How I Sapphire Young fell in love with Alessia Russo

Chapter 8

Alessia Russo's POV:

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, I gradually became aware of the world around me. Blinking my eyes open, I stretched my limbs, feeling the stiffness of sleep slowly dissipate. Beside me, Ella stirred, her movements slow and languid. She yawned, her eyes fluttering open as she greeted the new day with a sleepy smile. I returned her smile, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me.

The events of the previous day came flooding back to me in a rush of memories. The exhilaration of the World Cup victory, the jubilant celebrations that had followed-it had all felt like a dream. But now, in the quiet stillness of the morning, it was all too real. As Ella and I exchanged quiet words of greeting, I felt a surge of gratitude for her presence. She had been my rock throughout this journey, supporting me every step of the way. I knew I couldn't have done it without her. Together, we rose from our beds and prepared for the day ahead. There were sure to be more celebrations, more moments of joy and laughter as we basked in the glow of our victory. But for now, in this moment of peaceful calm, I cherished the simple pleasure of being alive and together with my best friend.

As I reached for my phone to check the time, I noticed a stream of Instagram notifications flooding my screen. Puzzled, I unlocked my phone and saw a flurry of activity centred around a comment I had left on Sapphire's Instagram post the previous night. My heart sank as I realised what must have happened. In the midst of celebrating our World Cup victory, I must have gotten carried away and left a comment that I now regretted. The thought made me cringe inwardly, knowing that my actions had caused a stir among my teammates and followers.

As I scrolled through the notifications, I could feel the weight of embarrassment settling over me like a heavy blanket. How could I have been so careless? I thought, berating myself for my lack of judgement. Beside me, Ella must have noticed my sudden change in demeanour, because she gave me a sympathetic look. "Everything okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. I forced a weak smile and nodded, not wanting to worry her with my own foolishness. "Just some Instagram notifications," I replied dismissively, hoping to brush off the situation.

But deep down, I knew that the consequences of my actions were unavoidable. I would have to face the music sooner or later, and the thought filled me with a sense of dread. As Ella and I made our way downstairs for breakfast with our teammates, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of my mind.

As Ella glanced over my shoulder and caught sight of the Instagram notifications, her eyes widened in amusement. "Looks like someone had a bit too much fun last night," she teased, nudging me playfully. I couldn't help but blush at her remark, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief at her lighthearted reaction. "Yeah, I may have been a bit... enthusiastic," I admitted sheepishly, trying to downplay the situation.

But Ella wasn't about to let me off the hook that easily. With a mischievous grin, she leaned in closer and whispered conspiratorially, "I always knew you had a crush on Sapphire from Tottenham. Guess it's not such a secret anymore!" I couldn't help but laugh at her teasing, grateful for her ability to lighten the mood. "Oh please, as if," I replied, rolling my eyes in mock exasperation. "I was just caught up in the moment, that's all."

As Ella and I made our way into the dining hall, the atmosphere was buzzing with the energy of our teammates. But as soon as we stepped through the door, I could feel all eyes on me, and a chorus of laughter erupted from the table. I couldn't help but cringe as the teasing started, knowing exactly what it was about. "Looks like someone had a wild night," Lucy Bronze quipped, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she caught my gaze. Mary Earps chimed in, her laughter infectious as she added, "I didn't know you had a thing for Tottenham players, Alessia. Is there something you're not telling us?"

The room erupted into laughter at her comment, and I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Even though I knew they were just joking, it was hard not to feel self-conscious under the spotlight of their teasing. As I took my seat at the table, the teasing from my teammates showed no signs of letting up. Sarina Wiegman, our manager, flashed me a playful grin as she leaned over to join in on the banter. "Alessia, I didn't know you had such a soft spot for footballers," she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

The rest of the team chimed in, each adding their own playful jibes to the mix. Fran Kirby gave me a knowing wink, while Millie Bright stifled a laugh behind her hand. Even our usually reserved physio, Lee Butler, couldn't resist getting in on the fun, cracking a joke about starting a fan club for Tottenham's newest admirer. Despite my embarrassment, I couldn't help but laugh along with them, grateful for the camaraderie that surrounded me. It was moments like these that made our team feel like a second family, and I knew that I was lucky to have such amazing teammates by my side.

As we settled into our breakfast, the teasing gradually subsided, replaced by easy conversation and laughter. And as I looked around the table at the smiling faces of my teammates, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude wash over me. No matter what challenges we faced on the field, I knew that with this incredible group of people by my side, we could conquer anything that came our way.

The teasing from my teammates showed no signs of slowing down, with Mary Earps leading the charge with her witty remarks. "Hey Alessia, if you're looking for a new teammate, I hear Sapphire's got some killer moves on the field," she quipped, sending the table into fits of laughter. Lucy Bronze chimed in with her own joke, nudging me playfully. "I think Alessia's got her eye on a new striker for the team," she teased, earning her a round of applause from the rest of the table. Kiera Walsh joined in on the fun, pretending to swoon dramatically. "Oh Alessia, you've finally found your true love on the football pitch," she joked, earning her a playful shove from Lotte Wubben-Moy.

Alex Greenwood couldn't resist jumping in with her own quip. "Hey Alessia, I hope you didn't hurt your foot kicking yourself for leaving that comment," she joked, earning her a round of laughter from the table. But the teasing didn't stop there. Even my own family, who had joined us for breakfast, couldn't resist getting in on the fun. My dad, always quick with a joke, couldn't help but chime in with a playful jab. "Looks like someone's got a secret admirer," he teased, winking at me from across the table. My mom, ever the comedian, added her own witty remark. "Well, if Sapphire ever needs a new striker, she knows who to call," she joked, earning her a round of applause from the rest of the table.

As the breakfast banter reached its peak, my two brothers couldn't resist getting in on the action. With mischievous grins plastered on their faces, they exchanged a knowing glance before launching into their own round of jokes. "Hey Alessia, I didn't know you were into footballers. Maybe you should ask Sapphire for some tips on how to score," my older brother teased, earning him a playful shove from my younger brother. But it was Ella's boyfriend, Joe, who had the entire table roaring with laughter with his witty remark. "Looks like Alessia's got a new goal in mind," he joked, winking at me from across the table. The room erupted into laughter at his comment, and I couldn't help but join in, grateful for the light-hearted atmosphere that surrounded us. Despite the embarrassment of my Instagram mishap, I knew that I was surrounded by friends and family who would always have my back, no matter what.

Feeling the playful energy of the room, I decided to join in on the fun, knowing that a little self-deprecating humour would only add to the laughter. "Well, if Sapphire needs a striker, I suppose I could give it a shot," I quipped, earning myself a round of chuckles from my teammates. But I wasn't done yet. Emboldened by the good-natured ribbing, I couldn't resist adding another joke to the mix. "Who knows, maybe I'll even teach her a thing or two about scoring," I added with a grin, eliciting a chorus of laughter and playful groans from around the table. With breakfast drawing to a close and the teasing beginning to subside, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the bond that held us all together. And as we prepared to face the day ahead, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for whatever adventures awaited us next.