Through Her Eyes - Alexia Putellas

Chapter Nineteen

August 24th.

The day that Emily Palmer died. Fourteen years ago marked the beginning of Valerie's end, the woman haunted every day by the memories that she and her childhood best friend shared.

The memory that Valerie treasured the most was when she, Leah and Emily snuck out of their dormitory at the Arsenal camp and laid on the pitch until people realised that they were missing and came searching for them.

"That star is the brightest!" An eight-year old Valerie yelled, facing her toothy grin upwards as they laid on their backs and pointed up at the stars above.

"No, that one is, stupid." A nine-year old Leah reprimanded, rolling her eyes playfully as she pointed at another star nearby—followed by her younger sister's disapproval.

Whereas the young girl in the middle who was the same age as Leah started laughing at the two sister's antics, she was the oldest out of the two (by two months) and constantly had to listen to their arguments.

"You're both wrong," No one argued with Emily, because everything the girl said was ultimately true, "That one is." She pointed directly above them, and she was right followed by Leah's quiet grumbling.

The three laid in silence and stared at the shining star above them, mesmerised by its beauty in the same way they look at Emily in admiration.

Since birth, the three were together and went to the same primary school, they even joined the same football team for Milton Keynes, until the trio were fortunate enough to be scouted for the Arsenal camp together.

Everything that the trio did was together—something that they thought they would always live by. 

"What's so important about a star anyway? We'll never touch it." A young yet childish Valerie moaned, earning amused glances when she crossed her small arms over her chest.

"A star's light travels the universe, long after it dies. Don't you think that's cool? A light that lingers even after it's gone." Emily smiled wistfully, reaching her hand up in the air before letting it fall back down to her side, causing the two sisters to giggle childishly.

A light that lingers even after it's gone.

That night of August 24th, Emily Palmer and her mother were killed almost instantly in a car crash when they drove back home, after her contract at Arsenal was terminated and she was left to survive alone. Without Valerie and Leah by her side.

Valerie smiled to herself as her finger tenderly brushed across her tattoo, admiring the inked star and how she almost deluded herself into believing it was her bestfriend, sending her a hidden message.

Suddenly, her phone began to flash incessantly which brought Valerie out of her delirious state.

"¿Hola?" (Hello?) Greeted Valerie without looking at the caller ID.

"Good morning hermosa," the familiar raspy voice of her captain made the woman blush as she hurriedly looked at the screen, laughing slightly at the name as she had yet to change it—Captain Annoying.

"Oh... Good morning, Ale. Is there a reason you're calling at 8AM?" Valerie wondered, checking her watch as her mind came up blank as to why the woman would be calling.

"I thought I'd come pick you up and we could—could go to training together?" The Brit could sense the blush on the other woman's cheeks as she said so, amusement filling her.

Though, Valerie also felt a wave of panic over the thought of being in a car. The fact that it was the very thing that brought Emily to an end, and the looming shadow of doubt overclouded her.