London, once blue, now red

The morning after

As the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room, I stirred awake beside Leah. The warmth of Leah's body pressed against mine was a comforting embrace, yet I couldn't shake the heavy weight of guilt that settled in the pit of my stomach.

With a sigh, I gently released myself from Leah's embrace and slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake her. I quietly padded across the room towards the kitchen, looking for a glass of water. I finally found the cabinet with cups and carefully turned on the tap, trying to make the least amount of noise possible.

Katie McCabe: "Isla, what are you doing here"

Isla: "Uhh, hi". I stammered, my cheeks flushing red with embarrassment as I struggled to find the words to explain myself.

Katie: "Yeah, hi, what are you doing in my kitchen."

Isla: "Your kitchen, I didn't know you lived with Leah."

Katie: "Yeah, we have lived together for a couple years now, but you still haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"

Isla: "I was hanging with Leah, and I guess it got late, and I just crashed here." I said confidently with my answer. As soon as I turned away, I heard Katie from behind me.

Katie: "Well, the hickey on your neck implies otherwise." she says with a smirk on her face.

I rush towards Leah's room and into the ensuite bathroom. I look at my neck and lift my shirt to see hickeys lingering along my body. "Fuck" How was I going to hide these at training. As I continue to look at myself in the mirror the guilt and regret starts to overcome me once again until I feel someone's arms snake around my hips and a head lean against my shoulder. I look at her eyes through the mirror. I lift my hand to point at the hickey on my neck.

Isla: "How am I supposed to hide this? I have training."

Leah: "We can just cover it with makeup."

Isla: "What about sweat, Leah? It'll just come straight off".

Leah: "We could put a bandaid over it."

Isla: "No, I don't like them."

Leah: "Maybe no one will notice." she says as she kisses along my jaw.

I turn around in her arms to look her in the eyes.

Isla: "Yeah, no one will notice the huge bruise on my neck." i say sarcastically.

She rolls her eyes at me.

Isla: "What if people ask me who it was? What if they judge me? I'm scared, Leah."

Leah: "Hey, hey, don't be worried. It's fine. No one is going to judge you."

Isla: "Also, I ran into Katie in the kitchen. I told her we were hanging out last night, and I must have just crashed with you, and she said well, the hickey on my neck says otherwise."

Leah: "So Katie knows, I'm sure she won't tell anyone."

Katie: "Leah, we have to leave in 30 minutes; you better be ready. I am not waiting for you." she yells.

Leah: "Shit, sorry, I have to get ready; you are more than welcome to stay until you are ready to go." She says as she scrambles to prepare to leave on time.

I put on my new Arsenal shirt that I left in the car just in case until I remember I forgot to bring shorts Fuck, I think to myself.

Isla: "I can't find my shorts, Leah." I yell so she can hear me in the bathroom. She comes out and throws a pair of shorts at me.