Catching Feelings- Leah Williamson

Chapter Eleven

I walk out of the office, slamming the door on my way out like Leah did.  Jonas calls my name from behind me several times but I dont stop and turn around.  I dont think I can listen to what more he has to say, I've heard enough already. 

'You and Leah are going to to commit to a pr relationship'  is what they said.

My thoughts are all over the place, my entire body is overwhelmed.  I run one of my hands through my hair anxiously, trying to slow my breathing down. 

'It will be good for both of your cases' they said.

That's not how I see it.  It won't do any good for me.  If anything, it will do me even more damage.  This is the last thing I need right now. 

'It won't last long, just until all this press settles down' 

My legs won't stop walking further away from Jonas' office.  Having to see Leah every day as it is is torture, having to act like we're friends in front of cameras is nearly impossible, how am I supposed to pretend to like this girl? Or even love her enough to be in a relationship with her?

'I know you aren't fond of the idea but there is only one way out of it...'

Jonas might not have said it, but I know what he meant.  Either agree to fake date with the devil or leave Arsenal and possibly the WSL for good.  If only it were that easy.

The entire thing feels so unreal, and if it wasn't for the paper I'm holding in my hand confirms it, I would probably feel like I imagined the entire thing.  I skimmed through the paper quickly, not reading too much of it in detail, but there's a set of rules in it which we supposedly have to follow if we agree to it.  At the end of it, there's a blank space where my signature has to go.

How am I going to survive this?

Katie's POV

I'm walking around the training ground lost in my thoughts when I bump into her. 

"Hailey" I say and she looks up to look at me.

"Katie" she says and I can hear it in her voice that she's not doing okay.  Her eyes are red and she looks lost, like she's not paying attention to anything that's going on around her right now. 

I duck down to reach for a paper that fell out of her hands. 

"Whats this?" I ask, beginning to read it but Hailey practically snatches it away from my hands.

"Dont worry about it" she says, hiding the paper behind her back. 

"Are you alright?" I ask, concerned even though it's a stupid question; she's clearly exhausted. 

She doesn't reply at first and then lets out a long sigh. 

"It's just been a very long day" Hailey forces a reassuring smile on her face, trying to make me see that she's alright when she's clearly not. 

I dont like it when she does that.  I dont like it when she hides her feelings from me.  I want to help her but I can't if she won't let me. 

"Was Jonas that harsh on you?" I reach for her arm, slowly stroking it to comfort her.

I'm dying to ask about what they talked about, about why Leah was half naked with her, but it doesn't seem like the right time to do that.  I dont want to make her feel worse.

"Well you know... Jonas was just being Jonas"

It's true that Jonas can be a bit... determined about certain things sometimes although ive never experienced it myself.  The head coach has always been very fond of me and it really seems like I can do no wrong in his eyes, however I can't say the same when it comes to Hailey.  She's clearly struggling.