From Barcelona To...

Chapter 22 - Avoiding Each Other

Ellies P.O.V

The following week at training is, to say the least, awkward. Leah and I have avoided each other, only communicating when we have needed to at training. Although the girls know something is going on, we have both kept it professional. When it comes to football, I'm always very focused, as soon as I get on a training pitch, in a gym or on a football pitch I actually find it pretty easy to block everything else out. This week I have spent most of my time training, I've been the first one there every day and the last one to leave. The coaching staff at Arsenal have been impressed with my commitment but the welfare staff have checked in on me to ask if everything is ok, obviously I brushed it off and told them all was fine.

That was a lie. It wasn't all fine, nothing was fine. As soon as I step out of the training centre, my body fills with different emotions. I can't stop thinking about the night at the club. With Leah. It all keeps just replaying in my head. I admitted to Viv that I like Leah, and I think I do, in fact, I know I do, I can admit that now. But there's no point in telling Leah that, I fucked that up the minute I walked out that club with Lilly. But maybe it was for the best, maybe I'm not meant to be with someone, in a relationship. A relationship? I mean, come on, this is me. Plus, I don't even know what is going on in Leahs head right now, another thing that keep replaying in mind my is our conversation we had in the toilet. I know I fucked up by leaving with Lilly, but come on, what am I supposed to think after what she said to me? None of it makes sense though. Viv told me Leah is an all or nothing type of person and she doesn't do hookups. I promised myself that I would never get involved with a team mate ever again, and this whole situation is proving why I made that promise. I was right to make it.

I've not actually seen Lilly since that night either, well since the morning after. She keeps texting me and trying to call me, I feel bad that I'm ignoring her but I just cant deal with all of this right now, I need to focus on football.

Just to make it all 10x times worse, pictures and TikTok edits flooded social media too of Lilly and I getting in the taxi, hand in hand. This wasn't anything new, fans were always speculating and I usually just ignored it and didn't think too much into it, but this time, this was time it just felt different, with everything that had happened.

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It was awkward at home as well, Viv was so fucking pissed off with me. She never shouted at me though, but she clearly didn't want to engage in conversation with me. It was horrible, it was like when you were younger and you'd rather your parents shouted at you but they just told you how disappointed they were in you. That was exactly how it was.

Beth was ok with me though, I have spoken to her and explained everything that had happened on that night, she knew parts but I filled in the blanks. Beth obviously had an inking that there might have been something between Leah and I, she always seemed to just be there whenever we flirted or couldn't break eye contact with each other. Don't get me wrong, she is in an tricky position, she is my best friend, but she is also Leah's, on top of that she is with Viv, and Viv obviously hates me right now. I overheard them arguing a few times at home too, which made me feel like absolute shit. Viv was too angry, whereas Beth was trying to get her to see it from both sides, and also the fact that I was in the same house as them, she wanted Viv to at least try to be a little more civil than what she was with me. I get it though, I understand why she is so angry, the last thing I want is for them to argue.

Beth and Viv were both sat in the garden, I decided I needed to try and reduce the tension.

"Hi" I approached them both with a smile. Shitting myself.

"Hey" Beth smiled back

"Hi" Viv said, sternly.

"Look, I want to apologise" I started