This changes everything

Chapter 24: Changing lives

"I want you to stay here at Arsenal" 

Hearing those words come out of my professor's mouth truly felt surreal.  If someone were to tell me 2 years ago when I first moved to England, that I would land my dream placement at Arsenal, start dating the love of my life, then go on to take over after graduating from my masters program, I would have told them that they were insane.  I was truly living my dream life and in this moment I felt untouchable. 

This was news.  Big news.  I wanted to find the perfect way to tell Leah, I just didn't know how.  Perhaps we both thought the challenges are relationships faced would be less complicated with me no longer working at Arsenal. That maybe we could find a way to make this public on her end, without me having to face the consequences of potentially ruining my career. 

This job, not only is it my future, it is everything I have wanted for myself ever since I was sixteen years old.  The 23 year old version of myself could not ruin that for the 16 year old version of me who was filled with so many hopes and dreams.  Those dreams were coming true. 

Leah told me that she would be home later that day, since she was headed to her parents' for dinner.  She was going to invite me, but she thought that I might be too preoccupied by my thesis, little did she know that it was perfect, and there was nothing left to do, but it gaveme more time to set something special up for the two of us. 

I went to the grocery store after my day finished at Arsenal to pick up all of the supplies.  I was browsing through the ice cream section, trying to decide on the perfect flavour, when I ran into a familiar face.   

Rosie.  The first friend I made here in England, an old coworker, an old friend. 

"Oh Abi!" 

She ran up to me and gave me a tight hug.  The type of hug you give someone after not seeing someone for so long. 

"I haven't seen you in ages, how's Arsenal" 

"Really good, I graduate in a couple months, then I have a pretty exciting future ahead of me" 

She gave me another quick squeeze. 

"Wow, It's so crazy how time flies, I'm proud of you" 

"Thanks, how's your life been" 

"Actually you inspired me" 

"Really?, How so?" 

"You were always so focused on your studies and it really made me rethink the whole music career, so I decided to pick up my studies again, I'm headed back to school next year to study nursing" 

"I'm happy for you Ro" 

"I'm happy for you too Ab" 

We caught up a bit longer, before heading our separate ways again, promising to keep in touch even though we both knew that probably wouldn't happen. 

Some people you meet, stay in your life for a while, while others may only come into your life for a short while, but still make the biggest difference. 

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I set up the perfect evening for Leah and I to share. 

I bought flowers for her, lilies, and I had set them up in a vase on our kitchen table.  I lit candles that smelled like toasted vanilla that sat on our coffee table.  Blankets covered our couches so we could snuggle up with Olly and watch a movie, and the vanilla ice cream, sat in our freezer to stay frozen.  It was a plain flavour, just how she liked her food. 

I waited and waited, for her to open the door and shed a tear at the evening I had set up for her, she was quite a softie like that.  

Then I heard the door unlocking, and watched her walk through our front door.  Olly started to bark and get excited at the sight of his other mum.  She bent down and went straight for him, not noticing the living room in front of her.  Until she got up again. 

Seeing the way her face change after seeing me and what I had did, made my heart skip a beat.  A smile spread across her face, and I did notice her wipe a tear away. 

"Abi, what is this?" 

"What am I not allowed to do something nice for my girlfriend?" 

I got up from the couch and walked over to her.  Her hand met my waist, and my hands met her neck.  We shared a passionate kiss, before I headed to the freezer to take the ice cream out. 

We filled our bowls and headed to our couch, where we did in fact, snuggle under the blankets.  I laid on her chest, while she used my head as a rest for her bowl, and we joked that she was giving me brain freeze. 

The night was going just as I had pictured, when it was finally time to tell her the news, my big news. 

"Leah, I have to tell you something" 

She almost looked frightened. 

"So you know how my professor looked over my thesis today?" 

She nodded her head. 

"Well, he told me it was perfect, he had no corrections" 

"That's amazing Ab!" 

"That's not the only thing" 

"There's more?" 

I couldn't hold it in any longer. 

"He's leaving Arsenal, and he wants me to take over" 

Her jaw dropped.  She looked shocked, but immediately puled me in for another passionate kiss. 

"You have no idea how proud I am of you?" 

"But we have to keep this secret a little longer?" 

"Do you really think I care about if our relationship goes to the public or not?" 

"Maybe a bit, you get shipped with like every player there is" 

"I don't care about that, I'm with you and that's all that matters, maybe it sucks I can't show the world the hot girl I'm dating, but at the end of the day, what we share is the most important thing to me" 

"I'm glad you said that" 

"The other girls are going to be ecstatic about this, everyone was so depressed that you were leaving, you seriously don't understand the impact you had on everyone" 

Our night finished the way it started, perfect. 

If someone were to ask me two years ago, if I understood the positive impact I had on people, I would've told them they were crazy.  I was a girl too wrapped up in her own crazy life, who truly thought she was nothing and wouldn't change the world.  Now I understand, you don't have to be a famous author, or a scientist to make an impact on the world.  Being the best version of yourself, can show to other's how to be that for themselves, and that's all that matters. 

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A/N: 

-Bit of a short, filler chapter, bc yes there is drama coming, but it won't be when you expect it. 

-I kinda teared up during this, idk maybe its the break up, and writing about love I don't have, but also IDK i love love. 

-As always thanks for the love <3 p.s I love reading your comments :)