I didn't choose her, my heart did

The reunion

Keira's POV:
The door opened and I held my breath. I knew this was going to be a difficult conversation and I didn't know how long I would be inside. I didn't expect to see that beautiful smile I always see when Lucy opens the door, but I also didn't imagine she would break down and start crying.

I did not hesitate and walked straight to Lucy. I hugged her tightly. God, how I had missed her. Everything about her I had missed: her smell, her voice, and having her so close to me. When I grabbed her, she was startled for a moment, but then she relaxed. I didn't know what to do, so I just repeated, "Everything will be all right, Lucy." But every time I said it, she shook her head. Fuck, I really screwed up.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, until her breathing calmed down. I looked at her and used my thumbs to wipe away the remaining tears. As I did so, she didn't even dare to look at me. It hurts me so much to see her like this. But it hurts me even more to know that I was the cause. When she calmed down, I pulled her up and we stepped to the sofa in complete silence, where she plopped down. I went to the kitchen and filled a glass of water for her, which I then offered. But all this time, she hadn't said a word to me or looked at me.

Lucy's break in silence broke the tension in the room. Her voice sounded sharp and full of pain as she asked me, "Keira, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your wonderful girlfriend?" Her words felt like a slap in my face, but I had to control my emotions. "Lucy, please, don't do this. It's already so hard," I whispered, looking at her with concern.

Her gaze avoided mine when she first spoke, "Ah, sorry, it's hard for you! Keira, stop always playing the victim! It's not always about you!" My heart pounded in my throat as I tried to respond. "Lucy, do you think I like this? If I didn't care about you, I wouldn't be standing here!" My voice trembled with emotion as I tried to express my feelings.

It seemed my words struck a chord, because Lucy remained silent and looked away. I took a deep breath and began more calmly, "Lucy, I am here because I am worried about you. I want to talk about what happened yesterday." Her shocked gaze met mine. "Are you saying it's my fault for what happened at the party?" Her tone was defensive and I knew I had to be careful with my words.

"No, Lucy, I don't mean that," I replied quickly, hoping to calm the situation. But my next words only caused more tension. "But I went to the party to have a good time, and you screwed that up again, didn't you!" My frustration seeped through my voice, but I immediately realised that I had only made things worse.

Lucy responded brightly, "Keira, grow up. Life is more than just partying and having fun. Look around you too. Think about the people around you too instead of just your own desires!" Her words hit me like a sledgehammer blow, and I knew it would take more than excuses to heal the rift between us.

Lucy's POV:

My thoughts raced through my head as Keira looked at me, as if she could decipher my deepest secrets. "That you have a problem with me is fine then, but what does Leah have to do with this?" Keira's directness threw me off balance for a moment. I swallowed and tried to get my thoughts in order. It was time to be honest, even if it felt like a leap of faith.

"I... euhh..." my voice trembled as I searched for the right words. But before I could continue, Keira interrupted me in a calm tone: "Come on, Lucy. I want to do everything I can to be like before, but we have to learn to communicate and be honest."

Those words penetrated me. Keira was right. I had to be honest, no matter how hard it was. What was the worst that could happen? I had lost Keira now anyway. I took a deep breath and met Keira's gaze. "I acted that way towards Leah because... I was jealous of her," I finally confessed, my voice soft but sincere.

Keira looked at me confused for a moment, her eyes searching mine as if they were looking for the truth behind my words.

"What do you mean?"

"Keira, all evening you didn't speak to me or even come near me," I began, my voice softer than I would have liked. "I just couldn't bear to see you happy with someone, anyone other than me. I know it sounds selfish, but for the last few months we've been together constantly. I had also hoped we could party together that night after that tough period you had. So I'm also sorry for ruining this for you. I just want you to be happy, and if Leah makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. By the way, you guys look like a nice couple."

Saying that last sentence was way too hard for me, but I knew I had to say it.

Keira looked at me even more confused and then began to speak with a small smile. "Lucy, me and Leah have been best friends since we were 13. So because she plays for Arsenal, I haven't seen her much lately. I was just happy to see her. Me and Leah are not a couple though. I never said myself that I fall for girls." Shit. I had been completely wrong. Keira had indeed never spoken about her previous relationships and her sexuality. How cliché could it be? Falling for your straight best friend.

"Euh, sorry, I wasn't thinking, but I thought..." I stopped myself mid-sentence, embarrassed at my thoughtless assumption.

"Chill, Lucy, it was just a joke," Keira said, widening her smile. It did me good that she was trying to lighten the mood a bit. It did me even more good to know that so I wasn't flirting with a straight girl all this time after all.

Keira spoke again, "I didn't come to you because of what happened on the dance floor. What would have happened if Leah hadn't pulled me away?" What would have happened? It would have been the best day of my life. But I calmed down immediately. "I don't know, but surely we can't ignore the fact that there is something. Normal friends don't flirt or wear each other's clothes anyway."

Keira looked at me. "What if we just start over now and see where it leads us?" A big burden fell off my shoulders. It was our first fight ever, and probably not the last. But I knew that if we talked about it like adults, we would work it out. So I reached out my hand. "'Nice to meet you. I'm Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze, England and City's right-back. I can act like a little kid when I'm jealous. Oh, and don't forget: I also happen to be the best roommate in the world." Keira smiled. How I missed this smile.

I was still waiting for Keira to grab my hand, but instead she slapped it away. "Come here, idiot," she said before pulling me into a hug. This one was different from the hug we had shared earlier in the corridor. This was like a promise hug. I broke the silence. "I'm so glad I didn't lose you." Keira pulled me even closer to her and whispered in my ear. "That will never happen, I will always be there for you."

AN: They couldn't stay mad at each other for too long, right? I hope you are all okay!