Only Friends

Chapter 55 - Sydney

We left Brisbane the next day and headed to Sydney for our game against Austria. The Netherlands were set to play Chile the same day as us, as it was going to be a doubleheader in Stadium Australia, so people could stay on and watch both games back to back. When we landed in Sydney, we were given the day to explore and meet friends or family. Although it was a World Cup, it was still important to have the down time we needed. 

Kristie was with the USWNT in New Zealand, playing their first two games there before heading across the ditch. Sam missed Kristie, but she was too focused on trying to win the Cup to think too heavily about it.

"I am meeting Jill today," I said to Sam as we put our bags in our hotel room and went down to meet the girls in the lobby. Most of them were going out to meet family or, in Sam and Hayley's case, explore the city.
"Really?" She said, surprised.
"Yeah, I promised her ages ago I would show her around."
"So you're ditching me?" She asked, sarcastically.
"I guess I am," I said, laughing back.
"Ok, just be careful."
"Be careful of what?" I asked, walking towards the exit of the hotel.
"Just don't do anything stupid!" she called back.
"When have I ever done anything stupid?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Sam shouted back, laughing. I stuck my finger up at her and walked out.

I met Jill at her hotel, texting her that I arrived. I was nervous to see her. I didn't know what I was going to do or say. We hadn't seen each other since Wolfsburg, nearly 3 months ago, and now, things had changed. We were friends. Only friends.

Indi: I'm here :)

Jill came down, with Viv on her arm. I hadn't seen Viv since the end of the season, and I missed her.
"Viv just wanted to say hi," Jill said to me, her Dutch accent strongly contrasting with my Australian voice. Sometimes I do forget that Jill is Dutch. I'm not sure why.
"Hi Viv," I said, hugging her, "I missed you guys." I then hugged Jill and suddenly, my heart settled and my head stopped turning. She made me feel calm and at ease.
"Ok, I'm going to go," Viv said, as Jill and I broke apart, "Daan and I are going to go look at the beaches."
"Don't go to Bondi unless you want a tourist haven!" I told her, warningly.
"What? But that's the most iconic place in Sydney," Viv called out.
"Go to Ben Buckler instead. You will see Bondi but not be in all the touristy areas. I promise you, so much better." Viv nodded her head and went back up the elevator.
"Where are we going?" she asked me, shyly.
"Well, I have a few ideas," I said, as we both started walking out of the hotel. We walked beside each other, fairly close. I wanted to lean down and grab her hand, but I knew I shouldn't. I knew it would make things confusing, and I don't know how she feels. I don't know what I'm feeling, besides missing her. The freedom I gained from the break up, only turned into missing her. How I wish I could rewind the time, and go back to August. I wish I had just talked to her before I made things worse. I live with so many regrets, but I know I shouldn't.

I pushed all those thoughts to the back of my mind, and decided to live in the moment and take Jill to all my favourite spots.

I took her first to Newtown so she could look at all the vintage stores and their cool, trendy clothes. She loved it, going into all the stores she could possibly go into. We went to a vintage book store, and she had to go in.
"Jill, you don't like reading in English," I said, jokingly.
"Yeah, but look how pretty they all are!" She replied, amused. As we were racking through the book shelves, I found a copy of Little Women.
"This book, was my favourite," I said, showing her. It was a vintage copy, from when it was first published. I looked inside, and there was a dedication.

To my darling Diane,
Our love shines brighter than the stars above.
Love yours, J.N

"Who do you think they are?" I asked her.
"I don't know, but they sound in love." Jill looked at me, slightly. She caught my eye, only for a brief second. I turned my attention back to the book, flicking my fingers through the pages. Jill turned back to the shelves, continuing going through them. My hands were slightly trembling. She knew how I felt, she had the power. She was in control.