right where you left me

Chapter 10 - Liquid Courage

Before I had realised the time had gone, it was the end of March and my first look at Champions League with Arsenal. We were coming up against Wolfsburg: first at The Emirates and then in Germany. I was excited to be playing in my first Champions League for Arsenal. I had felt, over the past few months, that this place was becoming my home. This club and team were becoming my family. Leah was becoming my family. We still hadn't confirmed anything, but everyone knew we were together. Our teammates didn't question anything, but they all knew. Our families didn't ask, but understood. And the fans, although they didn't hide their interest, they didn't push - something that surprised me at first.

"You ready?" Leah asked, as we were driving to the Emirates. I was nervous about the game. I was trying to smile my way through it, but in my heart, I wanted to win. I knew I had no reason to get nervous, or feel as if I had to prove something, but I did. I felt as if I had something to prove. Everyone questioned why I moved from a club like Lyon, where I could be winning every single match and trophy and award, to a club like Arsenal.

"Yeah," I responded, grabbing her hand, and squeezing it softly. She smiled at me, and we both headed out, parting ways as I caught up to Caitlin and she stayed to walk alongside Lia.

The Emirates was set to get a good crowd this night, something we were excited to have. We would need it in this leg. We wanted to get the win, or at least not let them get a goal. We couldn't go to Wolfsburg with a deficit.

As we were in the locker room, I looked over around the room. Viv and Beth were sitting beside each other, laughing and smiling more so than I had seen either of them doing so since being here.

"Something fishy," I said to Caitlin. "Seriously fishy."

"You have said this before," Caitlin laughed. "You really think?"

"Trust me, Cait. Trust me."

"Alright, I always know that you should always side with Tipps."

"Smart girl," I joked.

"But-" Caitlin started to say, before she was soon interrupted by Jonas, who was giving us the lineup for the match.

In the back, Manu, Laura, Leah, Lotte, and Steph made up the backline. Frida, Lia and me were in the midfield, with Katie, Viv and Beth up top. I was hoping that this would be the line up to break Wolfsburg apart. I wanted, more than anything, to get to the semi final.

Before we walked out, Leah grabbed my hand, squeezing it softly. I smiled at the girl I could now, sort of, call mine. She was wearing the captain's armband, holding her head up high, just as she should.

As we lined up, I looked across at the wolfsburg team. They were stacked with talent with German players like Alex Popp, Lena Oberdorf and Tabea Waßmuth, and Dutch players like Jill Roord, Dominique Janssen and Mila Bakker. The connection between Mila Bakker and Alex Popp was one that we were told to watch: they were the Kerr-by or Mead-ema of the German league. Mila could find Alex anywhere on that pitch, and we knew she had to be stopped.

I watched the Wolfsburg players, laughing and chatting with each other. Viv went over to give Jill and Mila both a hug, as they were national team friends. Mila's hand was interlocked with the player in front of her, and I was slightly taken aback, not realising that they were, from this interaction, most likely together.

"Oi," I whispered to Beth who was in front of me.

"Yeah?"

"Did you know that they were together?" I asked, nodding over to Mila.

"Holy shit, no. That's new." We both chuckled.

"Oh, and by the way, you and Viv..." I said, nudging her.