Lotte and Lessi Russo

Chapter 7

Since Alessia moved into her new house in North London, several days have passed. Training sessions at Arsenal have resumed after the summer break, and Alessia has seamlessly integrated herself into the team, along with other new arrivals. Lotte wasn't surprised by this at all. Alessia is a kind and outgoing woman with a great sense of humor, and she is an incredibly talented footballer. Naturally, Alessia quickly forged connections with her teammates both on and off the pitch.

Lotte had grown accustomed to the presence of the admittedly still beautiful blonde woman, or rather, she had to get used to it. They were both on the same team, a team that was very close-knit, and Lotte was good friends with both the English girls, Leah and Beth, just like Alessia. In that sense, it was inevitable that they would occasionally sit at the same table during lunch or be in the same training group, but their interaction didn't extend much further than that—and in Lotte's opinion, that was perfectly fine, she could deal with their situation being like this.

She had managed to maintain a professional demeanor and treat Alessia with kindness. It seemed that Alessia, too, understood that there couldn't be anything more between them except for friendly and superficial contact. Beyond friendly smiles and small talk, there was no further exchange. In their last meaningful conversation after helping Alessia with her move, Lotte had asked for some time to process everything – perhaps Alessia would give her that now, or maybe she no longer cared about the situation. To be honest, Lotte didn't really know which option she preferred after all.

What Lotte definitely didn't particularly prefer was the fact that she would be seeing Alessia again tonight at the team's first party, this time in a social context. The past few weeks of intense training had been challenging, so the girls were eagerly anticipating a chance to unwind and enjoy themselves once more. Leah, who was well-acquainted with London's party scene, had made arrangements for a table at a trendy bar, with the option to continue the festivities at the adjacent club if they were in the mood.

Before setting off that evening, Lotte took a final moment to ensure her outfit was just right. Leah had stressed the importance of adhering to a chic dress code, so Lotte hoped her choice of dark blue trousers and a fitted waistcoat would meet the mark. With her hair flowing in effortless waves, she felt both comfortable and attractive as she entered the bar a few minutes later, her eyes scanning the room in search of her teammates. Naturally, her attention was immediately drawn to a familiar sight: the cascade of blonde hair that always seemed to captivate her gaze, no matter how hard she tried to resist.

With an inward sigh, Lotte made her way to the table where Alessia and their other teammates were seated. "Lotte!" Beth exclaimed, rising from her seat to embrace her in a warm greeting. One by one, the others followed suit, each looking fantastic. But as Alessia stood up, a momentary glitch occurred in Lotte's brain. The blonde woman appeared uncertain, unsure of how to greet Lotte outside of their usual training context. However, before Lotte could process it fully, she felt an arm wrap around her neck, leaving her momentarily overwhelmed. It had been a while since she had touched Alessia, and she hoped that none of their national team or Arsenal teammates had noticed. Feeling Alessia's proximity stirred something in Lotte's stomach, something she would rather not feel. "Lotte, you look amazing," Alessia whispered in her ear, with a soft undertone and a hint of uncertainty. Lotte's stomach did somersaults again, and all she managed to say was a hurried "Thank you," with the urgent thought that she needed to break the closeness between them, even if it was just a simple embrace.

But as she pulled away, her eyes involuntarily traced the contours of Alessia's figure. Alessia was dressed in a black dress with strategically placed cutouts, exposing glimpses of her shoulders and midriff that immediately captivated Lotte's attention. Would her skin still feel as soft as it has felt that one night in July that they had spent together? Quickly, Lotte dismissed the thought. She would never find out. What she needed to figure out, however, was how to get through the evening with the gorgeous woman in front of her without losing her mind. The only idea that came to her mind was to turn to her teammates and ask, "What would you like to drink? I'll get the next round!"