Back to us | Alexia Putellas

First step.

When I arrived at the training centre for my first physiotherapy appointment I felt nervous. The nerves were different than the ones I had felt for the last week or so. Ever since I came back I had been apprehensive about bumping into Alexia at the training centre, the thought of having to face her filled me with dread, but today the nerves were different. Last night made things different. Last night had given me butterflies in my stomach, butterflies that still hadn't gone away and today I felt nervous that maybe Alexia hadn't felt the same.

As I hobbled towards the physio room on my crutches, I found my eyes peering into each room that I passed, searching for Alexia. I knew that she had a recovery session this morning with the rest of the team and I was hoping that we would bump into each other. I knew that she was probably still in the gym, but that didn't stop me searching for her.

When I had arrived at the physio room, my thoughts quickly changed from Alexia to my injured ankle. Once I was sat on the physio bench, Luisa, who is the senior physiotherapist started by removing the protective boot I had been wearing since the game yesterday. It felt nice to be able to move my ankle again, even though it was extremely uncomfortable.

Luisa started by slowly moving my ankle, checking where the pain was, before testing my range of motion. She was applying some pain relief gel when her fingers brushed against the sensitive scars on my ankle causing me to take a sharp intake of breath.

"Oh I'm so sorry! did that hurt?" She asked, quickly pulling her hands away.

"It's just the scars from my surgery, they've always been really sensitive" I explained.

"Oh, right" she said, before she began waking over to her desk.

I knew that the next part of the conversation would be about my surgery, it always was when I saw a new physio and it's not something I enjoy talking about.

"I just want to get back on the pitch... how long do you think I'll be out for?" I quickly asked, changing the subject.

"It's not as bad as we thought it was yesterday, it's a first degree sprain so you should only be out for about 3 weeks. Keep wearing the boot and using your crutches for now, but hopefully you won't need them for too long."

"Great, is that everything?" I asked, desperate for the appointment to be over. Being back in this room was bringing back memories of the months I had spent in here after my surgery.

"Yeah, I just need to put your boot back on and then you can go" she smiled reassuringly.

Once I had left my appointment I decided to call a taxi and head back to my apartment.

As I was making my way down the hall, some of the girls walked out of the gym and started heading in my direction.

"Hey you!" Mapi greeted me
"Isa! how are you doing?" Aitana asked.

"I'm ok, should only be out for a few weeks so it's not too bad. It just sucks that it happened now"

As I stood in the hall chatting to Aitana, Mapi and Ingrid about their recovery session and next week's game, I found myself tuning out. I didn't want to hear about how excited they were about the next game, because I wasn't going to be playing. I was probably being selfish, but I was upset, it was like my life had been put on pause by this stupid injury.

I was suddenly pulled out of my own head by the sound of a very familiar laugh. I looked down the hall and saw Alexia leaving the gym, joking with Patri and Pina. Her hair pulled up in a ponytail and her skin glistening with sweat from her workout, she looked amazing and I couldn't take my eyes off her, which of course she noticed, her eyes meeting mine as she walked towards us. I could feel my cheeks flush at the sudden eye contact. The butterflies were still there.

After chatting as a group for a few minutes I got a notification on my phone, letting me know that my taxi was here to take me back to my apartment.

"My taxi is here, I better get going" I announced to the group, returning my phone to my back pocket.

"Ok, we should get back to the locker room anyway, I need a shower!" Mapi replied as she began to walk down the hall towards the locker room, the rest of the girls following her.

"See you tomorrow girls" I cheered.

I was about to start making my way towards the exit, when I noticed Alexia hadn't left yet. She was stood at the side of the hall, her arms folded across her chest and her back leant against the wall.

"Hey" I greeted, my cheeks flushing even more now that we were alone.

"Hola " She smirked before uncrossing her arms and taking a step closer to me.

There was so much that I wanted to say, but now wasn't the time or place. I couldn't say nothing though, she needed to know how I was feeling. More like I needed to know how she was feeling.

"Thank you for the lift home last night, I really appreciate it. I had a great time" I smiled, looking into her hazel eyes.

Alexia took another step closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine.
"You're welcome... I would have given you a lift today if you had text me"

"I wish you had text me..." she whispered.

"I wish I had too" I mumbled, looking down at the floor to hide my flushing cheeks.

My phone buzzed again, my taxi was still waiting.
"I should get going... my taxi" I gestured towards the exit before my eyes met Alexia's again.

"Oh - ok"

I began to make my way down the hall towards the exit, needing to get to my taxi before it left without me.

As I reached the door, I heard Alexia call my name.

"Isy!"

"Yeah?" I said, quickly turning around.

"Maybe you could text me later..." Alexia shyly suggested, before turning and walking into the locker room.

It was cute seeing Alexia like that, she was never the shy one in our relationship, so I wasn't used to it. She had always been more confident than me.

Alexia took the first step in our relationship. We had been flirting for a few weeks and I think we knew that there was something more than just friendship between us, but we were both too scared to make the first move. I had wanted to try and takes things further, but my nerves had always stopped me. There were so many times when I had wanted to reach for her hand as we walked or lean over and kiss her when she dropped me home, but I was never brave enough to do it.

The first step in our relationship wasn't a big romantic gesture like in the movies, it was a small moment that meant so much.

We had been out for dinner with the rest of the team and Alexia was giving me a lift back to my apartment like she had many times before, but this time, it felt different. We would normally spend the journey talking or singing along to the music that was playing on the radio, but this time we just sat in silence. It was a comfortable silence, the kind where nothing needed to be said.

I was staring out of the window when Alexia took the first step by reaching over and placing her hand on my thigh. The moment that I felt her hand on the skin just below the hem of my dress, my heart felt like it had skipped a beat. That simple gesture told me more than words ever could, it told me that she felt the same. There was something between us.

I placed my hand on top of hers and that is where it stayed for the rest of the journey. That small moment was the start of everything. It was the start of us.

A/N - Struggled with this chapter so hope it's ok 🤞

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