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Isabel's POV

Being away for the last few days had helped me realise what I wanted. Manchester had been my home for 2 years and I thought that going back would make me realise how much I missed it, but it did the opposite, it didn't feel like home anymore. Barcelona was my home... Ale was my home.

My head had been a mess ever since that night in the restaurant, seeing Ale again after everything that had happened had made me feel so many different emotions. Love, hate, anger, guilt and confusion had been running around in my mind for days, that was until the moment my plane took off for Manchester. The hate, anger and confusion had gone, the only emotions I felt now were love... and a tiny bit of guilt.

I still loved Ale and I had done for the last 5 years, no matter how hard I had tried to convince myself otherwise and I felt guilty for leaving her again. I needed to talk to her, but I couldn't do that from another country.

My heart swelled with happiness the moment I saw Ale walking down the tunnel after her warm up. There was so much that I wanted to say to her, but just before a match wasn't the right time, it could wait until later. I needed to see her though, even if it was for just a moment. So I slowly crept up behind her as she walked towards the locker room, grabbing her by the waist as she reached for the door. Part of me had been worried that she was still upset that I had left, but it was clear she wasn't by the smile on her face and the speed of which she pulled me into a hug. We only had a few moments together before Ale had to head into the locker room for kick off and I had to go to my seat.

The game went really well, the final score was 5-0 which represented just how well the team played. They had most of the possession and completely controlled then game, goals from Pina, Mapi, Aitana, Lucy and Ale were the difference between the two teams.

After the final whistle, I headed down onto the pitch to congratulate the team. I was stood on the side of the pitch waiting for the team when I was quickly engulfed by Mapi who had ran across the pitch to get to me.

"Isa!!" She cheered. 

"Hey! you were great today, what a goal!" I smiled at her.

"Gracias, we missed you out there, I can't wait to have my favourite defender back" Mapi joked

"I can't wait to be back... I've really missed being out there"

As the conversation went on I found myself looking for Ale, my eyes searching the pitch for the midfielder who had been on my mind for days.

"What else have you missed?" Mapi asked suggestively, winking at me as she did.

"Huh?" I mumbled while still searching for Ale.

"I can see you looking over my shoulder Isy, I'm not blind!"

I returned my eyes to Mapi, who was staring at me with a smirk plastered across her face, causing my cheeks to blush.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I mumbled.

"Ok, whatever you say..."

"Ale... come over here!!" Mapi shouted across the pitch, calling the captain over to where we were standing.

I looked across the pitch and saw Ale's head turn in our direction, her eyes met mine as she began to walk in our direction with a big smile across her face. Mapi must have noticed as she quickly wrapped her arm around my shoulder and whispered into my ear.
"Look at those heart eyes"

"You're so annoying Mapi..." I smirked as I pushed her away from me with my right arm.

Mapi grabbed hold of me by the waist and began tickling me just below my ribs.
"Oh look! you've got them too!"

Ale soon appeared next to us clearing her throat as she watched Mapi and I play fighting with each other.
"Hey! what is going on with you two?" she asked as she tried to pull us apart.

Once we had been separated, I looked across at Mapi who still had a huge smirk on her face, she was playing cupid again, just like she had all those years ago. She knew exactly what she was going.

"Nothing!" I replied quickly, not wanting to explain what Mapi had been doing.

Ale's eyes darted between Mapi and I for a few moments, a confused look plastered across her face as she tried to figure out what was going on.
"It doesn't look like nothing, what's going on?"

"It was nothing really... I just said something that annoyed Isa" Mapi smirked.

"I should get going, Ingrid is waiting for me over there" She gestured towards her girlfriend who was stood on the pitch talking to Keira and Aitana... clearly not waiting for her.

Mapi started walking towards the pitch, momentarily stopping next to Ale and whispering something into her, whatever she said clearly affected Ale as her cheeks blushed immediately and her eyes darted towards mine.

"What did she say?" I asked, smirking at Alexia's reaction.

It took her a few moments to get her self together, before finally responding with confidence.
"I could ask you the same question?"

"I'm not answering that Ale"

"I'm not answering either then..."

We soon moved on from the topic of Mapi's comments to my trip to Manchester and what Ona and I had got up to over the last few days. I told Ale all about reuniting with Ona, the trips to our favourite coffee shops, watching her play at Old Trafford and dinner with the Man united girls, before we made our way off the pitch and down the tunnel.

As we arrived outside the locker room door I stopped for a moment, Ale reached for the door before turning back to look at me.

"Are you coming?" she asked.

"I think I might go and see the physio's and get them to check my ankle over" I said looking down at my foot.

"Good idea, let me know how it goes, yeah? I'll see you in a bit" Ale said before turning back towards the locker room and pushing the door open.

"Ale" I called her name quietly, before reaching for her arm to stop her leaving.

She stopped and turned back in my direction, her hand still on the door holding it open slightly.
"Yeah?" She asked, her eyes looking down at my hand which was tightly gripping her right wrist.

"Come and find me when you're done" I said confidently.

"Yeah?" she asked again, her breathing irregular as she looked up from my hand, her eyes meeting mine.

"Yeah" I smirked, releasing my grip from her wrist and walking down the hall towards the medical room.

A/N. 2 parts in one day to make up for not posting over the weekend. Hope you enjoy!

If anyone has any ideas they would like me to include then please let me know! 💛