LOST ON YOU

46

Another day of hard training passed, but this time, when I came home, there was no one waiting for me. The silence was deafening. I missed Leah. I missed how she'd cuddle me even when I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I missed her laughter, her presence, everything about her. But now, I had to live with the emptiness.

The next morning, I got up and prepared for another grueling training session. But when I arrived at the facility, there was no one there. Confused, I decided to go outside and practice dribbling the ball to keep myself occupied. After some solo practice, I met up with the lads and joined them for our team session.

The team practice ended, and I made my way to the physio room, hoping to find the physio and discuss my progress. As I walked down the hallway, I was suddenly cornered by Leah's friends—Lia, Kim, and Beth. Their expressions were a mix of anger and concern, and their presence immediately set my heart racing.

"What's going on with you, Kai?" Lia demanded, her eyes blazing.

I took a step back, surprised by their sudden confrontation. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Beth snapped. "We know something's up. Leah's been a wreck and that's because of you!"

My heart sank. "I know. But it's not what you think. I'm not cheating on her."

Beth crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Then why are you always out late? Why do you come home so exhausted you can barely speak to her?"

"I—I can explain," I stammered, feeling the walls closing in on me. "It's complicated. I have these extra training sessions. It's for my career, for our future."

"Extra training sessions?" Kim repeated, raising an eyebrow. "And you expect us to believe that?"

"It's the truth," I insisted, my voice shaky. "I know it looks bad, but I swear, I'm not doing anything wrong."

Lia shook her head. "You're ruining her, Kai. She's miserable because of you. Whatever it is you're doing, it's tearing her apart."

"I miss her too," I said, my voice breaking. "I miss her more than anything. But I have to do this. I need to prove myself."

"To who?" Beth shot back. "Because it sure as hell isn't proving anything to Leah."

"I'm trying to make things better for us," I said desperately. "I thought if I worked harder, it would pay off in the end."

"But you're losing her in the process," Lia said quietly. "Is it worth it?"

Their words hit me hard. I realized how badly I had miscalculated. I thought I was doing the right thing, but in my effort to secure our future, I was destroying our present. My heart was pounding, the pressure and guilt overwhelming.

"I—I need to find the physio," I said abruptly, trying to escape the intensity of the confrontation. I pushed past them, my heart racing, and headed towards the physio's office.

"You do that," Kim called after me, her tone full of disappointment. "But remember, Kai, actions speak louder than words."

I didn't look back. As I walked away, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. I knew I had to find a way to make things right with Leah, but I also knew that it would be one of the hardest things I'd ever have to do.