It All Leads Back to You

Chapter 5 - Dani

If I Hated You

"You're joking."

My heel twisted into the carpet of Jonas's office floor. I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. I needed a drink. I needed something to calm my nerves. My fingers began to fidget. My left leg began bouncing.

"I know this must be a...surprise to you." Jonas said. I still hadn't looked up. I was too afraid. "But since you're the only player living alone and...the least likely to murder her, we thought it'd be best for you to take Dani in. Can you do that, Katie?"

The Irish woman didn't speak for a moment. I don't think she knew what to say. I stopped talking to her. I cut contact.

"I can do that, yes."

"Great! That solves one problem. Now for—"

"Did you tell Leah?"

"No. Not yet." He answered. "I will address it soon. But Dani isn't going to be training with the squad this week. She'll be doing fitness testing and weights with Eoin and Gary."

"Yeah, okay. We're uh, we're doing a team dinner tonight...What about that?"

"That's up to Dani."

I shook my head. "No."

"Well, then," Jonas stood up. I did too. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll leave you with Katie now. I'm excited for this—for you, Dan. We've missed you." He held his hand out.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Thanks Jonas."

"Come on. I have to go grab something from the changing room, but then we can go home." I nodded.

I walked a few paces behind Katie. She didn't make much of an attempt to talk to me. I deserved it though. I left. I cut her out. I shoved my hands into my pockets and watched my feet move as we walked.

"All the girls have gone home." She suddenly said.

"Okay."

It was after practice hours. Of course they left.

"Kim's captain this year."

"Oh," I nodded. "Good for her. She's uh, she's a good leader." I suddenly bumped into her. "Sorry. Not paying attention." I mumbled.

"I stopped walking." Her eyes met mine. Katie put her hands on my shoulders. "I'm glad you're back." She then pulled me close and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm really, really glad you're back."

"I'm sorry." I gripped her practice shirt. I could feel my eyes begin to water. "I'm so sorry Katie."

"It's okay, mate." Her arms tightened around me. "There are no hard feelings. At all. Whatever's going on, we're going to get you through it. I meant it then and I mean it now: I'll take care of you, Dani."

"Thank you, Katie. I mean it."

"Come on, let's get my things and get out of here."

It felt weird to be back in London. I had a sense of déjà vu being here. I knew exactly where I was going. It was like I had never left, but I had. I had been gone for almost two years.

Katie knew nothing about the person I was now. Well, maybe she did. They say the news lies, but they don't about me. There's nothing for them to lie about. What they say I do, I've done.