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

England V Austria

"You're such a fangirl, Maria Valentina." Charlotte joked.

We were both in my hotel room. She was lying on the bed and I was sitting next to her, my eyes focused on the TV in front of us.

Leah was playing tonight. Her first game with England since she did her ACL.

Of course, I was wearing a jersey with my girlfriend's name proudly displayed on its back.

The English squad played Austria. Leah was in the starting lineup. It was almost noon in Los Angeles, and I had been up since about 5 in the morning just so I could call Leah before her game.

She had recounted to me how excited she was, and I just listened to her, a huge smile gracing my lips.

I rolled my eyes at Charlotte's teasing remark, but there was a smile playing on my lips as I turned my attention back to the TV. "Shut up, Lotte," I replied with a grin, unable to tear my eyes away from the screen as Leah entered the field with the rest of her teammates.

Charlotte chuckled at my response, her eyes flicking between me and the TV as she settled back against the pillows. "I'm just saying, you've got it bad for that girl," she teased, her tone light and playful as she reached for the bowl of popcorn sitting on the nightstand beside her.

As she talked, the camera focused on Leah, singing the national anthem proudly, her captain armband on her arm. "She's the love of my life..." I muttered, low enough that Charlotte couldn't hear me. I was unable to look away for even just a second. "I'm just so happy she's back on the field," I said, louder this time.

Charlotte nodded in agreement. "She's a fighter, that one. Nothing's gonna keep her down for long."

"She is, isn't she?" I smirked, watching Leah run into position.

As the game kicked off, I couldn't help but feel a surge of nervous energy coursing through me, my heart pounding in anticipation with each pass and tackle. But as I watched Leah move across the field with grace and determination, her presence commanding and assured, all my worries melted away in an instant.

She managed the defense like a true leader, her every move calculated and precise. It was like she had never left. Like the past year just didn't exist.

I found myself holding my breath with every play, my eyes glued to the screen as Leah effortlessly intercepted passes and thwarted Austria's attempts to advance. It was a sight to behold, seeing her back on the field where she belonged, her passion and skill shining through with every movement.

I never understood players who said they liked to defend and tackle more than they liked to score. But watching Leah, I finally got it. There was a certain beauty in the way she commanded the backline, in the way she anticipated her opponent's moves and shut them down with precision timing. It was like watching a goddess working, her skill and determination evident in every tackle and clearance.

Then, on a corner kick, Leah fell on the floor.

And she fell hard.

I immediately blemished, a thousand thoughts running through my mind as the referee whistled a foul.

I got up and walked up to the TV, my face so close to the screen it actually hurt my pupils.

The camera focused on Leah. She winced, holding her right ankle.

My heart sank at the sight of Leah clutching her ankle in pain, a wave of fear and concern washing over me as I watched her grimace on the screen. It felt like my world had come crashing down around me in that moment, my mind racing with a million worst-case scenarios as I struggled to process what was happening.