control - Alexia Putellas

25.

reminder: read carefully 💭

Glad that she got to talk things out with Erin, Alexia found her peaceful sleep a couple of hours later, slowly but surely processing the events of this turbulent day.

She got up early the next morning, followed her daily routine on the foam roller, took a cold shower after, and before she knew it, she found herself at the breakfast buffet, a smaller plate packed with fresh fruit in hand.

Deep in her thoughts as the captain was loading half a kiwi onto her plate, it was a higher-pitched voice that snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Capitána!", Martha grins as she strides into the room, disturbing the midfielders peaceful silence as she snatches a plate for herself, loading it with some delicacies of the gigantic selection of food that the head coach had organized for his professional athletes.

At least the food offered was professional.

"Bon dia, Martha", the midfielder mumbles, rolling her eyes as she pours herself a glass of freshly pressed orange juice.

Of course she wouldn't be allowed to be alone for a minute.

"I talked to Erin yesterday... is it right that you requested me as your therapist because Jorge misrepresented the situation to the press to his advantage?", the black-haired wonders, loading her plate with a pain au chocolat, as well as a smaller fruit variation.

Swallowing, the midfielder looks at Martha, the confrontation with Erin, and the nightmare regarding Jorge yesterday, once again replaying in her head.

It shouldn't have gone that way.

She should've been in control.

"Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound, Martha", was the captains stern response, her voice confident as she turns away, wondering which table she had to choose to be able to sit alone.

Or whether she should take her breakfast right upstairs with her.

She wasn't in the mood for talking.

"No that's not what I mean... Erin was sad, but I think, well... she likes you. She'll be fine. But I'm mad at Jorge. I mean... I know he's an asshole, but... I didn't expect him to lie to the press", Martha shrugs, reaches for one of the white cups and places it under the coffee machine, before pressing the cocoa button.

How would she behave if she had caffeine?

"She... likes me?", was the only important information Alexia was able to draw from this statement.

She felt her heart skip a beat.

Could Erin really like her? Like, like like her?

"That's not the point, capitána", Martha nudges her, trailing behind Alexia like a little dog, and towards the table in the corner of the room, plate with croissants and the cocoa in hand, as she continues, "I just thought you requested me because you realized I was the better therapist"

That had Alexia look up, sparkling hazel eyes looking at her friend as an ironic smile forms on the captains tender lips.

"Um...", she stammers, eyes wide.

"I should have known it was wishful thinking", Martha mumbles to herself, shrugging, and plops down on the chair beside Alexia, immediately shoving the pain au chocolat into her mouth, taking a bite, before wondering with her mouth full, "What is her secret?"

This had the two time Ballon D'Or winner look up from her own plate.

"Um... w-what?", the midfielder replies, her eyes wide as she pops a piece of kiwi into her mouth.