Fine Line

One Day at a Time

Alessia had been missing Manchester or more specifically, one particular person in Manchester.

Ella seemed so happy when Alessia had told her about her outings, her first time meeting the Arsenal Staff. The media day at the emirates. She had even FaceTimed when she was with Lotte, they had a catch up, laughing about their youth camps.

Alessia missed Ella's physical presence though, especially in the days she had nothing planned. She was left with just herself and her own thoughts. Something she used to envy but not so much anymore. Her mind plagued by worry that the move to London was too big a step for her to jump. It was make or break for her career. She could never go back to the comfort of United. That was gone now. Alessia felt like a part of her had died when she drove down the M6, her car laden with her possessions, her life. It was done.

It was late afternoon, Alessia had just got home after a day out with Lotte. Her close friend who had made the move a little easier on Alessias mind. Lotte had offered a shoulder to lean on, helping her adjust to life in the quiet of St. Albans. The flood of messages she had received from friends, family, team mates - old and new, and the fans. Some messages were brutal.

As good as Lottes comforting was, it would never compare to the comfort Alessia felt when Tooney was by her side. She hadn't realised how much she relied on Ella. The striker had always been independent and confident in her own company. But nowadays, her own company was painfully lonely.

She plonked down on an armchair in her new living room which still smelt like fresh paint and new furniture. She exhaled loudly. Lifting her phone, she unlocked it. Putting a brave face on, she FaceTimed Tooney.

She didn't want Ella to see her sad. It was a massive opportunity moving to Arsenal. She didn't want her best friend to think she was ungrateful for it. She wanted to see Ella's smile and hear her laugh. It made her feel better.

Disappointment dampened her hope to see Ella as she rang for the third time and the midfielder didn't answer.

Deep down she knew why Ella's company comforted her so much. It was something she had known for years. Something she was too afraid to admit. Admitting it would make it real and that, well... it was a very daunting thing.

In admitting it, she would need to face it, confront it and in doing that, she could loose the one person she needed most.

Ella.

Her mind flashing with memories of her earliest memory of interest in Ella. It had been in an U17s camp. They had been close friends for a little over a year. The midfielder was upset after splitting with her boyfriend, it hadn't been a particularly long relationship, but at 16 years of age, everything, no matter how small, seemed to be a catastrophe. Alessia can remember holding Ella in their room as she cried, she had caught her boyfriend cheating through Snapchat. She was devastated.

That night, Alessia had been the shoulder to cry on. She took care of Ella, listened to all of her worries over school, friends and even family stuff that the striker had never known of before.
They sat up for hours speaking in depth about eachother lives.

That night, Alessia knew that something was different with Ella. The way she felt in her gut was something she hadn't experienced before. She was too young and too immature to understand what it was.

During the camp they had shared a bed, they had harmlessly cuddled. Finding comfort away from their home and family. With Ella being as upset as she was, Alessia felt the need to reassure her, make sure that Ella knew that the blonde had her back. That is how it has been ever since.

She scrunched her face as she remembered the camp that followed after. Ella was still single, which was a shock. The brunette always had a boyfriend. Alessia remembers the feeling of hope making her step light as she thought Ella might've felt the same way. Maybe that's why she was still single. Alessia had made the mistake of confessing this little crush to her close friend. Lotte.