This changes everything

Chapter 14: Back to London

I texted Leah once I arrived back in London.  We didn't really talk at all since I texted her that everything was okay.  It wasn't like we were going to break up, at least in my mind I knew that this was only for the best, I just hoped she felt the same. 

She asked me if she could come over later that day, I agreed, and a few hours later she was at my front door.  I could see she was at the front door, and that she was hesitant to knock.  I waited, until she was ready.  Five minutes later she finally knocked, and I was right there to open the door for her. 

It was awkward.  We stared at each other in the doorway for what felt like forever, even though it was a matter of seconds.  We were acting like strangers, when we were supposed to be two girls in love.  

"Hey" 

I finally spoke up, not sure what to say.  I knew where I stood, I wanted to be back with her, but maybe this time apart made her grow further away from me. 

"Hey" 

She replied back with the same. 

"Do you want to go sit?" 

She nodded and followed me to the couch.  We sat at opposite ends. More silence.  She looked rough, like the past month apart did her no good.  

"Leah, I'm sorry I left, I shouldn't have" 

She sat there quietly, like she was guilty of something, a look I've seen before. 

"You know I never stopped loving you, the things you said to me hurt, so instead of fixing it then, I just left, I should've stayed and fixed things right away, but I learned one thing in this past month, that I love you and you are my forever" 

Leah looked at me, tears in her eyes. 

"I fucked up Abi, so bad" 

A part of me knew what was going to happen, but I wished it wasn't her that was going to be doing it.  I let out a loud sigh. 

"What happened?" 

"The night you left, I was so upset, I wasn't thinking clearly and got into my head, I thought we were over" 

I stared at the ground waiting for her to continue. 

"I called Alina, she came over" 

I could feel my eyes starting to well up with tears. 

"And we kissed, but I kicked her out right after, I realized that I needed to figure my shit out, and be the girl you deserve" 

That's what Beth meant, I took a deep breath. 

"You shouldn't have had to kiss someone else to realize that" 

"I didn't think that was going to happen, in that moment I thought we were over" 

"We were on a break Leah, I never once said we were over.  I was coming back to tell you how in love I am with you and how I see a future with you, yet the night I left you invited a girl you used to love over" 

"It was a mistake, I've worked on myself so much, you're the one Abi you've always been the one" 

"That means nothing" 

"Abi please, I love you" 

"Please get out of my house" 

"Please" 

"Please just get out" 

She tried begging for me for a bit longer, she wrapped her arms around me, trying to use the comfort of her arms to reel me back to her.  Never in a million years was this something I was expecting from her. 

"Leah, please" 

She finally unraveled her arms from me, and walked out my front door. 

I didn't even have the chance to tell her I told my Dad about her. 

------ 

The next few weeks, I stayed in bed, went to work, and found myself often crying myself to sleep.  When Owen cheated and we broke up I was never mourning him, but the loss of the life I thought I was going to have, this time everything was different. 

One day Alex gave me a ring, I hadn't broken the news to her yet, but apparently she had news of her own. 

When I picked up the phone she was tilting the camera to her hand, showing something glistening on her finger. 

"Wow he finally asked huh?" 

"God it was perfect, we were in Montreal visiting his family and we were walking around old Montreal after having dinner with everyone, and he popped the question" 

"Does this mean I have Maid of honour duties to anticipate?" 

"Obviously, we've talked about this for years" 

"I don't get a proposal for it" 

"It'll be arriving in the mail in a few weeks" 

We both laughed.  The first time I laughed since living with Leah. 

"You should bring Leah! You can show her around and she can meet your mom, speaking of I want your mom there too" 

Alex's mom never really was there for her.  She worked the entire time she was in school, since her mom didn't help her financially, or emotionally.  My mom stepped in and was there as a support system for her, maybe to replace a lost child, but at the end of the day she was there when Alex's mom wasn't.  

"Yeah I'll let her know, I'm so happy for you guys" 

I couldn't tell her not now. 

----- 

Another couple weeks went by.  I was stuck in the same routine, work, bed, food, sleep, repeat.  It was technically my summer break from school, so at least I didn't have to worry about seeing Leah at Arsenal.  

My professor had reached out several times during the pandemic as he was giving me materials to look over.  He wanted me to stay sharp so when we got back I was ready to start taking in players as my own patients.  This was the one thing keeping me moving forward, it was something to look forward to. 

Another thing I decided to do was get a dog.  I've always wanted one, but it's something I've been putting off due to the craziness that has been my life this past year, so as a celebration of my one year anniversary of being in England, I went to one of the dog shelters in London and fell in love. 

His name was Olly, short for Oliver.  He was a 3 year old German Shepard and as soon as I laid my eyes on him, I was in love.  

On the nights I wasn't working I found myself on the couch, with Oliver curled up next to me, glass of wine in hand, while looking over one of the research papers my professor had given to me.  One of those nights, I wasn't expecting anyone, yet there was a knock at my door. 

I opened the door to find Beth Mead standing on my doorstep. 

"Beth, what're you doing here" 

She just pushed past me to get into my house, she was clearly on a mission.  Olly started barking and I had to go calm in down, letting him now she was a friend, maybe he had the police dog gene in him. 

"That's new" 

"Yeah I got him a couple weeks ago, his name's Olly" 

She went to go stroke him, still not revealing the real reason she showed up. 

"Why are you here?" 

"We need to talk, about Leah" 

------ 

A/N:  

-I haven't done a cliff hanger in a while so I thought I would do one for you 

-Sorry all, I kinda wanted to stir up some drama also did anyone catch my friends reference. 

-Watching the England game today was devastating, they did so well, but it was so heartbreaking, they really did everything they could :( 

-As always thanks for the love:)