.”
“I-“ But before you could answer you were stopped by the sound of the door opening.
I've slightly changed the last request but the previous context remains. Let me know if you want a part 2, any requests etc.
.....
Growing up you never used to believe in fate.
If fate was real then why did it feel like nothing ever went your way, why had you been given such a tough hand compared to near enough everyone else?
That was until you met her.
…..
13 years ago, 18 years old.
You’d been stood up. That much was plainly obvious right now. You should have listened to all the warnings from your friends, dating apps never worked. But how else were you meant to meet someone when you couldn’t afford to be going out every weekend and you were only surviving financially due to the waitressing job you’d taken on.
It was meant to be something fun, to take your mind off studying and then you got messaging one girl, Isobel, who seemed keen to go out for a few drinks. And that’s how you found yourself sitting, alone, in a bar on a Saturday night an hour after you’d agreed to meet.
The margarita in front of you was doing nothing to stop your mood worsening by the minute, if not by the second. Barcelona was your favourite city in the world but now being sat alone in a city where everyone seemed to be enjoying life, it was only rubbing you up the wrong way.
You’d been working all day and now you’d wasted a good amount of that money on two drinks without any company. It wasn’t like they were bad drinks but you didn’t have that money to spare.
Medical school had been a dream for you, it was now a reality but that didn’t come with sacrifices, including moving to the other side of the country. You were here on a scholarship but that only covered the university fees and your accommodation, the rest came from the job you had to work every Saturday and Sunday. You loved your parents but they could barely get by with your two other siblings never mind covering your new life in the city.
“Are you just going to stare at that glass all night?” You almost jumped at that soft voice coming out of nowhere before probably the most beautiful person you’d ever seen sat on the stool next to you. The question left unanswered as you basically drowned in those bright blue eyes. “Hello?”
“Sorry, sorry I was just about to leave.”
“Not on my account I hope.”
“No, my night is over.”
“You got all dressed up just to sit on your own all night?” Oblivious to you, Alexia had been watching the girl sat in the little black dress at the bar all night, waiting for you to be joined by someone and once her friends left, she couldn’t help but make her way over.
The question probably wasn’t meant to rile you up as much as it did. “Yeah well that’s not your problem.” You stood up to grab your purse when a hand wrapped around your wrist stopping your movement. “Everything OK?”
“Yes, sorry. I’m sorry.” She noticed the eyes on her hand and removed it immediately. “It wasn’t meant like that, no-one should spend the evening alone. Never mind someone as beautiful as you. One more drink on me?”
“No offence but I don’t even know your name.”
“Alexia Putellas.” Alexia, the name fit. “Now, how about a drink?”
“One drink.”
……
That one drink changed your life. You stayed in that bar all night, the two of you moving into the corner in your own little world until you were kicked out at closing time.
From there it spiralled.
You were only 18 but there was no doubt in your mind that this was love. For six months you spent the best part of all your free time together, which somehow wasn’t even enough. Alexia, who you found out was an aspiring footballer as well as completing a business degree, became a regular in the café as you worked and you spent an awful lot of time waiting for her in the freezing cold following training.
You weren’t surprised when she asked you to meet her family. Alexia made it official within two months and now she wanted to share you. She talked a lot about her sister, Alba, and she worshipped her mother, assuring you they were the loveliest people, but that didn’t make it any less nerve wracking.
“I promise everything will be fine.” Alexia assured you, her hand almost numb from how tight you were gripping it as the two of you sat outsider her home. “They will love you, just like I do.”
“Promise?”
“I promise. Now let’s go in before Alba eats all the food.”
If Alexia had it her way you’d be meeting all her family in one go, all the aunts, cousins, extended family at a big family gathering. You’d managed to tone it down to just her mum and sister and a relaxed family meal. The rest would happen eventually.
You’d never met a girlfriend’s family before, in fact you’d never had a girlfriend full stop before Alexia. But you never imagined it would be this awkward.
It was all smiles at first and whenever Alexia was in the room, but the second she left it was like a switch flicked.
“Alexia tells us you’re a waitress.” Alba started, the 15-year-old not hiding her judgement but Alexia had told you all about the teenager’s tetchy mood most of the time.
“I am, I think everyone knows Alexia’s order off by heart now she’s in there so often.”
