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

Second training

The next morning, I was all prepped up and waiting for Leah to arrive 20 minutes early. I was waiting in front of my building, pretending to look at my phone so I wouldn't look desperate.

Of course, I had a brown bag in my left hand, filled with the coffee and sandwich I promised I would bring.

It was cold. 5°C cold. And I hated it when it was cold. I wasn't used to it, as LA rarely offered us weather like this.

As I stood there, pretending to scroll through my phone, my eyes scanned the quiet London street for any sign of Leah's black Audi. The cold seeped through my training jacket, making me shiver. I cursed myself for leaving my warm apartment early.

Leah's car finally pulled up to the curb, and I could feel a wave of relief wash over me as the warmth of the car embraced me. She greeted me with a grin as I climbed into the passenger seat. She raised an eyebrow as she watched me, then giggled.

"Not used to the cold, are we, California?"

I chuckled nervously, feeling a bit embarrassed about my obvious discomfort. "Definitely not. LA's got me spoiled with its warm weather."

Leah started driving, and I noticed a teasing glint in her eyes. "Well, welcome to proper London, mate." She said, taking her hand off the steering wheel for a second to gently punch my thigh. "Ready for your first training in the cold?"

I blushed at her hand on my thigh, even though it only lasted half a second. I then looked at her, and back at the road. "They say it's good for the muscles, right?" I said, then took the coffee out of its bag and handed it to her. "Got you an americano."

Leah accepted the coffee with a grateful smile. "Cheers."

We spent the rest of the ride sipping our coffee and chatting about the day ahead. I was always surprised at how easy it was for me to converse with Leah. I always had a hard time making friends, yet it seemed like the easiest thing with her.

Arriving at the training ground, the cold air greeted us as we stepped out of the car. I readjusted the beanie on my head, secretly wishing I had more layers on. Leah, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the chill, her light hoodie seemed to sufficiently warm her up.

But what really astonished me wasn't her.

"What the fuck- how the hell is Katie wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt?"

Katie, standing on the training ground with her arms crossed, grinned as she caught us staring. "Morning, sunshine. Just embracing the London weather, aye?"

Leah chuckled beside me, giving Katie a playful eye roll. "She's immune to the cold, or at least she thinks she is."

I couldn't help but shiver just looking at Katie's choice of attire. "I don't know how you do it. I'm freezing already."

Katie stepped closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I'm from Dublin, rookie. That's me secret." She said, with the most Irish accent I had ever heard. "Come on now, let's get to work, yeah?"

And we got to training soon enough. This session definitely worked better for me than my first one, even though the cold was hard on my legs.

I absolutely loved the team. Every drill and every exercise was a bliss. And when the coach announced an 11v11, I got extremely hyped.

Katie captained my team, and Kim Little the other. I played my heart out, trying to impress and prove my worth to the team.

Leah, stationed on the opposite team, kept exchanging glances with me, sharing encouraging nods and smiles. The cold air seemed to fade away as the adrenaline kicked in, and for those moments on the pitch, I forgot about the temperature.

No matter how friendly we were off the pitch, Leah defended on me like it was her last game ever. She wasn't one of the most valuable center-backs in the world for nothing.

The game was intense, and I found myself in a one-on-one situation with Leah. I tried to make a swift move to the left and dribble past her, but her quick reflexes allowed her to block my attempt effortlessly, her tackle making me fall to the ground.

Leah smirked softly at the sight, and extended a hand to help me up. "Don't underestimate me, Villanueva. Nice try, though."

I blushed at her words, hoping the cold would mask my reaction, and took her hand, standing up. I kept my eyes on hers for a few seconds, my hand still gripping hers.

Her eyes were kind of grey. I always thought they were completely blue. Maybe it was the weather.

"Oi, this ain't love island lad, don't flirt with the enemy," Katie said, interrupting us, shoving my shoulder rather aggressively before running off to the other side of the pitch. I blushed again, this time deeper, and looked down at my cleats, before crossing Leah's gaze again.

"She always like this?" I asked Leah, who giggled and rolled her eyes, then nodded.

"Yep. Pain in my ass since 2015." She replied, amicably patting my shoulder before running back to her position.

The training session continued, filled with both laughter and competition. Despite the biting cold, the spirit on the pitch was warm, and I found myself immersed in the joy of playing alongside such incredible teammates.

As the session neared its end, Coach Jonas gathered us for a debrief. He praised the team's effort, emphasizing our strengths and areas for improvement. I listened intently, eager to absorb every piece of advice that would help me grow as a player. He reminded us that we had our first game of the year in two days. I knew I wouldn't be playing, but I was excited still.

"Valentina, we need you for pictures and interviews after lunch," Jonas informed me, as I was leaving the pitch.

Damn it. I thought my afternoon was free. I looked over at Leah, who was talking animatedly with Kim.

I sighed softly and looked back at Coach Jonas.

"Yeah, I'll be there."