The Great Love Story - Leah Williamson

Prologue

Audriana pov 

I don't remember much of my mother, I know she was beautiful and she had such a calming voice...one I was lucky enough to inherit. She died when I was four years old, but my brothers did everything to make sure I would know who she was. 

There is an uncountable amount of videos from our childhood where she is singing to us on Christmas morning, all of us gathered on the floor as she sings Christmas songs and strums her guitar. The same guitar I take on tour with me, the same guitar that started my whole career. 

I remember making the promise. I was at Leah's house which was the usual growing up, we were twelve years old and cuddling in her little twin bed. It was silent as pretty little liars played in the background. 

"I'm going to be a singer" twelve year old me declared. 

"oh really?" Leah asks looking at me, a special sparkle in her eyes that only seemed to come out when I was around 

"Yeah" I confirmed "You'll see me on your tv winning awards, I want to make history"

"You will" Leah said confidently 

"and you're going to be a professional soccer player" I said, I sounded so sure of myself which was awfully weird for me because women's soccer wasn't a thing back then. 

"okay" Leah said quietly as she turned her attention back onto the tv 

I think I always had feelings for Leah, I remember when we were 15 years old and we got drunk for the first time. I threw up in Amanda's bush, as Leah held my hair back. That night, we also had our first kiss. It was the start of something new and the end of whatever we had before. We were never dating but we both knew something was there, things were different back then. You couldn't be proud of your sexuality, it was something non existent. Boys and Girls. 

4 years after I made that promise,  I had already released my first album, of course all of the songs were about her but she didn't know that. It ended up doing a lot better than I thought it would, and my father moved us all to Hollywood a few weeks after. I didn't get to say goodbye to Leah, I was scared of her being mad at me and so I blocked her on everything. We haven't talked yet she still seems to be the only one clouding my mind, the only one I can write about. 

as for Leah, she did end up going professional with soccer. She is the captain of England and plays for Arsenal, just like she dreamed about as kids. She even has a mural of herself in our hometown and just like everyone else, I watch her on a tiny screen on my phone. We both ended up doing what we dreamed of,  but it cost us each other. 

Of course I watch her games on my phone or tv, and of course I am always rooting for her. Of course, I wish things were different but they aren't and you can't dwell on that. I often times wonder if she misses me, if she hates me, I'm sure she does. 

My dad and my eldest brother, Noah moved back to Milton Keynes 5 years ago. Noah used to text me updates about her but he eventually stopped, realizing that it wasn't doing me any good. I remember when I got the text that she was dating someone, a girl on her team named Jordan Nobbs. That text gave me a lot of good songs, I will say. 

One of which, I currently am up for an award for. Tonight, I have my best blue dress on as my hair is curled. I'm up for best artist of the year, best music video, best album of the year as well as my new hit single. This album specifically was about my childhood, about me growing up and learning new lessons. Undeniably, there were 3 or 4 songs on there about Leah...there always is and always will be. 

Even if I didn't win an award tonight, I would definitely be taking a girl home. That's how most of these events went anyway. It actually became a joke within my fanbase, they had their little memes about me which I honestly found very funny. 

"Hey Kiddo, you look beautiful" My older brother, Jenson tells me as I look back in the mirror and he smiles at me. 

"You look just like your mom" My dad says as he fights back tears 

"Don't cry dad" I say with a little laugh 

"Speaking of, I wanted to give you something special" My dad says as he pulls something out of his suit jacket "This necklace was your mothers favorite, she wanted me to give it to you when you got older. I never wanted the day to come but I couldn't think of a better time than right now"

I take the box from him and open it up, a silver necklace with a little guitar and heart charm. I remember playing with it as a little kid, often putting it on when Leah and I played dress up. My dad put a bunch of my mothers stuff in storage for all of us, he said all of her jewelry was left to me. 

"I remember this" I say smiling "Mom never took this thing off" 

"Your grandpa bought it for her when he bought that guitar" My dad tells me "I think she loved those two things more than she loved me" 

"Help me put it on?" I ask as Lacy finishes up on my hair 

"I got it" Noah says as he moves my hair to the side and clasps it "She would be so proud of you"

"Where's Chase?" I ask, looking around the room for my older brother 

"He's saving our seats, we wanted to see you before your big moment" Jenson tells me 

"Audrey, It's time" My manager, Laura tells me as she walks into the room and I give her a nod 

"I got to go, I love you guys" I say as I pull each of them into a hug "I'll see you later"

I grab the necklace around my neck and hold it close to my skin, feeling a sense of pride and endearment towards it. I knew my mother was watching over me tonight, and I only hoped I would do her proud. 

"Audriana, how are you doing tonight?" The interviewer asks me as I walk over 

"I'm a little nervous, im not gonna lie" I joke 

"You are up for multiple awards tonight, what does that feel like?" She asks 

"Really good. Since I was a teenager, everything I've written has always had so much meaning and to see it finally getting the recognition I think it deserves, its really special" I say smiling at her 

"and if you don't take any awards home tonight, do you have someone waiting for you at home?" She asks smirking at me, I raise my eyebrows at her 

"Why, you want to come home with me?" I ask biting my lip as I smile at her and send her a wink. The gays and the tik tok edits were going to have a field day with this clip. 

"Look at me, I'm blushing now" She laughs it off "So nobody special?" 

"Not right now, no" I say shaking my head