an unlikely match// alessia russo

one

"Leah put me down!" I shout at the girl who has picked me up in order to get me out of bed.

"Come onnnn, it's the start of the new season, Emi! You need to get up and go to training before we go to play Paris FC!" Leah shouts at me, still not putting me down, making me groan in frustration.

"Leah! Our ACLs! Put me down!" I tell her off, making her drop me on the sofa whilst laughing.

Right, our ACLs, I also did my ACL last season whilst playing for Arsenal. The game after Viv did hers. So I'm technically considered as one of the 5, now 6 members of the ACL squad as Teyah has recently done hers again.

"Anyway, get ready, we need to support our club against Paris FC!" Leah lectures me, making me sigh and shake my head.

It's no surprise that I'm also further along in my rehab than Viv is, as she had to get a second operation, and I didn't, and also as I stayed in England the whole time during my rehab program.

That means that I am soon introduced back into the Arsenal squad after having to sit out for nine months now.

"Are you all packed?" Leah asks me as she comes back into the room, seemingly having left previously, with two sandwiches made, one for the both of us.

Plain ham for her, and plain cheese for me.

If that doesn't say we're platonic soulmates, what does?

"Yeah, I am, we're going to Germany for the Adidas HQ, right?" I ask Leah, as she's the clubs co-captain, so she would know the answer.

She nods in response whilst smiling before picking up her phone, telling me that Lia is here to pick us both up.

♡♡♡

"Ember!" I hear Katie shout at me, making me turn around to look at her.

"Yes, McCabe?" I ask whilst tilting my head before she comes over to sling an arm over my shoulders.

"Who ya sitting with on the plane?" She asks before my head darts round to look at Vic with a grin.

It's no secret to anyone that Vic and I have grown close, even if we've never played together as teammates, due to all the time I used to spend with Viv and Beth.

Vic smirks back at me as she walks over to grab my hand.

"Oh hell no, I'm not being around you two." Katie says whilst complaining, knowing how much trouble Vic and I get up to whilst we're together before she walks off back to her girlfriend.

"Em, have you met Alessia yet?" Vic asks me as she pulls me towards the team coach, me shaking my head in response.

"I know of her, obviously, from Leah, Beth, Lotte, and my sister, but I haven't met her yet." I say as we sit down on one of the tables, knowing Viv will probably come and join us as well, and possibly Beth or Lotte.

I begin to rest my head on Vic's shoulder before I feel myself being yanked up.

"What the fuck, Williamson?!" I shout at my best friend, making Vic laugh at me before she pulls me towards the back of the bus.

"What was that about?!" I shout at Leah as she shoves me to sit down at the back of the bus with her, Lia, and Kim.

"Language, Quinn." Kim tells me off, making me roll my eyes.

"It was so Alessia could sit with Lotte! Viv took your seat next to Vic, and I didn't think you'd complain about coming with me." Leah explains, making me smack my head against the back of my seat.

"They couldn't get a two-seater? Leave me alone, man, I wanted to catch up with Vic." I say whilst standing up and going over to a two-seater set of chairs, pulling my headphones on.