𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐥𝐲 ★ katie mccabe

prologue

JULY 2021,
London

BREAKING NEWS:

Irish national players Maura Clarke and Katie McCabe were involved in a dramatic car accident last night, according to a statement issued by both the Arsenal Women's Football Club and FC Barcelona Feminin. The footballers, who have been openly dating for just six years, were apparently on the road to their London home when Maura Clarke, who was driving, lost control of the vehicle.

Following the accident, Arsenal Women's Football Club has confirmed that their player, Katie McCabe, walked away from the accident with minor injuries, while stating their thoughts and prayers to be with Clarke's family.

FC Barcelona have confirmed that 24-year-old Maura Clarke is in unconscious and critical condition, and have asked their supporters for privacy in this difficult situation.

The Arsenal star, Katie McCabe, has yet to speak on the matter, whereas both FC Barcelona players, Arsenal players as well as Irish teammates have offered their thoughts and prayers to Maura Clarke and her family.

JUNE 2023,
Dublin

"Stop reading that, Maura", Mum scolded me. When I looked up, I saw her hand lie on my left shoulder, and I slowly put my phone down, huffing.

We were sitting in the kitchen of our little house just outside of Dublin, where I had stayed for a year and a half before moving back to Barcelona. Rain splattered against the window, mirroring my dimmed state. It was fairly early summer, with the Women's World Cup just around the corner, but the weather in Dublin didn't share the excitement of the world. It put a stop to my own excitement, as well. Or maybe I was simply left alone with my thoughts for a while too long, after returning from Barcelona and all of a sudden swamped with my family's presence and the lack of distraction.  I smiled at Mum, who put a plate of stew down in front of me before taking her own seat. Dad was working late today, as he had for the past week, and we fell into silence shortly after. That was until Mum started speaking again.

"Are you nervous?"

Nervous. It wasn't the word I'd use to describe my current mood. Of course it wasn't easy going back to the campus for the Irish national camp, for the first time in two years, but it was something that I had prepared for - with therapy and pep talks from Ruesha - for a very long time now. I knew what was coming onto me- I knew which faces I'd see again, I knew which people would be surprised to see me there and which expected me to make my official comeback tomorrow. I knew which articles would be published next week, I knew there would be rumours and lies and then-

Then I also knew there would be Katie.

My Katie. Katie McCabe, who hadn't been my Katie in 23 months. Who hadn't been my Katie since the night of the fourth of July, 2021. Since that night- the night that had changed everything. The night I'd escaped death by mere inches.

Katie's and mine relationship hadn't come to a sudden stop, at least not to her. We'd felt ourselves slipping out of each other's grip slowly for a while, screaming at each other over nothing or crying in each other's arms knowing things weren't the way they used to be, but I'd figured it was normal for a relationship to change over time. I'd been hopeful for us to work our way through this.

I'd first met Katie when I was eighteen, in my first Irish camp, and we'd clicked immediately, the superstar asking me out on a date soon after. The first time things had become difficult was merely a year later, when I decided to leave the Shamrock Rovers, taking the opportunity to play for the University of North Carolina for a semester. When I hadn't gotten another offer and had been left with no place to go to other than back to Dublin, I'd decided to extend my contract with UNC, and even though Katie had told me she understood, I knew she hadn't. Katie and I were different in these things- while she'd made herself at home in Arsenal, with her new teammates (and future girlfriend) and coaches, I'd longed for a new challenge to grow on, for new teammates to learn from.