Peace - Erling Haaland Fanfiction

Chapter 3

As my eyes fluttered open, I was met with a commotion in the room. Slowly, I pieced together my surroundings and remembered the events of the previous day. We were still in the stadium's locker room, and this was the group of people I had sought shelter with. The two boys were engaged in a heated argument with the middle-aged man, while Mary attempted to play mediator.

"What is happening?" I stood up and asked the group.

"Matt wants to check outside, but it could be dangerous. The signals aren't up, and our phones are still down," Mary filled me in with the details.

"If he's willing to risk his life, let him," a familiar voice chimed in, and I turned around to find the person who had comforted me during the night, my saviour who helped me sleep.

Matt groaned at his response and returned to sit on the chair in the corner. The two boys sighed and settled onto the benches, while Mary stretched her arms.

"Good morning," Haaland greeted as he approached me. "You slept like a baby." I reflected on last night's sleep, which was remarkably peaceful, calming, and pleasant. I had never slept like this before.

"Haaland, thank you," I expressed my gratitude.

"It's just Erling for you," he replied, patting my back and smiling widely.

Erling. His name echoed in my mind. It was surreal to think that I was on a first-name basis with a football star like him, even though our paths would likely never cross again. Suddenly, our phones vibrated, indicating that the signals had returned. A weather alert flashed on our screens, signaling that the storm had passed. We breathed a collective sigh of relief. Exiting the room, we navigated the still-damp corridor, remnants of yesterday's rain clinging to the walls. We could see the aftermath of the chaotic weather when we glanced out the windows.

"Good grief," Matt sighed as we continued walking. A few cars lay overturned, lampposts strewn on the ground, and trees stood battered and broken. The cyclone had brought great damage.

We met the other group halfway through, which was led by the tour guide. Upon seeing Erling, they gasped loudly and asked him to sign their belongings or take pictures. The commotion was starting to get a bit too much for me, so I glided past and I turned to get one last look at Erling. His face was so radiant. He was smiling, but it wasn't the same smile I had seen yesterday, which was bright enough to light a room. I would never get to see him again, and I accepted it from the get go, but still, I felt a pang of sadness. His eyes trailed off towards me and I gave him a smile before turning and heading downstairs.

The stadium staff stood outside, probably inspecting the damage around the place. However, I was just thankful for a clear weather. The walk back home wasn't too long, and once I arrived, my mum waved at me from the window. She opened the door and hugged me tightly.

"Aria, dear, we were so worried," she sighed. "Come in, you must be so hungry and exhausted."

I was ushered into the living room, where my sister Tilly was engrossed in watching TV. "Silly Tilly, didn't you miss me?" I teased, plopping down on the couch beside her and giving her a playful tickle.

She burst into a hysterical laughter and attempted to push me away, but my grip held firm. Eventually, I relented and withdrew my playful assault. "Mum was worried, but I had faith you'd return," she remarked. "Didn't I warn you about the bad weather yesterday?"

"Yeah, you did." I sighed. "I should listen to you more often."

"I'm the only person you should be listening to." She declared proudly.

"Come on, girls. I made some pancakes for you both. With the weather clearing up, it's perfect for taking Olly for a walk. I have to head off to work." Mum swiftly set the pancakes on the dining table and shed her apron. Meanwhile, our pup Olly came rushing towards me and leaped onto my lap with eager whimpers, clearly delighted to see me.

"He was so frightened yesterday, with all the thunder and the shaking house. Did you see how many trees have fallen? It's crazy." Tilly commented while caressing Olly, who remained in my lap. "Fortunately, our car was in the garage. The neighbors' car flipped and it looked funny."

I released Olly and hurried to the pancakes. I devoured two of them in a single go, much to the amusement of Mum and Tilly. They had never seen me so hungry before.

"See you later, Mum." I waved as she hurried out of the house, giving me a pat on the head before she left.

Tilly and I lounged around, intending to take Olly for a walk, but we ended up staying in and doing nothing but watching TV. As we flipped through channels, an old interview with Erling Haaland popped up on the sports channel. Suddenly, I jumped up from my seat, surprising Tilly.

"You alright?" She asked, but I didn't know how to tell her.

The man we always watched on TV was right in front of me just a couple of hours ago. I not only saw him but also shared an embrace with him, as we hugged to sleep. The memory flushed my face with heat, and I fanned my hand near my face to cool down. Tilly looked at me curiously but kept her focus on the TV.

"He's literally so cool," she exclaimed. "It would be awesome to meet him someday."

Her statement caught me off guard, causing me to almost choke on air. "I don't feel too well. I think I'll head upstairs to my room," I replied hastily.

"Wait a minute, you're not going anywhere," she insisted, grabbing my hand and pulling me back onto the couch. "There's something you're not telling me."

There was nothing that could be hidden from Tilly for too long. She had a knack of making people tell her their deepest secrets, and I had no idea how she did that. As I was about to begin spilling the details, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was a text message from the Etihad Stadium which provided details for compensation.

"No way." I gasped staring at my phone. "I got two tickets for City's next match."

"What?" Tilly shouted in shock and excitement as she grabbed my phone to read the message. We both squealed with joy.