“We noticed, she was late to her cousin’s birthday last week because she’d been there.” Eli noted. “In fact if she’s not playing she’s almost always there.”
You’d couldn’t miss the disdain in her voice. “I know, it’s the only way we can spend time together.”
“Who’s spending time together?” Alexia asked returning from the kitchen, her hand immediately coming back to rest on your thigh.
“Your lovely girlfriend was just telling us all about her café.” The mask was completely back up.
“I should take you all one week, they all love me in there.” They did. “Now come on, lets eat.”
The dinner continued with no sense of the obvious tension between the three of you, at least in Alexia’s mind. In your mind all you could think about was the glares you would receive every so often, the tuts that were made when you’d make any comment.
“Have you met Y/N’s family yet Alexia?” Eli asked her daughter once you were finished eating.
“Not yet.”
“My family live near Seville, they aren’t able to come and visit me here with my two siblings being in school.” It was partially the truth. The other half was that they couldn’t afford it and what good would it be when you would be working anyway. “Maybe in the summer when it’s a bit less busy we’ll be able to work something out.”
“I don’t think I could live on the other side of the country.” Alba commented. “I just love my family too much to move away.”
Of course that was a burn, you didn’t have a choice in the matter, the best scholarship and medical school was in Barcelona.
“We wish you would.” Alexia joked with her sister. “Family is the most important thing, I’m sure even across the country that doesn’t change.”
Alexia had done a good job, unknowingly, of protecting you from them. That was until at the end of the meal she received a call from her agent which couldn’t be ignored.
“I’ll be back.” She signalled, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before moving out of the room. “Shouldn’t be too long.”
Again that switch was flicked.
“Look, we can see it’s clear how much you like Alexia.” Eli started. “We’re just concerned that all of this is starting to have a negative impact on her career.”
“Alexia is always training.” You argued. “She’s playing for Barcelona.”
“And yet when she could be training or analysing the game at the weekend she’s sat waiting for you. She can’t spend any time getting to know her teammates.”
“I’ve never stopped that.”
“She’s distracted right now, she’s blind right now but we’re not. We need to protect her future and if you liked her as much as you claim to do then you’ll see it that way as well.”
“I can’t make her not spend time with me.” You never forced the girl, she just showed up at your work one day and never left.
“No, but you can break up with her.” Alba spit it out. “Don’t ruin her future for the sake of a young fling. You know how much she wants to be a footballer, that needs her focus.”
“What about what she wants right now?”
“She knows football has to be her greatest love, the pain will be less now than in a few years’ time when you have to move back home and she has to stay here. It will never work.”
You could ignore the previous comments, you knew how much Alexia wanted to be the best but you always need a life away from your work. You did however know that once this degree was complete you couldn’t afford to stay in Barcelona. You’d have to move away and Alexia would have to stay here.
That’s how on a cold night in February, you made the sacrifice for both yourself and Alexia, the text was sent breaking both your hearts in the process.
…..
March 2025, 31 years old
Barcelona.
The city where it all began, and the city you found yourself in 13 years later.
Medical school had been hard but from the first placement you knew you wanted to be a surgeon. That adrenaline rush was addictive and you’d never tire of that feeling after surgery when you’d made a difference.
You completed medical school with commendations across the board and managed to land yourself a place in a prestigious training facility in Madrid.
Madrid was an amazing experience, you learnt from the best and built up a reputation for yourself in medical circles, however it wasn’t Barcelona.
Barcelona may have been the place you felt your first heartbreak but it was also the place you made some amazing friends. It was home.
So when you got the opportunity to go back and work in main hospital in Barcelona you took it with both hands. You were home.
“We’ve had a request.” The other senior surgeon came into your office one morning, a few weeks into your new job. “FC Barcelona have a player who’s injured their ankle, we usually treat their patients and I’d like it if we worked on this one together.”
“Really?”
“The only way you learn is by doing. It’s quite a complex case. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.” Of course you didn’t mind the knee replacements, the broken arms. But you wanted more. “When do we get started.”
“They’re coming in tomorrow. We’ll do the assessment and go from there.”
It’s fair to say the next morning you were buzzing. This is all you’ve ever wanted and it was becoming true. You’d barely slept the night before thinking about everything you’d learnt, ankle injuries were common in football and came in a range of forms.
