Number 15 - Katie McCabe

4

After explaining the story to Leah, she looks at me with remorse, her hand still resting gently on my knee. "I'm sorry, I remember that game. It was hard seeing Beth go down like that." Her icy blue eyes pierce into me, her fingers now rubbing smooth circles on my knee. What is happening.

"Yeah, I think what made me the most angry, was that Katie didn't even seem sorry about it. I know that if I had made the same mistake, I would've at least apologised." I say, still mindful of Leah's hand on my leg.

"Okay, you cannot repeat this, but Katie is too proud, and most of the time she doesn't let anyone know how she's feeling. But that game hit her hard. She was really upset." She assures me, but it doesn't really make me feel better.

"Yeah, probably because she got a red card and a match suspension." I scoff, leaning my head backwards against the couch. Leah mimics my movement, resting the side of her head on the couch to look at me.

"No, trust me, she felt horrible about what she did to Beth. I was with her after the game. I just think that she has a really hard time expressing herself and showing her emotions, especially to who she's wronged, I had never seen her cry until that day. Even I would be lying if I told you I wasn't somewhat mad at her for what she did, but I'm being completely honest when I tell you that she felt terrible after that game, and it wasn't because of her red card and match suspension." Leah says, shuffling her head closer to mine as she speaks, her hand moving from my leg to my hair. She takes her time playing with the loose strand of hair that fell out of my bun, before slowly putting it behind my ear with care, still maintaining eye contact with me and keeping her hand rested on my cheek. I feel my breath start to quicken and try not to show it, but I think she can tell, because she laughs slightly, glancing down at my lips and back up at my eyes, moving closer to my face.

"Leah..." I sigh into her hand touching my face. But before anything more can happen, the doorbell rings, shaking me out of my trance. I immediately go red as she gets up to answer the door. What the fuck was that. Beth walks through and reads the expression on my face, making a questionable look at me.

"I'll tell you later." I quietly say to Beth as Leah goes to the kitchen to get some snacks for the table. Beth raises her eyebrows and smirks at me while taking a seat where Leah just was on the couch. But I'm just left feeling anxious, not being able to comprehend what just happened. Another person walks through the door, not even bothering to ring the doorbell. It doesn't surprise me when I see that it's Katie. Her light brown hair is down and dead straight, it falls effortlessly past her shoulders, something I'm not used to seeing, normally it's up in a ponytail. Shes wearing a black, tightly fitting t-shirt that accentuates her toned body, along with some grey sweatpants that hug her muscular legs. I try not to stare. She laughs when she sees me.

"Drinking again tonight are we, Parker?" Katie says smugly while sitting on the other side of me.

"Very funny." I reply, rolling my eyes at her. After what Leah told me, it does make me feel somewhat better about the situation and about Katie. But not even close to forgiveness. I wasn't there with her after that match. How can I be sure that she's sorry if she never even showed it? I must admit though, I have been acting childish, it'll be better for the team if we can at least be neutral with one another.

"You're right, it was." She continues to laugh while taking the remote from the table and putting on a random movie without even asking Beth, Leah or I first. Sex and the City. To be honest, I wouldn't have pegged her for the type to like that sort of movie.

"So, I guess this is what we're watching?" I say, annoyed from her not being considerate of the group.

"What? I thought this was a movie night?" She replies obliviously, waving her hand at the TV.