Unbreakable Bonds

Chapter 48

The morning after was not a vibe. Alexia was stubborn. So incredibly stubborn. Sometimes I wanted to put my head through a wall when she wouldn't listen.

She decided she'd go for a run, since we had the day off. I however, couldn't think of anything worse than to run along side a hungover, cranky Alexia. So I sat on the couch and waited for the call. It took longer than I thought but after 20 minutes she finally gave up and asked me to pick her up.

"Don't say anything." She growled as she looked at me. I tried not to laugh, I really did. For the next hour she wouldn't talk to me. But eventually she succumbed to that nasty hangover feeling and spread herself on top of me on the couch. Snoozing most the day away.

For the next two weeks we barely had a chance to relax. We were set to face Chelsea in Sweden for the Champions League final. A game where we had to win or that was it. There wasn't a second leg to play. We would win or we would lose.

That also meant that for the next two weeks, Sammy wasn't my friend. Thankfully she understood, she was a professional after all. When we saw each other at camp, it would be fine. We'd all be back to normal.

A week after playing PSG we went back to league games and played UD Tenerife. It was a sloppy game, we got the win but it was obvious that everyone was tired. Lluis thankfully gave us an extra day off before we had to leave. The plan was to go out for brunch together and then go to Eli's house. That however did not happen.

"Lexi are you ready to go?" I was dressed, an overnight bag packed just incase.

"I'm not going. I need to re watch these games."

Here we fucking go. "Alexia, you promised. You promised me we would have a proper day off. That we'd go to breakfast and then we'd go to your mums and see them and Miriam."

"I can't Ana! I am underprepared and I just feel- fuck! Just leave it. Go by yourself!"

That's exactly what I did. I rang patri, pina and Leila and we all had a lovely time together. We spoke about their plans for the off season, the Olympics, we all shared some tattoos that we wanted to get. It was nice, the perfect distraction. Kind of. In the back of my mind there was something nagging me with alexia. Usually she wouldn't blow me off so easily. She'd meet halfway, order breakfast to the apartment, she'd watch the game a few times then we'd go to Eli's. But this was different. I tried ringing her before we left the cafe but it was no luck. I rang alba, hoping she'd spoken to Alexia but again, no luck.

"Lex? Alexia! Hey!" I ripped her headphones off, annoyed she'd ignored everyone for the past few hours, "I rang you. Your mum and sister rang you too. We need to go now if we are going to beat the traffic."

"I already told you cari, go without me. I have too much to do." She was now annoyed.

"Are you serious? This is dinner with your family and your friends!"

"Go or don't go. I don't care. I am not coming."

"Alexia, you can't keep doing this. It's getting too much. Those people, at your mums house, they love you. They want to spend time with you. You can't keep putting them on the back burner." I kissed her head and then left.

The drive to Eli's was quiet. I didn't tell them she wasn't coming, secretly hoping she would come even if it was only a small possibility. I took a moment to hype myself up in the car, mentally preparing for the questions about Alexia's whereabouts.

When I first entered I was greeted by Eli.

"Hola mija. You look tired, are you okay?"

"Yes yes. I'm fine thanks Eli." I gave her a small smile. Her smile turned to a frown quickly when she realise Alexia wasn't with me, she squeezed my hand then walked away. Probably to text Alexia and rip shreds into her.

Carla and Miriam were staring at me expectantly, the million dollar question was written all over their face.

"Wheres Ale?" Miriam whispered as she hugged me hello.

"She'll be here later. Just finishing something's up at home." They shared a look, both knowing what their best friend was truly like. Selfishly I hoped she wouldn't make me a liar.

"I better go and do my rounds." It took a while to get through everyone, all asking the same questions: where is alexia? Are you excited for the champions league final? The olympics? When's the wedding? It was overwhelmingly.

I quietly snuck outside, finding solace on the back steps. There had been hundreds of different times that I've sat here. When Jaume died and I needed to compose myself before helping Alba and Lex. When Lex and I moved out. The house was a time capsule. Nothing really changed. Sure Eli updated the photos of Alba and Alexia, adding photos of me as well. But it held some of our best memories and some of the worst.

"I thought you'd be out here." Miriam's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Just needed a minute. That's all." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"You don't have to cover for her you know? I've known Ale a long time, and you as well. I know how she gets. You're allowed to enjoy things like this without her."

"Am I though? This is her family, you're her friends. I know what you're going to say and it doesn't change it. I still feel out of place without her here."

"Yes we came from Alexia, but that doesn't mean we stayed for her. If we didn't like you she would know. We wouldn't make you come hang out with us if we didn't like you Ana."

The voices inside the house got louder, we both looked back to see Alexia hugging her family and friends. We made eye contact through the door, her eyebrows shooting up when she saw Miriam and I outside.

"I'm going to go inside and say hello. Remember what I said yeah?"

I nodded and turned back around. Once I heard her up the door I stood up and walked back towards the tree. The stupid tree that alexia loves so much. It's heard all of our secrets, I've cried against this tree when I missed my family, or when I felt out of place.

"You came." I didn't need to look up to know she was standing there, her presence was something I could always feel.

"I did. Someone reminded me how important it was to show people I loved them." That caught me a little of guard, "I know I haven't been showing you-"

"It's fine Lex. I know you love me."

"But it's not. I love you more than football but the past few weeks I haven't been showing you. I know you try and rationalise it in your head but you shouldn't be doing that, I shouldn't be making you feel less important because you're the most important thing in my life."

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in close and kissing my head. "Miriam said something. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Let's go back inside, we don't want to seem rude." I dragged her back in. Grateful that I wouldn't have to deal with all the questions alone anymore.

The rest of the night and week progressed without issue. Lex made sure to make time for us to spend together, even if it was just an hour. No phones, no talks of the lack of summer we would have together or the upcoming games.