NLD Forever | Leah Williamson x Reader

2: The First Meeting

~It had been a month since the euros final, and the hype surrounding the success grew and became more intense. From afar, you watched as Leah was being interviewed and photographed relentlessly since leading the pride to victory. Apart from maybe a 3-day holiday in Ibiza, Leah had not had a break since before the euros began, she was continuously being interviewed and attending Media days and events. Leah Williamson was now a household name, and everyone wanted to meet her. Her break away from football was not going to happen any time soon...we fly to Germany tomorrow for the beginning of Pre-season, and it would be my first time properly meeting her and the girls.~

...

You didn't sleep as you were nervous about meeting the girls; well, really, you were only nervous about meeting one of the girls. The one who made your heart pound into your ears the last time you saw her. Leah. The media attention surrounding her for the past month meant that you had no choice but to think about her and relive that moment every time you see an interview. However, each time you saw her face on the news, you just wanted to ask how she was and check-in.

With little to no sleep, you packed the final items of the Arsenal training kit and loungewear into your suitcase. You showered, applied a small amount of make-up, slicked your hair into a ponytail, slipped into the Arsenal travel wear and picked out your favourite off-white trainers. The lack of sleep and nerves made you hate eating your breakfast. Still, you become too moody when you're hungry, so it was in the team's best interest that you forced the porridge down before leaving. A final check in the mirror, a deep breath in, a quick word of encouragement, and you were in the Uber to the training ground.

You arrived to find a nearly empty car park. Glancing at your watch, it says 6:45am, which was only 15 minutes earlier than the team was supposed to meet. You leave the Uber, grab your case and hand luggage and make your way to the entrance...Locked. "The fuck", you whisper, still in a sleepy haze. You go onto your emails to double-check the team schedule only to discover you're an hour early. "8am meet at the training ground...Jesus, y/n, you can be so stupid sometimes" talking to yourself.

You throw your suitcase to the floor, sit on it and pop in your headphones.

Time was going very slowly...you looked at your watch to see it had only been 8 minutes since you checked the door bringing the time to just before 7am.

Still listening to music, you feel the presence of a car pulling into the car park, an all-black Mercedes C-Class with no taxi or Uber reg insight. A man wearing a grey suit promptly jumps out the driver's side to open the back passenger door.

Utterly oblivious that you are singing along to Harry Styles' Cinema.

~"It's you

Don't know why, but it feels so right to me

Something in the way you move."~

As the lyrics leave your mouth, out steps the blonde at the forefront of your mind.

You choke on your saliva and say "Leah" a little too loud because of the AirPods, and you see her head snap quickly in your direction.

The internal embarrassment and panic set in, causing you to jump up to your feet, remove your pods and walk over to her to apologise for startling her this early morning.

"Hi Leah, I'm so sorry I startled you then I was just happy to not be the only one here."

Leah stares at you, confused for a moment.