PURPLE - Trent Alexander-Arnold

FORTY FOUR

25/12/2019

Christmas in a long distance relationship was always hard because Trent and Ella never got to spend it with each other, and the presents they would send didn't make up for that absence

But this one turned out to be Ella's least favourite Christmas ever

6 hours earlier...

Ella, Tammy, Declan, and Mason had been spending Christmas together for as long as they could remember. They would each spend the mornings with their own families and then all of them and their parents and siblings would get together in the afternoon for Christmas lunch and games

So Tammy's parents, Tamaraebi and Adana, and his brother Timmy were staying with Tammy, Ella and the Beckham family for Christmas this year

"It's Christmas!" Tammy shouted as he barged into Ella's bedroom, the girl in her bed just groaned and rolled over. Tammy walked over and stood on the end of her bed, jumping up and down until she finally opened her eyes to glare at him "Christmas!"

"I think everyone in England heard you shout that," She replied sarcastically and Tammy laughed, he jumped off her bed and proceeded to run around the rest of their apartment screaming 'It's Christmas'

Ella rolled out of her bed and went to wash her face before putting on her Christmas jumper and socks, and heading down to the kitchen

The rest of the Abraham and Beckham families soon filed in too, all complaining about Tammy's dramatic manner of waking them up while the tall boy just grinned proudly

Adana and Victoria got started on making breakfast for everyone while Tammy, Brooklyn and Ella sat expectantly by the tree, asking when they could open presents. Adana adored Ella like her own daughter and it amazed her how after 14 years, she and Tammy were exactly the same as they used to be

The mothers made sure everyone had eaten their breakfast before she allowed everyone to gather around the tree to begin opening presents

Ella received a new pair of football socks from Taramaebi, a book on how not to kill your roommate from Adana, a jacket from Timmy, a Drogba shirt from Tammy, the David Beckham joke book from Cruz which her dad started reading, a framed picture from Harper, a new camera from her mother, a pair of joggers from Romeo, sunglasses from her dad, and a shirt saying 'The talented twin' from Brooklyn as well as lots of other presents from their teammates

Once everyone had opened all their presents the youngsters set up the karaoke machine Tammy had been given and began to take it in turns to scream Christmas music throughout the house

2 hours earlier...

And then after 2pm they all had to get ready for lunch which meant dressing nicely so Ella chose to wear a dark blue mini dress with sequins covering the material, and sheer long sleeves

The Beckham-Abraham family would be hosting dinner so they all had to wait downstairs as Mason and Declan arrived with their families soon enough

While the parents went to help out with lunch and their siblings messed around in the living room, the 4 footballers headed into Declan's game room to exchange their presents for each other

Of course their presents were always stupid or inappropriate which is why after Declan gifted Tammy a pair of handcuffs 2 years ago, they now only opened the presents with each other

Once all the presents had been given and received, they headed back to their families and everyone took group pictures while lunch was being served onto the two tables. They always put the parents on one table and all the kids onto the other

So it was no surprise to anyone when Timmy and Pippa began to flick brussel sprouts at each other while the other kids rolled around laughing, and then Teresa (Declan's mum) made them pick up all the sprouts from the floor

5 minutes earlier...

"That was amazing," Ella sighed once she had finished her last mouthful and she had never been so full in her life

Everyone helped to put away and wash all the dishes, and then while everyone gathered in the living room to play charades, Ella went into her bedroom to call Trent

"Oh so you remember I exist," Trent's snappy voice came through the phone and Ella was taken back "I've tried to call you 4 times today,"

"I've been spending Christmas with my family," She said

"So have I but I still tried to call to say Merry Christmas," Trent replied "You couldn't have found 5 minutes to pick up and say it back?"

"I've been busy okay," She sighed "But Merry Christmas, Trent, is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Now you're just saying it because I'm pissed," Trent rolled his eyes

"Why are you pissed though?" Ella asked "This isn't the first time I've been distracted and not picked up,"

"Exactly!" He snapped "You never make time to call or see me and I always do for you,"

"Are you serious?!" Ella was really getting fed up of his attitude now "Trent, we've been dating 2 years and now you choose to be an arse?"

"I'm always picking up when you call and I'm always there, but you forget I exist most days," He said

"If you just picked up to be rude to me then I'd rather you just shouted at me over text," Ella retorted

"You wouldn't have answered that either," Trent argued "I'm so sick of you never making time for me anymore, I was willing to spend today with you but you're the one who told me not to come,"

"Because we've both got games tomorrow!" She snapped "If we hadn't then obviously I would have said yes,"

"This is what I mean! You're even putting football before me, if you asked me to drop everything and be with you I would, but you won't do the same for me," Trent continued "This whole relationship's becoming one sided,"

"So you're unhappy with our relationship just because I didn't pick up a few times?" Ella rolled her eyes "Trent, I'm trying my fucking hardest to make time for everything in my life but it's hard and I can't always do it. You know I love you, but I've just been busy,"

"Yeah so have I," He said 

"If you're so pissed at me then why the hell did you pick up?!" Ella asked

"I don't even know," he shot back and then the line went dead. Ella lowered her phone and from downstairs she suddenly heard laughter coming from the game of charades but her heart just wasn't in it anymore

So instead she tossed her phone to the side and sat on the side of her bed, trying not to cry, scream or kick anything

Her peace was only interrupted by Declan walking into her room and sitting next to his best friend

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly

"No," Ella mumbled and he nodded in understanding, Ella had never really liked talking about feelings or crying on someone's shoulder and he knew that. So all he did was wrap his arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder

Ella closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Christmas in a long distance relationship was always hard because Trent and Ella never got to spend it with each other, and the presents they would send didn't make up for that absence

But this one turned out to be Ella's least favourite Christmas ever