Castles Crumbling

Stand by me (Chapter 36)

The flight home was quick. We slept most of the way, tired from the game the day before. It was a full flight, with every seat having a different person in it. I wondered what their stories were. Were they looking forward to a holiday in London with friends? Were they going home like we were? Or were they going to a new city for the first time, bursting with anticipation for what they were about to experience? Maybe someone was going back to the place that broke their heart.

I was going home. Back to Arsenal. Back to Leah. I couldn't wait to see her again. I had promised her a movie night at my apartment tomorrow night, after our practice. I had everything planned out, 3 courses, wine and a movie. I would be buying the ingredients to bruschetta, pasta pesto and kladdkaka. The dessert was a traditional Swedish dessert. It closely resembled a brownie, but stickier and according to me, way more delicious. I would also need to buy a bottle of white wine. That would go well with both the bruschetta and the pasta. Maybe a call to my mother would be needed. She knew a lot about wine and was always happy to share that knowledge. 

Going through Heathrow airport took a long time. A few fans wanted pictures and conversations. I was happy to do that for the first thirty minutes. After that I had to tell them that I needed to get going. I was also not happy with my outfit that day. I travelled in a pair of wide pants and a t-shirt. Along with that I was not wearing makeup and my hair was pulled back in a ponytail. You could see the lack of sleep on my face. I blamed that on my period, it had arrived at the worst possible time, and I was grateful that we weren't wearing white shorts in Sweden. The cramps had kept me awake. I had been tossing and turning in bed, taking the maximal number of painkillers that I could. Not that it helped at all, and I was left to fend for myself.

The drive back was peaceful. I sat with my headphones in and watched the English landscape pass by. I couldn't wait to get to my apartment, even though I needed to drive by captain Kimmy's apartment first. She had offered to take care of my cats when I had been complaining about them being all alone for over a week. I had bought her a big chocolate box in Sweden and planned to drop it off as a thank you.

I knocked on her door with one hand. The other was holding the big box of chocolate. "Captain Kimmy!" I exclaimed as she opened the door. "I got you a gift." I continued when she let me into her house. "You shouldn't have got me something. It was nothing. They are really well behaved." She answered with a smile. "I wanted to, it's the least I can do." I told her honestly. Because it really was. The cats meant way more to me than I could ever admit to anyone. They helped me settle into a new city when I had moved away from home the first time. They were the reason I had gotten to know Elisa. One of the best people in my life, and along with Fridolina and Ingrid we were an unstoppable force. Now we barely had time to talk, with our conflicting schedules and relationships.

After that was handled, I went and did my shopping before returning to my apartment. For the first time in a week the refrigerator was filled.

Before I started with dinner, I took a long shower. I washed my hair with my citrus-smelling shampoo and conditioner. The bathroom was filled with different smells from various products. Soon it was also filled with the smell of blood. What can I say? I wasn't very good at shaving, and I had cut my ankle for the millionth time. After that small mistake everything else went great. The body butter made my skin smooth and made me smell like green tea. Well, that was what the package said.

I dried my hair and then curled it, all while listening to my favorite playlist. After that I did my makeup and changed into a better outfit. This time it consisted of a pair of burgundy red Manchester pants, a white tank top and a white shirt in a size to big. Nothing uncomfortable and still very cute according to me.

Wearing my outfit for tonight I put on an apron and started chopping tomatoes, garlic and basil for the bruschetta. I blended that with oil and some parmesan cheese before putting it back in the refrigerator. After I was done with the appetizer I started with the main meal. I chopped and sautéed vegetables and chicken before making a homemade pesto and blending that with some crème fraiche. I let it stand on the heat and get tastier before I checked my phone. I had been tagged in a lot of pictures. People were worried that I looked so tired and had crazy theories to why. Some assumed that my parents had passed away, some assumed I had broken up with a girlfriend I didn't know I had. Well, Sofie was present on a lot of the pictures. The speculations had been fueled by me being seen with her and her commenting on my pictures. Even though it was totally friendly people assumed we were a couple. 

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. It was Leah, she arrived right on time as always. I opened the door for her and was greeted by the most beautiful girl, who had the brightest smile on her face. She carried a big bouquet of flowers in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. I pulled her in for a hug before we both made our way into my apartment. The table was set, with plates for us two, glasses and candles. I had wanted to make it beautiful and as good as I possibly could. "It looks so good Otto!" Leah exclaimed and kissed me. Her soft lips found their way to my neck and she kissed every centimeter she could find. "Maybe I could get a vase for the flowers." I stuttered out. The effect her touch had on me was amazing. It made me feel relaxed and made me form goosebumps at the same time.

"Fine, but we are continuing this late you know." Leah answered with a smirk while handing me the flowers. I put them down on the table, opened the bottle of wine and served our appetizers after our first glass. After that both the conversation and alcohol flowed. We were content like this. Because all that mattered was that we were together. 

As the night continued, we found ourselves on my couch, with cake and wine. All while holding hands. In the background Little Women played, not that we focused on that. She had my entire focus, and I was all that meant something to her. "I love you Leah" I whispered in her ear. We were both half-asleep and it was uncomplicated. "I love you a lot Ottilia" she whispered back and I fell asleep in her arms. My head was on her chest, our hands were interlocked, and our legs intertwined. We both had big smiles on our lips. It was a perfect end to a perfect night. 

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