“They’re here.”
You looked up from where you were positioned at one side of the large table, slowly nursing the strongest coffee you could find. You were expecting to find the harsh glare of an angry footballer, instead you looked up to find those blue eyes you’d fell for over a decade ago. Of course.
Except she wasn’t alone and maybe you let out a breath of relief when it was the other younger woman by her side who was sporting the crutches.
“Miss Nazereth, Miss Putellas this is Miss Y/L/N she will be working alongside me throughout this process.” Your colleague introduced you and it took all your strength to manage to muster a little ‘hi’.
“Call me Kika,” The other woman gave you a comforting smile, probably what you should have been doing. “This is Alexia, I hope it’s OK I brought her.”
That snapped you back, you had a job to do. “Of course, whatever makes you feel comfortable.” You gave them both a smile, greeting the other Barcelona staff who entered the room and taking your seat.
The only thing you could do was avoid eye contact and get on with your job. You might not have seen her in the flesh for over a decade but it’s hard to avoid Alexia Putellas. You could do little else but watch on proudly as she won accolade after accolade.
“Let’s take a look at the scans…..”
It’s fair to say you’ve never been quite as distracted as you were in that meeting. You noted down all the important bits, the plan you made for her recovery, a complex ligament injury which would require surgery in the coming weeks.
Keeping concentrated was slightly harder though when the woman directly across from you was who she was. As the meeting was closing you dared to glance up and was almost surprised when her gaze was already on your own, a slight smile matched by your own before you both broke eye contact.
“It’s been a pleasure meeting you.” You shook hands with Kika as you all moved to the exit. “If you ever need anything, I’ll give you my card. Any questions, day or night.”
“Thank you.” You could read most people like books and you could tell she was terrified and upset.
“Miss Putellas.” You shook her hand, keeping things professional. “Good to see you.”
“You too, I know Kika is in good hands.”
“Thank you.”
…..
“What happened to you in there?” Kika asked her captain, Alexia driving the two back to the training ground. “In that meeting the other day you couldn’t stop asking questions.”
“What am I meant to ask? They’re surgeons they know better than you and I what’s going to happen.”
“I’ve never seen you that quiet.”
The words do tend to be knocked out of your head when you see someone again for the first time in 13 years, all the confusion and heart break came flooding back. “I was just thinking.”
“What do you think about that surgeon by the way?”
“What about her?” Alexia immediately responded.
“I’m trying to set Ewa up with someone and she seemed nice. She said she didn’t want a footballer and well, a surgeon definitely isn’t one of those.”
“Let her do her job Kika.” Alexia scolded the youngster, not about to let this happen. “No setting anyone up, I’m sure she’s got better things to do than be with a footballer anyway.”
“If you say so.”
“I do, now let me know when your next appointment is and I’m more than happy to come with you again.”
“Thank you Alexia.”
She’d take the thanks even if it was slightly misplaced. She had questions and they weren’t going to go away any time soon.
Hi! Can you write a Alexia Putellas x reader. Both are 18, Alexia is just starting out professionally. They have been dating for a few months, when Alexia takes the reader to meet her family. The reader is coming from a poor family and she has a job as a waitress to help them. Alexia's mother and her sister don't treat the reader well when they meet her, saying she is a distraction for Alexia and that she deserves someone better. They make the reader break up with Ale. What they didn't know, not even Alexia ( cause she didn't have time to tell her yet) is that the reader got a scholarship for med thanks to her excellent academic results. Alexia doesn't know her family had anything to do with the reader breaking up with her, she is hurt that the reader didn't even break up face to face, but via text. So Ale tries to get over her and concentrate on her career. Then, set in the present, when Alexia tears her acl, the Barca officials arrange for her to get her surgery done by one of the best doctors in the world, known for treating and doing the rehabilitation for big names in the football world. Alexia comes with her mother to meet this doctor and schedule the surgery. They are surprised to see that the doctor is not other than the reader.
I've been trying to find inspiration to start writing again and today I've made a good start.
Please send in any other requests that may help get me writing again.
