You're The One ~ Ellie Roebuck

Chapter Fourteen ~ Truth

A week had passed since I left the girls in Manchester. A week had passed since I had spoken to any of them. I'd spent the time at home with my parents and my brother, Sammy staying over most nights too.

After their second friendly match during the week, the England camp had come to an end and it was almost time to start Arsenal training again.

Could I do it?

Another big thing was Ellie. I didn't know what to do, what to say to her, how to speak to her. She had seen me vulnerable now and there was no going back at all. She had messaged me a few times but I never answered, deciding to leave them all on unread.

* * *

Ellie🧸

5 days ago
E: Hey, Hope you got home safe, let me know if you need anything at all x

4 days ago
E: you're probably not in the mood to talk right now but I really hope you're okay, I'll leave you alone but know i'm always here x

Yesterday
E: T I'm getting really worried now, please message me, I need to know you're okay, I'm here for you.

Today
E: Call me when you can, I'm coming down to London, I'm not letting you do this to yourself!

* * *

I read that message and began to panic, not only was I going to have to talk to her about that night, I was going to have to do it in person, she would see my vulnerable side again and I could not let that happen.

Sammy had tried to convince me to let my walls down more. She knows me and she knows what I do in situations like this. I go into self destruct mode and end up hurting everyone around me. Sammy had been part of that multiple times before.

Deep down I was hoping that whoever gives her my address, most likely Leah, would give her my apartment address and not my parents house where I had been hiding for a week. I didn't want Ellie to find me, I couldn't do it. Not only had she seen a side of me that hardly anyone has seen, I've ignored her for days since kissing her after the game... she was bound to hate me.

I'm brought away from my thoughts by a knock on my bedroom door.

"honey, I'm just popping out but... you might want to go downstairs," my mom said as she entered my room. Confused, I followed her downstairs, kissed her goodbye and then walked into the living room, only to be met by that pair of blue eyes that I'd missed so much. but, the fear of having to tell her everything crept up on me and I just froze on the spot.

"Hey," she said quietly. she sat there wearing wide leg jeans and a jumper, looking beautiful.

"erm, hi," I said, not sure how to approach the girl I had ignored for days since I last saw her.

"I did erm.. I did message you," she started to explain.

"I saw..." this was it, "I'm sorry I haven't replied," I admitted, looking down at my feet embarrassed.

"Why haven't you?" she asked, she wasn't angry though, she seemed really and genuinely concerned for me. I could feel the tears forming in the corners of my eyes and clearly Ellie saw them because she stood up instantly and pulled me into a hug.

I realised what I was doing and quickly stopped myself, pushing the blonde off me and wiping away a stray tear.

"you need to leave," I told her bluntly, she just looked at me confused. This was going to stay a secret whether she wanted it to or not. she opened her mouth to speak but I spoke first, "I know you've come all this way but I never asked you to, you need to leave," I told her.

"Tara, no I'm not leaving you,"

"Yes Ellie, you are," I said back a little angrier this time.

"No Tara, you're not listening to me, I'm not leaving you," she insisted, trying her best to stay calmer than me.

"Ellie please! just go!" I shouted. This is what Sammy had been on about.

"So this is what you do? you tell me you like me, you feed me all this shit, you kiss me after your debut, I stick up for you against a grown man threatening to hurt you and you kick me out?" Ellie says, hurt lacing her voice

I take a second to think before my thoughts over take me again.

"get out," I say one final time.

"fine... but don't come running back when you realise that I actually cared about you," she spits out, leaving the room and closing the front door.

I had done it again.

I'd let someone go because of my pure ignorance and inability to think about others. my selfishness had won again and now I was left here alone. with no one to hold me.

there was only one person who could help me here.

"Leah?" I sniffled down the phone

"Tara? hey what's wrong?," noticing my state through the phone, "I'm on my way where are you?"

"I'm at my mums," I sobbed out.

"okay, hang in there, I'll be as quick as I can," she told me before hanging up and leaving me in silence again.

Although Leah didn't know the story of what happened between me and Aaron the night we broke up, she's the only one who understands me the way she does. I can talk to her about anything and everything and feel heard with every word. Leah was who I needed right now.

Leah's POV!
"okay, hang in there, i'll be as quick as I can," I said, grabbing my keys and racing out the door. I've seen Tara upset before, I've seen her pretty bad if i'm honest, but the girl sounded broken right now, she needed help.

I managed to get to her within ten minutes and as soon as I knocked on her door, she was in my arms, holding onto me tightly.

"shh shh, you're okay, i've got you," I whispered, walking us both into the house and closing the door. As I stood there in her hallway, her sobbing into my chest, I knew I needed to be stern with her, she had to tell me everything.

"Tara, what happened?"

"I hurt her Leah, I pushed her away, I kicked her out," she whimpered looking up at me and I instantly knew who she was on about.

"oh Tara,"

"I'm so stupid but... but I can't tell her," she told me.

"Tell her what?"

"what he did to me," she said and she finally made eye contact with me. was she really going to tell me the truth? I guided her to the living room and she sat with her head on my chest.

"I'm going to tell you everything," she said through quiet sobs. Those were her final words before I realised the truth of what the poor girl had been through on her own...