Straight from the academy

2.

I get to my parents house and walk up the steps to their front door like always. But this time it feels different. Like I'm almost a new person, a better person. It's a good feeling.

I ring the door bell and not even a second later my mum opens it and welcomes me inside.
"Hey, how are you?" I says giving her a hug.
"Good thanks, how come your here?"
"I have some news" I says smiling.
My mum calls my dad downstairs into the living room and we all sit down on the sofa.
"So? What is it?" My dad says being impatient.
"Well I just came out of a meeting with my manager and the first teams manager and they said I was a very talented and mature player for my age. And then they offered me a professional contract with arsenal women." I say, grinning from ear to ear.
"Oh my god! That's incredible!" My mum says. She stands up and hugs me tightly.
"I'm so proud of you Els." My dad says also hugging me and kissing me on the forehead like he always does.

Next I need to call my older brother to tell him. The phone rings a couple of times before it picks up.
"Hey Ellie, what's up?"
"I just got offered a professional contract with arsenal!" I say down the phone.
"Really? That's amazing! Well done El, you really deserve it."
"Thanks Ben. I'll let you get back to your boring college work now." I say knowing that he is most likely in school right now.
"It's not boring!"
"Your studying maths and statistics, of course it's boring"
"Very rude of you."
I laugh and then we say goodbye.

I also need to ring my boyfriend to let him know but he's in training right now. I decide to text him.

Luke ❤️

hey call me when you can xx

"Are you picking India up from school today?" I ask mum.
"I wasn't planning on it but I can, why?"
"I'll come with you. I want to surprise her and also tell her the good news."
Half an hour later, my mum and I drive to India's secondary school to pick her up. We wait a few minutes until her class start coming out. As soon as she sees me she runs and jumps into my arms, hugging me.
"Hi!" She says finally letting go of me.
"Hi, did you have a good day at school?"
"It was alright, I had 3 tests though. They were sooo boringg"
"Just wait until year 11" I say laughing. "I have something to tell you"
"What?"
"Earlier today, I got offered a professional contract with the arsenal women's first team."
"So you'll be a proper footballer now?!"
"Sure" I say laughing. India hugs me again and then we make our way back to the car and drive home.

When we get back, my phone lights up and I get a text. It's from Luke.

Luke ❤️

sorry I was in training
you good to call now? xx

yes x

My phone rings and I pick up almost instantly.
"Hey babe, what's up?"
"I have something to tell you."
"Oh god." He says laughing lightly.
"It's good I promise" I say also laughing a bit.
"What is it?"
"I got offered a professional contract with arsenal"
"Your joking"
"Nope"
"Really?"
"Really" I say smiling.
"I'm so proud of you my love"
"Thank you"
"I'll come over later ok? Does 5 sound good?"
"Yep! See you later, I love you"
"I love you too, and well done. No one deserves it more"
I smile before hanging up.

A couple of hours later, I'm back at home with Ruby when there is a knock at the door.
"Hey baby" I say, opening the door to greet my boyfriend. He steps inside and kisses me, before giving me the thing he is holding behind his back - a bunch of red roses. "Congratulations Els"
"Thank you Luke" I say smiling at him warmly.
I quickly fill a vase with a little bit of water and put the flowers in it, before placing it on the table. Then I walk over to the sofa with Luke and we lie down on it together.

We cuddle for a bit before we realise it has gotten to about 6pm and we need to eat some food. Me, Luke and Ruby all go the kitchen and make dinner. We raid the cupboards trying to put something together. I also scavenge through Google to try and find a recipe with ingredients that we actually have. I end up finding a tomato and mozzarella pasta so we make that. The three of us sit down at the table to eat it, with the bouquet of roses in the middle of us, and it was actually very good. Surprisingly, we are pretty decent chefs.