“Breaking news this lunch time, Sarina Weigman had named her squad for the Arnold Clark cup and included in the squad for the first time in nearly 4 years is Y/N Beckham.” England squads weren’t typically breaking news on the main news channels but this was no ordinary squad announcement. “Widely considered as one of the best players on the planet, Beckham has not been including in an England squad since the 2019 World Cup and her return dominated the press conference.”
Squad announcement press conferences are usually comminated by a few stories, the surprise inclusions, the ones who don’t quite make the cut. However when the list was read out it was immediately clear what all the questions would be about today as the eyes of world football turned to Sarina.
“Sarina can you tell us more about Beckham’s inclusion? Why has this decision been taken now after 4 years?”
“I know you’re all probably very interested in that so I’ll try and answer all of your questions. This hasn’t been a simple process for either party, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been watching her since I became England manager but it’s not that simple and we had to respect the fact that Y/N did not want to be called up. Over the past few weeks I’ve been working closer with her and we’ve agreed that now is the right time to see if we can make progress.”
“The squad has changed a lot since then but there are still players who would were in the squad in 2019, have you spoken to them about this?”
“I have not, I’d like to think that all players support each other and I know my players well enough to know that they will do all they can to make Y/N feel welcome in this environment both on and off the pitch.”
“Do you have any concerns around her desire to play for England and play for the badge. Will she have lost that fight in the past four years?”
“I can not prove that to you and I guess none of us will know the answer until she plays for England again but I would not pick any player I had those concerns about. I’ve watcher her play a lot for Barcelona and over this past year especially I’ve seen a freedom to her play. I just hope that we can all see that side of her in an England shirt.”
“David, were you shocked when the announcement was made?”
“I mean obviously we spoke about prior to the announcement but when she told me I wasn’t exactly shocked. It just annoyed me that people questioned her mentally because she is so strong now.”
…..
Everyone could tell you were anxious. Since the announcement on Thursday you’d been quieter than usual in training, your usual sweet laughter which your teammates loved had been replaced by a strained giggle and they could see you’d been putting pressure on yourself in every department.
Everything had to be perfect.
In the four days since your decision had been made public you’d received support from all your teammates but you could see they were also worried. Many of them had been here when you joined, they’d seen the aftermath and many of them had been your shoulder to lean on for months after.
Many of them watched on now as you retreated into your room, barely giving a second glance to the games currently taking place in the dining room, a tradition you were a usual member of the night before an away game.
Alexia and Mapi had noticed the changes just like everyone else, the three of you had a strong connection both on and off the pitch. Alexia had become an older sister figure to you and Mapi was your platonic soul mate. They knew your habits unlike anyone else and when the notebook you used for anxious tattoo scribblings had been out the entire journey to Mallorca it was clear your mind was elsewhere.
“You grab the pillows.”
“I’ll grab the blankets.”
The two of them scurried off to their own rooms, finding their entrusted items before meeting back at the door which they knew you would be behind. You wouldn’t have gone outside, your shy nature meant you struggled to have confidence in new cities, preferring to explore with others rather than alone as the sun went down.
Alexia knocked on the door, a moment of panic striking as they thought you weren’t going to answer before the door creaked open. Your wide-eyed figure stood in the crack, still in the tracksuit you’d travelled in rather than pyjamas.
“What’s going on?” The tree of you quite often spent the nights in each other’s hotel rooms, though those meetings were usually pre-planned.
Only you knew from the worried expressions on their faces this wasn’t a call to watch the latest film that had been released. “We’re worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
You should have known that answer was never going to satisfy them. “Please can we come in.”
It wasn’t even worth trying to persuade them, not really. “Sure.” They couldn’t miss the sigh you let out as the door swung open. “Make yourself comfy.”
In the matter of minutes you’d gone from sprawling over the double bed alone to shuffling between the two players, being welcomed into the arms of Alexia as the three of you shuffled under the duvet.
“We’re worried about you.” MarÍa admitted, smoothing down the hair draped around your face. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you sure because I bet if we looked in that notepad we’d find more anxious doodles than before. You’ve barely spoken two words to anyone since the news broke out.”
“I read an article-“
“Didn’t I tell you to stop that.” Alexia scolded you. “Those journalists don’t know anything about you.”
“But they don’t know that.” You argued back. “They’ll be reading about how ‘cocky’ I am on and off the pitch, how I flaunt my money, how I think I ‘own the team’.”
