Azure was drunk.
She knew it. She had lost count of the number of drinks she had consumed, the alcohol burning a fiery trail down her throat as she drowned her sorrows in a haze of intoxication. Her vision swam with each passing moment, the world spinning wildly out of control as she stumbled through the training center.
Chances were no one was gonna realize she was. Because she was good at that. Pretending. Hiding. Looking fine.
Despite her best efforts to conceal her inebriation, Azure knew deep down that she was teetering on the edge of oblivion. Her steps were unsteady, her movements clumsy as she navigated the unfamiliar halls of the training center with a false sense of confidence.
Before entering the locker room, she steadied herself, taking a minute to collect her thoughts and regain some semblance of composure. She leaned against the cold, unforgiving wall, the chill seeping into her bones as she closed her eyes, willing the dizziness to pass.
She had done that times and times again at Barcelona. Coming into training so drunk she could have started throwing up the minute she started running. No one had ever suspected anything.
Gathering what little strength she had left, Azure pushed open the door to the locker room, the familiar scent of sweat and liniment washing over her like a wave of nostalgia. She could hear the chatter of her teammates in the distance, their voices a distant echo in the recesses of her mind.
As she stepped into the room, Azure plastered on her trademark bored expression, masking her inner turmoil behind a facade of indifference. She was good at this, she reminded herself. She was the master of deception, the queen of disguise.
She walked to her locker, and threw her bag up on the floor before sitting on the bench.
She took a look around, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of suspicion or judgment. But to her relief, her teammates seemed oblivious to her state, their attention focused solely on their own conversations and preparations for training.
Taking a deep breath, Azure forced herself to focus, to push aside the haze of alcohol that clouded her mind. She got back on her feet and changed into her training gear quickly. Each movement was deliberate, calculated, as she fought to maintain her facade of control in the face of her own unraveling.
The locker room door kept opening and closing, with players coming in and out of the locker rooms until Azure was the last one inside.
As the last player remaining in the locker room, Azure took a moment to gather her thoughts, her mind still foggy from the alcohol coursing through her veins. She knew she needed to pull herself together, to shake off the effects of her drunken stupor before training began.
With a determined sigh, she rummaged through her bag, looking for her bottle of water. Finding it buried beneath her spare clothes, Azure took a long swig, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat as it washed away the remnants of the alcohol lingering on her tongue. She closed her eyes, relishing the refreshing sensation as it revitalized her senses and cleared her mind.
For a fleeting moment, Azure allowed herself to imagine a world where she didn't need to rely on alcohol to numb the pain, where she could face her demons head-on without the crutch of intoxication. But the fantasy was fleeting, shattered by the harsh reality of her circumstances.
With a resigned sigh, Azure pushed aside her empty bottle, steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead. She knew she couldn't afford to dwell on her weaknesses, not when there were matches to be won and titles to be claimed.
Rising from the bench, Azure straightened her shoulders, her gaze hardening with determination as she prepared to face whatever the day had in store.
She walked towards the door, but as she went to open it, someone else came through.
