Friends for life?

3. End of Season Dinner

Now that the season is over, early alarms and rushing through London traffic to get to training were no more. Isla had taken full advantage of having time off and spent the morning having her highlights redone and a cheeky manicure before the team night out. She wouldn't call herself high maintenance but she liked to take care of herself. Growing up playing football with the boys she'd often be labelled a "tomboy".

Why does everything have to have a label? Who says you have to dress a certain way?
Fed up of labels she decided she would be true to herself. Who said you can't play football and still be a girly girl? So that's what she done. She loved clothes, shoes, especially bags. When she moved into her current house, she had to use the wardrobe in the 2nd bedroom because the main one wasn't enough. Not to mention the vacuum bags under the bed packed full of clothes. Luckily her ex spent his time working between Glasgow, Dubai and London so there was plenty of space to store her clothes...until Leah moved into the 2nd bedroom.

6 months previously
After a long day training in the wind and rain, Isla had never been so happy to get home. A chilled relaxing night (or so she though). Bath, face mask, candles...bliss. She was woken up to the annoying Apple ringtone, eyes still adjusting she answered without checking who was calling.

Isla
Hello?

Leah
Sorry I didn't know who to phone? We're you asleep? Can you pick me up?
Literally rambling incoherently

Isla
Leah! Is that you? Where are you? It's 1am on a Wednesday...hold on are you crying?

Leah
Yeah. Can you come get me please? I'm at Sophie's but I don't think I can drive

Isla
Has something happened? Never mind, I'm on my way...

20 minutes later Isla pulled up outside Sophie's apartment. No Leah in sight...What the hell??? She was just about to call her when she heard a car door closing and there she was, old Arsenal top and a pair of shorts in her slippers. She must be freezing. Taking off her hoodie, Isla rushed to her wrapping her up, arm round her shoulder and brought her back to thee car.

She sobbed all the way back to Isla's house, unable to speak with tears rolling down her face. Since her pjs were soaked with the rain, Isla grabbed her a pair of her own and left her with a towel to get dried in the bathroom. Its gonna be a long night she thought and it was. Leah eventually fell asleep snuggled into Isla after running through what had happened that night. Leah and Sophie had broken up, this time for good. Wow training with the pair of them would be fun...

Leah moved in to Isla's spare room taking her extra wardrobe (which she still teased the younger girl about).
4 months later Isla had her own heartbreak when her relationship of 10 years ended. Nobody was to blame, they simply fell out of love with each other. It didn't make it any easier though.

Back to the present
The team had booked out an Italian restaurant in central London, some of the girls and staff would've preferred something a bit fancier but they had to cater to the fussy pair...Leah who only liked plain food and Isla who could only be described as fussy. They'd visited here regularly, before and after games at the Emirates so the staff knew the girls fairly well. After the meal, the girls had moved to a roof top bar while the staff went elsewhere. By midnight they'd decided to head to a club, Isla had decided it was time for bed. She said her goodbyes and hobbled for the exit (her knee was feeling sore by this point).

Leah
Isla, wait up you're not going home on your own

Isla
Na Leah, it's fine. You enjoy your night. Not many night out left before your at camp eh

Leah
Haha true. I'm still taking you home though. You can barely walk, how much you had to drink?

Isla
It's my knee, I only had a couple porn star martinis and some wine with dinner.

Leah
C'mere jump up

From the other side of the bar, the girls were laughing as the pair left. Isla on Leah's back.

Katie
And you lot say I'm the crazy one

Jen
Yeah but you're not cute mate

Lia
Swear they should get married already 🤣

Laughter spreading through the team at Lia's comment from everyone except Sophie

Sophie
You'd think as captain she'd act her age though

Silence... the group stated at Sophie, they were shocked she'd even question Isla as captain. She'd do literally anything for any one of them not to mention all the work she put in behind the scenes

Sophie
I'm just saying what we're all thinking.

Katie jumped from her seat and lunged towards Sophie, luckily for Sophie the team held her back. She was as feisty off the pitch as she was on it and she'd take Isla's side any day especially when it was Leah's bitter ex who was chatting shit about her