Penalty Love

Just Like That

Training the following day went well but was cut short due to the rain. London is a bit hard to handle at times. Since we had some free time I decided to get some lunch. Upon entering the lunchroom everyone inside started clapping. I was very confused. Was I being awarded for being the last to lunch again?

Sensing the confusion, Lauren came up to me with her phone and showed me the trending news.

"Arsenal offered £600,000 for me!" The words slipped from my mouth before I could even process what I just read.

 "Mhm you're the star girl." Lauren said, going back to her seat.

"So, Armie..." Sam said, boy did that nickname stick like a bitch.

"Are you taking it? I know I would" she finished her sentence and everyone joined in agreement.

It was a great offer. Could I take it? Of course I could. Did I want to though? I honestly wasn't sure, and after yesterday's talk with Morgan I felt that I was betraying her. Before any other thought could run wide in mind I decided that I needed to talk to Emma.

She kept it quick and simple, she wanted to keep me but would be happy for me if I went, she explained how the process would go and I was getting excited. Fans weren't that sad about it either. I was already being edited into the Arsenal shirt.The last thing Emma asked me got me thinking all the way home. Her voice and my answer echoing, gradually giving me a headache.

"Is there anything keeping you here? Really?"

That question kept popping up no matter how hard I tried, my response made it worse

"No, not really."

Why did I say that? Yes there was something keeping me back, my girlfriend. Well to be fair, she wouldn't be here anymore but again I felt like I was betraying her. She loved Arsenal, it was her only home but that shouldn't stop her from supporting me right?

These thoughts continued to bombard me until I was home, walking into the house I was greeted by Morgan standing at the kitchen counter in deep thought. It hadn't struck me that she might have seen the post with the bid amount. She looked up and saw me then smile, it made me feel better about approaching her.

"Hey baby." She said in a soft voice.

She met me halfway and instantly flung her arms round me.

"I saw the bid, that's a lot of cash." she laughed, releasing me from the hug and walking to the couch.

"Yeah, the whole team got excited. Everyone told me to take it actually." I said, it was now or never.

She didn't reply, she just gave me a look. One I never saw before. It wasn't anger or confusion or sadness. It was a mix of all three.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't." She asked, crossing her arms. I felt like a kid and my mother was chastising me.

"Well what if I want to take it, it's my choice." I really never thought about what I was saying but as soon as it came out I knew it meant trouble.

"Oh, so you think that just because you get this deal that I'm not important.?" She asked

"No, I never-" I began but she cut me off

"Important enough to make these decisions with? I knew your ego would finally get to your head one day." She paused, clearly waiting for a reaction.

"My ego?" That line left me shocked, I never heard anyone say I had an ego or that I was cocky etc. To find out that she thought that was beyond me.

"You know how much I wanted to be at Arsenal. I'm going all the way to Liverpool so we could get what we wanted and you're just going to take the offer and do what? Replace me?" She said, almost yelling.

"I never asked you to go to Liverpool. As a matter of fact, you never even asked me. You just told me after the deal was done." I argued back. She was making me feel like the villain but she wasn't as innocent as she looked.

 "Oh so I'm the bad person now. I had no choice. You're just being selfish!" With every sentence her voice got louder and louder. I couldn't believe this was happening right now.

She kept on arguing and when she realized I wasn't answering, resorting to throwing insults at me. By the end of it, I was heartbroken, we've been dating for almost two years. I would have never imagined this is what she actually thought about me. Why was she even with me in the first place?

She walked into the bedroom area still cursing at me for being selfish. I sat on the couch and started to wonder how this day turned out so horribly. Why couldn't she support me like I did for her? If she really meant all she said, then why are we in a relationship? The questions kept piling up and along with her nagging voice I soon got fed up. Before I could say anything she came and stood in front of me.

"Are you going to take it?" She asked, tapping her toes impatiently.

"Yes." I said bluntly, slowly getting tired of everything going on

"If you take it, we're done. Over." She said each word slowly, as if she was talking to a stubborn child.

At that moment I don't know if I was thinking, but It was the only solution to my current problem. Getting up from the sofa I passed her and made my way to the door. Opening it and leaning against it gesturing outside.

"Let me help you with that." I said, I really couldn't even look at her right now.

She didn't say anything else, she took up her bag and her phone and walked out. Not looking back. I locked the door and just went to bed. I couldn't process it, I didn't want to. I just needed sleep. 

Just like that, two years walked out like nothing.