Fine Line

Tea and Nans Biscuits

Ella walked back into their quiet room. Clean stack of Laundry in her arms. The door shut behind her silently. She felt the subtle breeze grace her face as she walked down the hall into their room. Looking across and out onto the balcony she seen her room mate sat with a solemn demeanour. Slouched down in her chair with a black Nike hoodie draping her frame and hood hiding her soft blonde hair.

She laid the laundry down on her own bed, silently observing her friend from a distance as she sorted through the fabrics, making a pile for the striker and putting her own items away.
Alessia hadn't moved an inch. Ella debated whether she had fallen asleep, it was only 7pm but the striker had been training, hard. The midfielder could sense an emotion in her best friend, one rooted in frustration. But at what? Ella needed to find out. Seeing Alessia like this was a rarity. She'd forget sometimes that the striker had her own battles, with her always being so positive. So happy. So kind. But she's only human.

Tooney noticed that Alessia had snapped back at their performance coach in their session earlier. Truth be told, it wasn't really a snap, but it was for Alessia. She would never usually back chat any staff or team mates, even if she disagreed, she would wait to speak to them when it was convenient. Her actions hadn't raised any eyebrows but it did tell Ella something definitely wasn't right.

Ella reached for her bag in the wardrobe, knocking over a can of deodorant as she pulled it from the shelf, she scrunched her face at the sheer volume of the can hitting the marble floor. Closing the door to the wardrobe and throwing her bag on her bed, she looked back out onto the balcony. She could only partially see the edge of Alessias cheek, nose and eyelashes, the rest of her face covered by her hood.

"You okay?" Alessia croaky voice asked softly before she cleared her throat.

"Yeah Less, sorry." Ella responded equally as soft and watched as the striker rescinded into her previous position.

Ella opened her bag quietly rummaging through and finding what she desired. An old metal tin, removing it from her bag she smiled. Making her way over to the desk beneath the TV of the room. She boiled the kettle, making a cup of tea. Ella then grabbed her favourite blanket, one she had for years. It was heavy but not too thick, perfect comfort. She tucked it under her arm, grabbing the tin she had pulled from her bag in one hand and the cup of tea in the other.

Ella glided outside onto the balcony. She visibly startled Alessia, who was more than likely expecting Tooney to leave her sulk alone. She didn't seem annoyed by the midfielder's presence though. If anything, her face seemed to carry a small glow.

"Oh!" Alessia smiled, raising her brows and sitting up as Ella leant over her, placing the cup on a table next to her.

Alessia watched her as she opened the blanket held in her hand, tucking it around her exposed legs before laying a tin on her lap.

"What all this?" The striker giggled, Ella pulled over the other chair.

"Open it" Ella smiled over.

Alessia popped open the tin, a warming smile curling her lips as she tilted her head.

"Tooney..." Alessia weakly looked across to Ella, whose eyes were fixed on the scenery off the balcony.

"No. I don't wanna 'ear it. Just don't eat them all cause they're meant to last me to the end of the tournament" Ella briefly looked across at Alessia.