I Told The Stars About You

24. Everything would've been easier if you were here

Alex's point of view:

I woke up and sighed, but this time with a huge grin plastered on my face. I turned my alarm off and laid on on my bed again. 'Is anything of this real?' I questioned myself. The rain, the lights, the smell of food trucks, Leah... But then, I saw the fluffy teddy bear in my bed and realised that I wasn't dreaming. All the memories flooded back; her ocean blue eyes, her soft skin, her blonde hair, her sweet scent... And suddenly, I realised, that I was in my bed staring at the ceiling with a huge smile plastered on my face.
'I look dumb' I thought. That's what love does, I guessed.
I received a new text from the unknown number.

Son of a Bitch
Tic tac, tic tac. Time flies, Alex.

I froze. Time flies? What did he mean by that statement? I decided to brush it off for the moment. I got dressed in a sports bra and some black arsenal shorts and decided to go for a run. It was deadly freezing outside, but as soon as I started running, my body felt a little bit warmer. When I was tired enough and didn't feel the cold breeze brushing my skin, I decided to rest a little bit before going back and get ready for training. I sat on the grass in a empty field. The sun was starting to rise, but it was still dark. I sighed, that felt good. But it didn't at the same time, someone was missing in there, Georgia was missing. I sighed again, and felt the terrible feeling of emptiness again.

"Uncle Monty? Can you hear me?" I asked, looking at the sky. 'Of course he can't, you dumbass..." I thought, but for some unknown reason, I kept talking.

"Do you think...? I'm doing the right thing?" I say as I remembered my uncle.
He was a tall man, he always wore his black cap of the New York Yankees. He liked baseball, he would teach me how to use a bat when I stayed at his when my parents couldn't take care of me because of their 'work' when I was too young. I still remember his contagious laugh, the way he always used to put his cap backwards, I made fun of him saying he looked like a teenager. He looked young though, he was 39 when I last saw him. Was. Ouch, that one stung... I never really got to know what really happened to him, my dad said he left the country to go with our family to Italy. My uncle was the one that taught me Italian and Spanish, as he was Italian, and he also had a Spanish girlfriend, Laura. She was very nice, she treated me as if I was her own daughter. The days I spent with them, which I wished that could be endless, were now part of my past, luckily, a good memory.

"I don't know what I did to deserve her... I mean, can you believe it? Because I can't! I really hope that everything that's happening with her goes further... You know, further than a friendship." I sighed.

"Uncle Monty, I don't understand it! She looks at me like if there was something in me that's worth looking at..." I looked at the trees that were around the field and inhaled the scent of the wet grass, and the cold morning breeze. I could see birds flying around, the sound of birds whistling reminded me of my uncle and Laura's garden, where the birds would sit on the branches of the trees around and whistle for hours. Their house was huge, Laura worked as a vice-president of a company that made chocolate snacks. She would always bring me some when I visited her, and my uncle would give me random sport items. He worked in a huge sports shop. He even gave me a tennis racket, I still have it nowadays, but at my parent's.

"Why did you have to leave? They're not worth it!" I started to pull some grass from the ground, while complaining.

"Everything would've been easier if you were here." I sincerely said above a whisper.

"I hope you're happy, wherever you are. Same goes for Laura. I also hope you two are still together." I frowned and nodded my head thinking about the idea of the two of them living their best life out there, in Italy. But the question was, why would he go to Italy? And, did he really go to Italy?

"I'll come back soon, I promise, uncle Monty." I said and started to stand up. I run again, to go home.

It was nearly 8 AM, I was in the gym, in the Arsenal facilities. It was a sunny day, the sun hadn't risen completely yet by then though. I did my classic routine, and as usual, I enjoyed it a lot. Some weights, from lighter to heavier, treadmill, and the classic push ups, but this time, after 10 minutes of intense and non-stop round, I hopped off the bar and started doing 4 rounds of planks, 1 minute and 45 seconds each, easy peasy! When I decided I was tired enough I walked to the empty and silent changing rooms, as it was early and nobody arrived yet. I grabbed my towel and had a cold shower. My muscles relaxed at the feeling of cold water brushing my skin. When I got out, I dried myself and started getting dressed with my training kit. I was only wearing a sports bra and some shorts when the door flung open and someone walked in. Usually, the changing rooms light is on, so I suppose that the person that walked in, thought that the room was empty.

"But I knew you,
Dancin' in your Levi's...
Drunk under a streetlight I- AAAHHH!" Lia jumped and started screaming when she saw me.

"Jesus Christ, Lia! You scared me!" I said laughing, she just tried to catch her breath again, putting a hand in her chest.

"No, you scared me!" She said back still a little bit breathless, which made me giggle.

Omniscient Narrator:

The training ground at Arsenal was abuzz with activity as the players prepared rigorously for the upcoming match against Tottenham Hotspur. Among them, Alex was giving her all on the field, dribbling past imaginary opponents, her focus unwavering. Coach Jonas Eidevall watched her closely, studying her determination and growth over the past few weeks.
As the training session came to a pause, Jonas approached Alex, his expression a mix of praise and encouragement.

"Alex," he began, "I've been watching you closely, and I must say, your progress has been exceptional. Your dedication in training, and even your extra efforts outside, it hasn't gone unnoticed."

Alex, slightly breathless from the drills, looked up at her coach with a mix of surprise and gratitude.

"Thank you, Coach. I've been working hard to improve and earn my place."

Jonas nodded, his voice filled with admiration. "You've surprised me, Alex. In fact, I'm considering putting you in the starting eleven for the Tottenham match."

A surge of excitement coursed through Alex's veins. The opportunity she had been yearning for was within reach, and it was a testament to her relentless efforts. "I won't let you down, Coach. I'll give it everything I've got."

Jonas smiled, patting her on the back. "I have no doubt about that."

But behind Alex's determination lay a deeper motivation. She had always thrived on success, driven by the desire to make her family proud. However, the truth was far more complex. Her parents had never truly cared for her, leaving her with scars that ran deeper than any football injury. Her real family, her sanctuary, was comprised of her closest friends: Georgia, Keira, and Lucy.

As Alex stood there, her heart pounding with the prospect of being in the starting eleven, she felt compelled to share a little more with her coach. She looked at Jonas, her brown eyes earnest, and said, "Coach, I appreciate this opportunity more than you can imagine. I like to push myself, to overwork myself, to make my family proud. It's what motivates me every day."

Jonas nodded, impressed by her determination. "That's a commendable drive, Alex. Just remember not to push yourself too hard. You're already making great strides."

Leah, who had been jogging in the background with a ball, overheard Alex's conversation with Jonas. Her heart ached as she picked up on the subtle hints and the unspoken pain in Alex's voice. Leah had always suspected that there was more to Alex's family story than met the eye, and now, hearing her talk about her "family," she couldn't help but feel a profound sadness.

Author's note:

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