“If they believe that then they really have no eyes. Then they’ll see how you’re one of the shiest players on the team, they’ll learn how you could live in mansion but donate so much money to charity, they’ll see how much you work on the team as a whole. You do everything for football and they need to see that.”
“If they don’t love the person they’ll come to know then that’s on them.” Alexia agreed with her.
“Are you sure this isn’t about a certain blonde centre back?” MarÍa teasingly questioned you. “Maybe this isn’t about you being nervous about the articles and more about going into gay panic around Miss Williamson.”
“I told you that in confidence that you’d never bring it up again.” It was true, a few years ago you had confided in the two of them that you used to have a small (very large) crush on Leah at the time.
“And I’m tired of you being the third wheel in our flat, you’ve rejected every opportunity for me to set you up with one of my friends so now I have to think that it’s because you’re still pining for the girl.”
“I’m not pining for anyone, it was a stupid crush which has gone in the four years that I haven’t spoken to the girl.”
“Would you like to speak to her again?” Alexia asked.
“I mean obviously I’m going to have to, she’s the captain of the team.”
“Message her now.”
“No.”
“Why not?” I could only think of a million reasons why I wasn’t about to do that.
“Because like I said, I haven’t spoken to her in nearly four years and it would be weird for me to just message her the night before we see each other again.”
“So lets role play it then, you walk into the hotel tomorrow and she’s there, what are you going to say?” Alexia asked the question you’ve been asking yourself all week.
“Hi.”
Both of them looked like they wanted to tear out both their own and your hair. “Ok you can’t just say that.”
“What else do you want me to say?”
“How are you? Ask her about her life?”
“You want me to speak to the girl for the first time in years and ask her basically how she’s been since we went from speaking every day to unfollowing each other on social media and avoiding any chance of meeting since then.” You needed better friends in situations like this. “I’m not going heavy on our first conversation.”
“You will need to talk about.”
“I know but it’s not just her I need to have that conversation with, I was close with a lot of them and now I’m not. They should be just as involved in that conversation as Leah is.”
“Maybe you could design her a little tattoo, something like ‘I love Y/N’ on her forehead.” MarÍa teased you. “Matches your ‘I love Leah’ on your chest.”
“Shut up, just so you know I’ll never stop cockblocking you and Ingrid, I’ll be round for tea when I get back.”
“Bonnie told me she wants to live with me all the time by the way, said something about her mum abandoning her.”
“Fuck off MarÍa.”
….
The first person to reach out to you wasn’t exactly someone you expected. Mary Earps wasn’t exactly in your friendship group back in 2019, though because she was a part of that squad she was one of the players who you unfollowed in the following unfortunate events. You definitely therefore were not expecting to see her name pop up as you made your way through the airport, heading out to the car which would take you back to your parents’ house before you headed to the team hotel later on in the evening.
@1maryearps: See you later mate, we can’t wait to have you back x
Your emotions were so all over the place that maybe you should have expected this simple message to bring tears to your eyes. Maybe that meant you’d have at least one person on your side tonight.
You spent most of the meal with parents and siblings trying to do anything to avoid the thoughts about what was happening tonight coming back. You spoke to Harper about her homework, Cruze about his latest holiday and Romeo about his girlfriend. Brooklyn could almost sense your nervousness and kept up the conversation, which was all fine until you had to leave.
They knew how big this moment was and each gave you an individual goodbye before you got back into the car. As much as you would have liked to have taken your dad’s offer to drive you, this was all about being normal and being drove by David Beckham didn’t really give off that vibe.
You’d made this drive a million times before, only this time it seemed to take half the time and before you knew it the doors to St George’s Park were in view.
The only person in view was a single man holding a video camera, obviously preparing for the players’ arrivals This was hard and yet you knew this was probably the easiest step, he didn’t know you. You got out from the car, flashing a small smile to the camera as it trained on your every move, making sure to say a thank you to the driver, you turned to head inside.
“How are you feeling Y/N?” The camera man asked.
“Excited.” You couldn’t exactly tell him you were shaking inside. “I can’t wait to be back with this amazing team.”
“Two goals from you today….”
