From Barcelona To...

Chapter 123 - Schedule

Leah's P.O.V

I was gutted. My heart that just seemed like it was maybe about to start repairing, was shattered...all over again.

It's only you. The last words Ellie said to me. Is that because she knew? Did she know this story was going to break? Why didn't she tell me? I asked her. I asked her when I went back to her hotel, she told me there was nobody else. It's like as soon as she got the chance once she went back down south and didn't have Archie she invited someone back to her hotel. One part of me doesn't believe it at all, not now. I trust Ellie, with my life. But we aren't together. We haven't been together for months. Did I expect her to go with someone else after we split? Part of me did, yeah. But do I think she would lie to me about it? No. But then, would you really tell your ex-partner of 5 years, the mother of your child, who you just rekindled with the night before that you had been with someone else if you had? It probably wouldn't have been the moment to do that.

I'm angry. I'm angry this is happening now, my first camp in 18 months. I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to hear what she has to say. She is in Dubai, I am at camp and right now, I have to put me first.

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Ellies P.O.V

My heart sank and my stomach dropped the minute I opened the message from Leah once I had landed, opening the article link she had sent me. I expected it to be just another shitty article of some story they pounced on, but I did not expect it to be this. She didn't send anything else, just the link.

I immediately tried to call Leah. No answer. I knew she was probably asleep but I needed to speak to her. I called several times. No answer. I called one last time. Voicemail. She was awake But she turned her phone off. Fuck.

E: Leah, let me explain.

——

I tried to call Leah again a few hours later, once I knew she would definitely be awake, but again she didn't answer and then I received a message...

L: Don't call me, don't message me. I don't want to hear it right now Ellie. You concentrate on rehab and I will concentrate at camp.

As much as it pained me, broke my heart all over again, I had to respect her wishes. And so I didn't call her and I didn't message her. I communicated with Amanda about Archie separately, outside of the usual group chat between Leah, Amanda, my mum and I. I assume Leah also did the same, as the group chat remained quiet for the duration.

——

Leah's P.O.V

As soon as I got home from camp and set my eyes on Archie, I immediately burst out crying. I wrapped him up in my arms and held him tight, avoiding any eye contact with Mum. I'd managed to keep my emotions in for the rest of camp, how? I don't know, but I did. But I knew as soon as I stepped foot back home all the emotions would come out. And they did.

As I lay in bed that night, back at home, gently stroking Archies hair as he lay peacefully asleep beside me, I know I have to be strong, for him. We can't, I can't, keep putting him through this, it's not fair.

I've got a few days to think before Ellie returns home from Dubai. I've not heard from her since I sent her the message telling her not to contact me. I didn't want to speak to her, I don't want to speak to her. But part of me wants nothing more than for her to reach out to me, to tell me all of this is bullshit, but I'm not sure I can take the heartbreak if any of it is true.

I decide to have a scroll through socials, something I have avoided since the article broke, I knew it would be noisy. The first post that opens, one from Arsenal.