Straight from the academy

15.

I walk back to the stands and over to Ruby.
"What do you need to tell me?" I ask sitting down next to her.
"Okay, uh..so.."
"Ruby just say it."
"Sorry. So the other day after training had finished, all the girls and I get ready to leave. But when I walked out of the changing rooms and to the car park to leave, I saw Luke waiting for one of the girls. I don't know who it was, I couldn't tell, but she walked over to him and he kissed her. The they got in the car together and drove away."
I stare blankly into the distance, trying to digest the information I have just been given. "Oh."
"I'm sorry, but I had tell to you, you had the right to know."
"No, no I know. Thank you for telling me, I'm glad you did. I just can't really believe it" I say, tears now streaming down my cheeks. Ruby moves closer to me and wraps her arm around me.
"We should probably go, we can't really stay in the stadium." I say trying to collect myself.
"Okay" Ruby says standing up and also pulling me to my feet.

We walk to the car park, Ruby walks to her car and I walk to Leah's as she is waiting for me. As soon as I get in the car, Leah could tell I'd been crying; the mascara marks under my eyes kind of gave it away.
"What happened?"
"He cheated on me with one of my old teammates." I say, tears beginning to fall again. At first Leah doesn't reply, she's almost in as much shock as I was in. "And now I have to go home to him and my family. He doesn't know that I know. He doesn't even know that Ruby knows."
"You can ask him to leave, it's your house" Leah says putting her hand on my knee. "How did Ruby find out anyway?"
"She saw him kissing another girl." I say, fully crying now.
"Oh Ellie, I'm so sorry." Leah holds my hand and squeezes it.
"Can we just go home please?" I ask, using the car mirror to try and wipe away my mascara and my tears.
"Sure" Leah says, starting the engine and driving out of the car park and driving home.

Leah parks the car outside the apartment block. I stomp up the stairs and storm into the house and over to Luke. He is sitting at the kitchen island and luckily my family are in the living room; I don't need them to see us fight.
"Can you please leave?" I say, trying to stay calm but I'm furious inside.
"What? Why? What's happened my love?"
"No. I'm not your love, we're done. Now leave"
"But why? I don't understand"
"You don't need to understand. Leave" I'm getting louder and louder with every sentence.
"Come on baby, talk to me." Luke stands up and walks over to me. He wraps his arms around my neck but I push them off me.
"Luke stop. Just leave!"
"Come on, please" He tries to grab my hand but I shove him away.
"No Luke! Leave!" By this point, Leah comes into the room since Luke just won't leave.
"Luke you heard what she said, you need to leave" she says calmly.
"But why? I don't know what's happened"
"I know you don't, but you don't need to know, you just need to leave." Leah pushes him back slightly so he isn't standing so close to me and she guides him to the front door. I follow behind Leah, although I'm keeping my distance.
"But I love you" Luke says trying to get past Leah and to me.
"No Luke, not anymore."
"Ellie, you still love me too, you know it. Don't do this" he finally breaks free of Leah's grasp and he grabs ahold of me, latching onto my hands.
"Luke stop, get off me. You need to leave" I say sternly. But he doesn't listen. Luke tightens his grip around my wrists and stares me straight in the eyes. I feel so frail standing under him, he is so over powering that's it's frightening. I am much smaller and shorter compared to Luke so he's this huge looming figure towering over me, at least that's what it feels like. He continues to glare down at me and it's terrifying. I want to run and break free from his grip but I'm frozen to the spot.

Luckily, Leah shoves him out of the way and through the door, slamming it behind him.
"You okay?" I don't answer her. Instead, I turn around and run to my bedroom, the tears already falling down my cheeks.

I climb into bed and under the covers, tears constantly falling onto my pillow. But it doesn't take long before there is a knock at the door. I know it's Leah but I still don't answer, I don't think I'd be able to get any words out anyway. Leah walks into the room and gets into the bed.
"Come here" she says holding out her arms. I turn around and she embraces me in a hug, leaning her head on mine. "It's okay now he's gone, your okay"
I nod my head slightly. "It's was just so scary. He's so scary."
"I know, but you don't have to worry about him anymore. He doesn't have to come back here." I tuck my head into Leah's neck, letting the tears fall silently onto her T-shirt.