“All thanks to my teammates.” It was only the truth, you were basically set up for both goals by Aitana, you couldn’t do anything but put them in the back of the net.
“Good luck.”
“Thank you very much.”
If you were known for one thing it would be your punctuality, in fact you almost had a fear of being late. Maybe you’d done it on purpose this time to avoid greeting teammates in front of the camera but you were the first here judging by the table in the reception area being full of keys.
“Y/N it’s good to finally meet you in person.” Anja, one of the members of the England management team greeted you. “I hope you’re feeling well.”
“I’m glad to be here,” You settled for that. “I can’t wait to get back on that pitch now.”
“Well we’re glad to have you here. Here’s your key, we’ll meet in the dining area for a quick debrief at 8 and then you’ll have the night to yourself. Training schedules for the week are in your key pack.”
“Thank you.”
This place hadn’t changed one bit, from the entrance all the way up to your rooms you could trace the steps without even looking. You could hear noise out in the corridor but you stayed put, waiting for the clock to tick to 7:50 before making your way downstairs. With it being ten minutes early no one was there but Sarina and the coaching staff. Could this technically count as your first impression to them?
Their eyes trained on you as you entered the room. “Hey, thank you once again.”
“Stop saying thank you, this is all on you.” Sarina instructed, giving you a firm yet welcoming hug, an action which was repeated by the others. “Go and take a seat.”
“Thank-“ Maybe not. “Ok Sarina.”
You didn’t really know what to expect from the others, the squad was definitely a mixture of youth and experience. However even some of the more established players like Alessia and Ella were unknown to you on a personal level.
Thankfully maybe the first ones in were some of the younger players, Jess Park and Ebony Salmon were both the epitome of excitement as they entered the room saying a quick hello to the staff before slightly pausing when they found me sat on the first row.
“Hi.” You knew it was on you to make the effort. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Jess said taking the seat next to me. “You’re killing it at Barcelona.”
“Thank you, I’ve enjoyed watching you play this season. You’ll be an asset at city when you return.” You loved studying young players and watching their development. Jess was no difference in that, plus it helped to build up that connection on the team.
The volume in the room increased as more players entered. Some like Laura Coombs and Katie Zelem gave you a quick smile before taking their seats, other youngsters gave you a quick welcome.
The first real re-introduction you had was when Millie and Rachel entered, your eyes instantly connecting and it was Rachel who led the two of them over. You had always loved the two of them and almost let out a sigh of relief when they both greeted you with hugs, repeating how glad they were to see you. Lucy and Jordan followed suit, the two of them messing about and pulling you into a tight hug before taking their seats.
It was however the final people to enter the room that you were the most nervous about. Maybe you should have been thankful that when Keira, Georgia and Leah entered the room the meeting was about to start and all you could do was send a glancing look their way before Sarina had eyes on her.
She went through the logistics, just like happens every time before she got into the depths of the squad. “It would seem like this is the squad for reintroducing yourself. Laura hasn’t been with us since 2020 and Y/N in 2019. We just want everyone to remember that they’re here for a reason and we all play for England, we’re all a team.”
You blocked everything else out, vaguely scribbling down on your phone some notes about the timings and rooms you were needed in but it was all a bit of a blur. You took your time at the end speaking to some of the other girls, no-one seemed to be making a huge fuss about the situation but the trio had disappeared again and you knew you had to speak to them tonight before this started to interfere with the rest of the camp.
Thankfully you managed to find them, the three of them tucked away in the corner of the dining room, huddled around a laptop playing something in German.
“Hey.” Your voice almost cracked as you broke through the silence. “It’s good to see you all.”
You should have predicted really that Keira and Georgia would be your road in, though the two of them were fierce on the pitch they really were softies off it and you were almost knocked off your feet when they bounded up to you, both their arms wrapping around you in a hug.
“We can’t believe you’re actually here.” Georgia said. “This is just crazy.”
“It’s definitely different.” Leah finally joined in and that was the moment you knew even as she joined in the hug, she was the one who would be the toughest to crack. She wasn’t going to let you in just as easy but the captain part of her probably forced her to not let it show around others. “Glad to have you back on the team.”
“Thank you.”
“Take a seat.” Keira glanced to the free chair next to Leah. “We were just watching Georgia make a fool of herself, want to join?”
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