Love and secrets (OC x Leah Williamson)

Chapter 27 - why me?

3 months later

It was now March, Barcelona was starting to feel warmer and the leaves on the trees were sprouting in the normal shade of green.

I was walking through a busy part of the city before training about to meet up with some of the girls at a caffe.

The time I had been spending with everyone in the past month really payed off. Ingrid became more like a sister than a friend and we spent nearly every day together whenever we could.

Sometimes we wouldn't even do anything we would just sit on my couch in my apartment and watch a film, but other days we would go out maybe just for a walk or do something.

We had become so close I couldn't even imagine my life without her anymore.

Me and Leah had been more distant, but still kept in contact. I had always meant to text her, ask her about her day, just a quick I love you or even just a hello. Somehow I always ended up forgetting and getting caught up in something.

However it just made our FaceTime calls more enjoyable and more fun. I had also been to London a couple times to visit and went to watch the lionesses on international breaks as recently I haven't been selected as much due to my lack of game play.

Although yesterday I was told by Jonatan I would be starting next game. I was beyond happy and couldn't wait.

Because of this news it meant I was training harder in the gym this week to make sure I was strong and match fit in time for the game. Although all my teammates and staff are saying if I go too far I risk the chance of injury, I tell them every time I know my body and I know my limits.

I walked down a small alleyway, although I would associate the word alleyway with a dark and dirty place this one was quite pleasant, bright and clean. I saw the coffee shop on the corner and walked in.

I went over to the table that had Ingrid, Lucy, Mapi and Alexia sat at it. I sat down next to Ingrid and saw she had brought me a hot chocolate already "thank you." I said to her with a big smile. She simply smiled back at me in return before we both jumped into the conversation being had over the table.

While we drank our drinks we chatted about everything going over the upcoming game and just general conversation.

"So Ella, how you feeling about your first start in a Barca shirt?" Lucy asked me.

I smiled and that gave them half the answer "let me guess, happy but nervous?" Alexia questioned, I simply nodded and looked a little disappointed as I didn't want them to know I was nervous.

They had all played so calmly for Barca for what felt like forever but every time I play I get scared.

Ingrid put her hand on my shoulder grabbing my attention once again "it's okay to be nervous, I was nervous on my first start. If I'm being honest I still get nervous before any game. It's normal, try not to overthink it you know you can play so show the world." Ingrid said encouraging me.

"Thanks Ingrid, I don't know why I'm so nervous, I wasn't nervous for my first Chelsea start but somehow this is different." I said confused.

"And it will be, you're playing for a whole new club in a whole new country with a whole other team. It's going to be different, if everything was easy how would we feel any kind of joy when we are successful?" Alexia said, she always had a way of explaining things that just made everything make sense and feel easier.

Once we finished our drinks we all left the coffee shop, me and Ingrid decided to go on a walk through the city and just talk together while the others all went in their separate ways, probably home.