The final couple of minutes of the match were a blur of adrenaline and determination. I could feel every heartbeat, every breath, as the clock ticked down. I was desperate to score the winning goal, to prove myself, to make my country proud. The tension was palpable, and I knew I had to seize any opportunity that came my way.
With just seconds left, I found myself in acres of space. Ona had the ball, and our eyes met. She understood immediately, lobbing a perfect pass over the entire England team. Time seemed to slow as the ball soared through the air. I positioned myself, took a deep breath, and in a moment of clarity, chipped the ball over Mary Earps.
I watched as the ball bounced into the back of the net. We did it! I ripped my shirt off and started waving it above my head, a surge of pure joy and disbelief coursing through me. My teammates were running towards me, the manager, and substitutes included, all of us united in that moment of triumph.
As the Spain team surrounded me, celebrating wildly, Ona was suddenly in front of me. Her hands cupped my cheeks, and before I could process what was happening, she pressed her lips to mine. The shock was fleeting, swallowed by the overwhelming elation of the victory.
When the final whistle blew, I sank to my knees, arms reaching up to the sky, savoring the sweet taste of victory. The match was over, and we had won.
As we lined up to shake hands, Leah completely ignored both Ona and me. Confusion turned to frustration as I ran over to her.
"What's your problem?" I demanded.
Leah turned to me, her eyes blazing. "You really have to ask? First you completely ignoring me, then the kiss, and now you're acting like nothing happened?"
My heart sank. "Leah, I was trying to focus on the game and the kiss, it was in the heat of the moment. It didn't mean anything."
"It didn't mean anything?" Leah repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm and hurt. "You have no idea what this looks like, do you?"
"I didn't ask for it, Leah," I pleaded. "It just happened. I'm sorry if it hurt you, but you have to understand-"
"Understand what, Eva? That you can just brush off what happened between us because of a moment of excitement?" Leah snapped.
The intensity of her words hit me hard. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. The tension was unbearable.
Leah took a deep breath, her anger giving way to something softer, but no less intense. "Look, I get it. You were caught up in the moment. But it doesn't change how it felt to see that."
Before I could say anything more, Leah turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, the weight of the victory now mingled with the weight of her disappointment.
I couldn't let it end like that. Leah's anger and hurt were palpable, and it tore at me. After the initial celebrations, I slipped away from the chaos of the locker room and found Leah in the corridor, her back to me as she gathered her things, preparing to leave.
"Leah," I called out, my voice a mix of desperation and frustration.
She turned to face me, her expression still clouded with anger. "What do you want, Eva?"
"It meant nothing," I insisted, taking a step closer. "The kiss with Ona, it was just in the heat of the moment. I didn't ask for it. It just happened."
Leah's eyes narrowed, her jaw set. "You expect me to believe that? After everything? You were celebrating with her like I didn't even exist."
My heart ached at her words. "I'm sorry, Leah. I was caught up in the excitement. It was a mistake."
Leah shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger. "A mistake? Do you even understand how much that hurt me? To see you with her, acting like it was nothing?"
Her words stung, and my own frustration started to boil over. "Leah, I'm telling you the truth! Why can't you just believe me?"
"Because actions speak louder than words, Eva," she shot back, turning to leave.
Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Don't walk away from me!"
She yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing. "Let go of me, Eva! You don't get to decide how I feel about this."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. "I love you, Leah. You're the one I want. Not Ona, not anyone else. Just you."
Leah looked at me, her expression softening for a moment before the anger returned. "You say that now, but your actions say otherwise. How am I supposed to trust you?"
Her words cut deep, and I realized just how much I had hurt her. "I don't know how to make you believe me, Leah. But I swear, I'll do whatever it takes to prove it to you."
She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Eva, I need time. I can't just forget what I saw."
As Leah and I were in the middle of our heated conversation, trying to navigate through the mess I had inadvertently caused, Ona stepped out of the locker room. She was clearly amused, a smirk playing on her lips as she sauntered over to us.
"Sorry, did I make your girlfriend upset?" Ona said in Spanish, her tone dripping with mock concern. I could feel my heart sink as the words hung in the air.
I stayed silent, not knowing how to respond. I looked at Leah, whose face turned from hurt to outright anger. Her eyes were blazing as she turned to me.
"Fuck you, Eva," Leah spat before turning to leave again. Her words felt like a punch to the gut, and I reached out, desperate to stop her.
"Leah, wait!" I called out, but she was already too far away, her figure disappearing down the corridor.
I stood there, feeling the weight of my actions crashing down on me. I turned to Ona, my anger boiling over. "What the hell, Ona? Why would you say that?"
She shrugged, looking unfazed. "I was just having a bit of fun. No need to get so worked up."
"This isn't a joke," I snapped, feeling my frustration reach its peak. "You don't get to mess with my relationship like that."
Ona raised an eyebrow, her smirk fading slightly. "Maybe you should have thought about that before letting things get out of hand."
Her words stung, and I realized she was right. I had let things spiral out of control, and now I was paying the price. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
"Just... stay out of it, Ona," I said, my voice strained. "This is between me and Leah."
She shrugged again, finally walking away. I was left alone in the corridor, the silence deafening. I had to find a way to fix this, to make things right with Leah. But as I stood there, all I could feel was the crushing weight of my mistakes.
I entered the hotel room, my exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders after the tumultuous events of the day. To my surprise, and irritation, Ona was sitting casually on the sofa, as if she owned the place.
"Ona, what are you doing here?" I sighed, not in the mood for any of Ona's antics.
"We're roommates until we get back to Spain," Ona replied, her smirk not faltering.
I felt a surge of frustration and anger bubbling inside me. This was the last thing I needed right now. But despite my annoyance, there was an undeniable pull towards Ona that I couldn't shake off. It had been over a month since I had been intimate with someone other than Leah, and in that moment, Ona seemed to offer a tempting escape from my troubles.
As guilt gnawed at my conscience, I found myself drawn closer to Ona, my resolve weakening with each passing moment. Before I knew it, we were both in bed, naked, entangled in each other's embrace. In the heat of the moment, I couldn't resist the pull of desire, but as I lay there afterwards, my mind clouded with regret and confusion.
What have I done? The realization hit me like a wave crashing over me, and I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that consumed me. I have betrayed Leah, the woman I loved, and now I was left grappling with the consequences of my actions. As sleep eluded me, I couldn't help but wonder how I had allowed myself to be drawn into such a reckless mistake.
