Back to us | Alexia Putellas

Travel.

Alexia's POV

I wasn't at all surprised when Isy left the café. In fact, I'm surprised that it didn't happen sooner. As I watched her walk away, every part of me wanted to go after, to make sure that she was ok, but that wouldn't be fair. She had given me the chance to explain, now I had to give her some time and space.

I ordered another coffee to go and headed back to my car. I needed to get ready for travelling with the team later today. I needed to pack and drop Nala off with my mother.

Once I had Arrived at my mother's house, I walked to the door with Nala in my arms and knocked on the door. I hadn't seen my mum since Isy has been back and I knew the conversation that was waiting for me on the other side of that door.

"Hola" my mother greeted cheerfully as she opened the door.

"Hola Madre" I said, placing Nala into the house before stepping inside myself.

"How are you Ale?" She asked closing the door behind her.

"I'm good, looking forward to the season finally starting..."

"I saw that Isy is back... have you seen her? how is she?"

That was the question that I had been expecting since the moment I walked into this house. She absolutely adored Isabel, she had since the moment I introduced her as my girlfriend all those years ago. They had a great relationship, at times I thought it was better than our mother-daughter relationship. She was so disappointed when told her what I had done to Isy, but she was still there for me, she was there to pick me up off the floor when I was at my lowest.

"Yeah I have... she's good I think" I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with my mother as she looked at me, desperately trying to read my emotions.

"How is it, her being back?" she asked, desperate for more information.

"It's strange."

I didn't know how else to describe it. It was strange. At times she felt like a stranger, but just seeing her smile or hearing her laugh across the training pitch made me feel like the last two years hadn't happened, like she was still my Isy.

"Have you spoken to her?"

"Yeah, we went for a coffee today. I apologised and tried to explain, but I think it's too late..."

"Just keep trying Ale... that's all that you can do"

I left my mothers house, our conversation helping to clear my head and began my journey to the airport. I knew that I wanted Isy back in my life, even if it was just as a friend, so I need to follow my mothers advice and keep trying.

Walking onto the plane, it became clear that I was one of the last players to arrive as most of the seats were already full. Isabel was sat on her own near the front of the plane, she had her hood up and headphones on, ready for the 2 hour flight. I saw some empty seats towards the back of the plane and began to walk down the aisle. As I walked past Isabel she lifted her head to look at me, giving me a gentle smile as she did, I returned the smile and went to find a seat. I decided to sit on my own for the flight so that I could do my normal pre-match prep of watching the Sevilla match from last season.

Half-way through the flight, my attention was drawn away from my iPad by Isabel, who was standing in the aisle next to my seat looking down at me. I quickly removed my head phones.

"Hi" I greeted her quietly.

"Can I sit for a minute?" she asked gesturing at the empty seat next to me.

"Yeah, of course"

Isabel sat down next to me, looking at the iPad on my lap before she let out a quiet laugh.
"I can't believe that you still do that"

I smiled at her, my cheeks blushing as I closed my iPad.
"It's tradition"

There was an awkward moment of silence, before she began to speak again.

"Thank you for explaining... I really needed it"

"Thank you for letting me"

"I'm sorry Ale"

This was not what I was expecting to hear. She had no reason to be sorry... she did nothing wrong.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for..."

"You were struggling and I had no idea...I should have been there. If I had known that things were bad again..."

I couldn't sit and listen to her blaming herself.

"Isabel stop. I didn't tell you... how were you supposed to know?"

She stopped talking before turning her had to look me. Her eyes looked different, they didn't look angry or upset like they had before, they looked softer.

"How are things now? are you doing ok?" she asked, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Yeah, I'm doing better..."

"Good" she smiled at me before her eyes left mine.

I thought that she was going stand up and go back to her seat, but she didn't. She didn't leave.

There was so much more that I wanted to say, so much that I still hadn't told her, but that could wait. Now wasn't the right time.

I didn't want to ruin the moment, if this even was one.

I looked over at her, she was nervous, her hands tightly gripped together and her leg bouncing up and down. I wanted to reach over and place my hand on her knee, like I used to when she was nervous, but I couldn't. Just sitting next to each other felt like we had made some progress and I didn't want to ruin it.

Just as I was about to turn my head to look out of the window, Isabel started to speak.

"I don't want to avoid you anymore Ale. I miss you. I don't know if we'll ever go back to how we were, but I would like it if we could try- and be friends"

"I'd like that too..."