american dream || pulisic

eighteen

What Every Person in a Long-Distance Relationship Should Know

1. Be ready to work twice as hard as you did before

2. Establish some ground rules about when you'll see each other

3. Call and text each other throughout the day

4. Celebrate everything

5. Don't forget to schedule regular Skype—

"What you reading?" Felix plopped himself on the couch, right next to Christian as he quickly locked his phone and placed it face down on his lap.

"Nothing important." Lies. That article was very, very important to Chris. He thought that if he was going to manage this difficult relationship, he might as well get tips on how to do so.

But everything has changed now.

Felix no longer pesters him about his relationship with Ellie (which makes him skeptical), Christian's spending every free second he has to watch Ellie's matches whether it be international duty or club matches—he'll watch it, and ever since he got back from Paris, he's never been the same.

He's never been the same after the match against Trinidad and Tobago, but this was different.

All of a sudden, Chris' number one priority is either football or Ellie—which ever is deemed more important in the heat of the moment. He's more into the perks of long-distance relationships, more into bragging about Ellie to his friends, the fans, his family because who wouldn't want to brag about their amazing significant other? Especially when it's Ellie?

And he could be finishing 13 Reasons Why on Netflix but he instead chose to watch PSG Féminines vs Montpellier because Ellie was there, and that was the most he could do right now, being so far away.

"I never really likes women's football until you started to watch it because of Ellie," Felix said, also watching the match alongside with the American. "But now I see why it's so popular nowadays. Shit is so rough and intense, you're literally sweating."

Immediately, Christian's fingers go to his forehead. Damn, I really am sweating. Maybe I'm just glistening. "Just here supporting Ellie."

"You sure?"

Felix was giving him a strange look, and Christian didn't even have to look at him to know it. He felt his stare burn into his skin like he was a deer caught in the headlights and Felix had hit him like a truck.

"Maybe," was all he could manage out.

"Are you okay, man? You have been acting strange and weird ever since you got back from Paris, don't tell me—you guys got to third base!"

"Wha—maybe." Oh God, now he's gonna bother me about it all the time. "But that's not why! It's just...nevermind. Just watch the match." He pointed at the TV which televised the PSG Féminines vs Montpellier match which seemed to be at a deadlock right now in the first thirty minutes, despite the fact that PSG should have already scored by now.

But Felix was not going to have it. "C'mon man," he huffed, obnoxiously scooting closer to the American. "You can tell me anything. I've known you since you came to Dortmund, fuck—I was your first friend here in Germany."

"Since when did I have to tell you everything going on in my life, Felix?" Christian hissed, crossing his arms across his chest like a baby. "Last time I checked, you weren't my mom, and you aren't my brother."

Ouch.

Whatever was bothering Christian right now was really big. He's never this mean and usually, he'd be telling Felix everything in his life...okay, maybe not everything, but you get what I'm saying.