One day I'll have it all. // Williamson

Blueberries and new beginnings

Arsenal's locker room was basically a nightclub. Music blasting from a huge JBL speaker, with the girls either singing or dancing, taking three times as long as I did simply to get changed. I liked the spirit behind it, though I always appreciated calmer music and atmosphere. I wondered if they were always like this or if today was special somehow.

Jennifer Beattie was the assigned DJ, for today at least.

I changed and showered like I usually did: fast and efficiently.

In less than twenty minutes I was ready to leave the grounds. But I remember that this wasn't high school anymore and that there was more to it than just training. With a fresh kit on and my hair wet, I sat on one of the benches and waited to see where the girls were going next. Anxiety crept at me again, as I wondered if the girls thought I was weird for just waiting like that.

I tried not to look at the girls changing too much, not wanting to look like a pervert. I just stared down at my phone. Charlotte had sent me what seemed like a thousand texts, all in full caps, congratulating me and sending me pictures she had found on Twitter and Instagram.

Me: Why do you send me pictures of me?? I was there. Dipstick.

Lotte: shut it. Let me be happy for you. I miss you already.

Me: I miss you too. Even if you suck.

Lotte: always gotta be a smart ass.

I chuckled at her answer, rolling my eyes.

"Talking to your boyfriend?" A girl next to me asked, making me jump and close my phone. I turned my head to my right and spotted Beth, one foot up the bench, putting her right sock on. I had spent three hours training with her, and it was still surreal every time she talked to me.

"Oh, hum, no, just my best friend," I said, and I guess my anxiety looked like hesitation because she giggled and winked at me.

"Yeah, sure, best friend." she then took her foot off the bench and sat next to me, putting on then lacing her sneakers. "We're off to lunch in the cafeteria. You're coming with us?"

"I guess. No one told me what I had to do so..." I shrugged. Beth rolled her eyes, smirking.

"I love this club, but we have like, no sense of organization whatsoever." She joked, and I laughed, nodding, remembering how just a week prior, they had leaked Emily Fox's signing unintentionally.

"Yeah, I definitely got that," I replied. The music then suddenly stopped, and I realized a lot of the girls had already left the locker room. Remained only Jen, who left immediately a few seconds later, Leah, who seemed to be waiting for us, Katie on her phone, and Vivianne, visibly annoyed that she had to wait so long for Beth to get ready. I guess this was a usual thing. And my intuition was confirmed a second later.

"Beth, come on," Vivianne mumbled, her left foot tapping against the floor. Beth smirked at the sound, and turned around, putting her phone in her pocket.

"Yeah yeah, I'm ready." She said, then looked over at me. "You coming?" She asked, leaning her head towards the door invitingly. I nodded shyly and got up, taking my bag with me.

"Oi, you don't need that, you can keep it here," Katie said, her accent so strong it took me a second to understand what she said.

"You sure?" I asked, hesitantly putting my bag down on the bench.

"If someone's stealing it, it's gonna be Katie, but I'll keep an eye on her." Leah intervened, putting her hand on Katie's shoulder. Katie rolled her eyes, then smirked, pinching at Leah's side, who squirmed at the contact.