Always and Forever

seventeen

It's been a week since mine and Leah's last interaction in person.

The last week has gone by slowly. We played Atletico Madrid yesterday and won 3-0. Me, Jenni and Caro all got on the score sheet. Life over here is good. I'm enjoying it more and more each day. Right now, this is where i want to be. Right now, this is where my future lies. Right now, this is the only place i see myself playing football. This club means so much to me already.

We don't play for another five days and today is our day off.

The past week has been difficult for my relationship. There's been fights and tears. I don't know if Leah has cried but i have. I can't take this distance between us. Distance can't stop what's meant to be.

Throwback to mine and Leah's conversation a couple of nights ago.

I was with the team at the grounds when my phone began to ring. I looked at it and saw it was Leah. I instantly got up, leaving the room. I found a quiet spot and answered.

"hey"
I said, answering the phone.

"hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah, not bad"

"Good. What's up?"

"You told me to call you when i thought about our future"
Oh, i thought maybe just maybe she called to check in. To catch up, something that hasn't happened since i moved here.

"well.."

"I- You're right. Something is up and it's the distance between us. We haven't been this far apart since the day we met, seven years ago. Look, it's damaging us and our relationship, a lot"

"Distance means nothing when someone means everything"

"Got anymore quotes?"

"Yeah, i do actually. Distance can't stop what's meant to be"

"Maybe we would be better off if you forgot about me and i forgot about you"
I chuckled, sarcastically.

"Forget about you? Seriously?"

"Yeah, i'm being serious. This isn't good for us"

"How can i just forget about you!"

"I don't know. I'll need to fucking forget about you too"

"Leah, i have a reminder of you tattooed on my fucking wrist. I can't just rub that away"

"Get it removed then. I don't care!"

"You don't care?"

"No. I don't, Sophie. I don't care"

"what's happened to you. Before i left you told me you would fight tooth and nail for us and now you're deciding to give up the minute it gets hard! That's so pathetic!"

"This. This whole thing happened. Our relationship fell apart the moment you got on a plane and left. You just left!"
I began to get annoyed.

"Don't you dare put all of this on me! That's not fair, Leah and you know it! I moved here for my career. It's my job and my future, not urs. Viv is happy for me, why can't you be? I'm happy here. I've fell in love with the game i love again and i'm enjoying my football. I'm being consistent and i'm surrounded by good people. Can't you just be happy for me!"

"long distance doesn't work."

"That's not true. What about Harder and Eriksson. Magda was in fucking England while Harder was in Germany. Now look at them! Distance didn't break them apart!"