How I Sapphire Young fell in love with Alessia Russo

Chapter 55

Sapphire's POV:

After a week of blissful escape in Dubai, Alessia and I were heading back to reality. Our honeymoon had been everything we hoped for—a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and reconnection. But as the plane touched down in London, a sense of anticipation settled over me. We were returning to Arsenal training, and with that came the challenge of maintaining the façade we had carefully crafted.

As we drove to the training centre, I glanced at Alessia. She looked relaxed, her skin glowing from the Dubai sun, but I knew she was as apprehensive as I was. We had decided to keep our counselling sessions and the issues with Kyra private. It wasn't something we were ready to share with our teammates, not yet.

"Ready to get back into it?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"Yeah," Alessia replied, giving me a small smile. "It'll be good to see everyone again."

We pulled into the parking lot, and I took a deep breath. It was time to put on our game faces. As we walked towards the entrance, I could hear the familiar buzz of activity inside. The door swung open, and we were greeted with a chorus of cheers.

"Welcome back, Sapphire and Alessia Russo!" shouted Caitlin, a wide grin on her face.

The girls gathered around, bombarding us with questions and congratulations. There was an overwhelming sense of warmth and camaraderie, a reminder of the strong bonds we shared with our teammates.

"How was Dubai?" Beth asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"It was amazing," I replied, glancing at Alessia. "We had the best time."

"Yeah, it was perfect," Alessia added, her smile genuine.

We spent the next few minutes catching up with everyone, sharing stories from our trip while dodging the more personal questions. The atmosphere was light and joyful, and for a moment, I allowed myself to believe that everything was normal.

Training began, and as we laced up our boots and stepped onto the pitch, I felt a sense of relief. Here, in the midst of drills and strategies, there was no room for the complications of our personal lives. We were simply Sapphire and Alessia, two players focused on the game.

Throughout the session, I could feel Alessia's eyes on me. We exchanged smiles and subtle touches, small reassurances that we were in this together. It was comforting, knowing that despite everything, we still had each other's backs.

After training, as we headed to the locker room, Kyra approached us. I felt a pang of anxiety but kept my expression neutral.

"Good to see you both back," Kyra said, her tone friendly.

"Thanks, Kyra," Alessia replied, her smile unwavering.

The conversation was brief, and Kyra soon moved on. I exchanged a glance with Alessia, a silent acknowledgment of the tension that lingered beneath the surface. We both knew that the real challenges lay ahead, but for now, we were determined to keep our secrets and maintain the harmony within the team.

As we changed and got ready to leave, the girls continued to chatter around us. It was as if nothing had changed, and I clung to that normalcy. Alessia and I had been through so much, and while our journey was far from over, I was determined to make it work.

"Ready to head home?" I asked Alessia, pulling on my jacket.

"Yeah, let's go," she replied, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of determination and affection.

We said our goodbyes to the team and made our way to the car. As we drove home, the reality of our situation settled over us once more. But this time, it felt different. We had faced our demons, sought help, and emerged stronger. There was still work to be done, but I was confident that together, we could overcome anything.