who is...she?

twenty-four

alexias pov

it's been five months since the break, but some days it feels like it was just yesterday. five months since i last saw her smile at me, five months since the last time we shared something that felt like ours. it wasn't public. nobody knew. maybe that's why it hurt more—there was no one to share the weight of it with. i carried it alone.

but tonight isn't about the past. it's about now, about us as a team. we've just finished the season—another successful one, obviously. it was hard-fought, the kind of season that leaves you drained, but at the same time, proud. and now, the girls want to go out, celebrate the victories, and forget about the pressure for a while.

i look at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my jacket. i haven't done this in a while, the whole "night out" thing. my social life took a hit after the breakup. it wasn't just that i didn't want to see her, it was that i didn't want to see anyone. but tonight is different. tonight, i'm choosing to be there for my team, for myself.

leaving the apartment, the cool air hits my face as i step outside. the city lights of barcelona twinkle in the distance, the streets alive with the buzz of people going about their nights. i think about how much i love this city—how it feels like home, even on nights like this when i'm not quite sure of myself.

the club we're meeting at is a familiar one. we've been here before to celebrate big wins, birthdays, even just for fun on off-days. as i walk up, i can hear the laughter and music spilling out onto the street. the rest of the team is already inside.

as soon as i step through the doors, mapi spots me from across the room. she's already got a drink in hand, her face lighting up when she sees me. she's one of the few who knows about the breakup, about everything. she doesn't say much about it, but that's one of the things i appreciate about her. she gets it.

"ale! about time!" she calls out, weaving through the crowd to meet me. i can't help but smile. it feels good to be here. maybe it's time to let myself enjoy things again.

the night unfolds like a blur of laughter, drinks, and dancing. i forget about the weight i've been carrying for months. the girls pull me into the dance floor, and i find myself lost in the music, letting go just a little bit more with every beat. it's not just the end of the season we're celebrating—it's life. it's being here, together.

for a while, i don't think about her. i don't think about the heartbreak or the questions i still don't have answers to. instead, i focus on the now, on the people around me, on the fact that i've made it through one of the toughest periods of my life.

when the night starts to wind down, i find myself standing outside the club, taking a moment to breathe in the cool air. mapi joins me, leaning against the wall beside me.

"you doing okay?" she asks, her voice soft, but i can hear the weight behind the question.i nod, and for the first time in a long time, i mean it. "yeah. i think i'm getting there."

she doesn't push, doesn't ask for more. she just smiles, nudging my shoulder. "good. about time you came out with us again. we missed you."

i look out at the city, the lights shimmering like stars against the dark sky. "i missed this too," i admit quietly.

it's a small step, coming out tonight. just one night out with the team, just one moment of letting go. but it feels big, like i'm finally moving on. slowly, but surely. and as i stand there, surrounded by my teammates, my friends, i realize that i'm going to be okay. maybe not all at once, but little by little. and that's enough for now.

short chapter:)

also results from geelong will be in the next chapter:)

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