Lean on Me || Jill Roord

8. Sour, Not Sour

Another week had passed, meaning my first week of physical therapy had passed, and if I was being honest, it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be. At least not yet. This is me turning a blind eye to the breakdown I had on the first day.

Jill and I had found our routine, and we worked well together in and around my apartment. It was quite nice to have someone with me every step of the day, actually. I got my alone time when she was off at training or at an away game, which they had had this past weekend where Jill assisted a beautiful Kelly goal. I'd complimented her immediately, leaving a few texts for her to read after the match. Knowing it'd probably make her laugh.

Ellie, who was injured but not really injured, had stayed with me for the weekend to help me with anything if I needed and solely to keep each other company. She was going through her own recovery, which was entirely different than mine, but we found comfort in one another as we knew we were learning to cope with serious injuries at the same time. We cheered on the girls against Leicester on Saturday and played FIFA endlessly, which of course I won. Though Ellie did beat me once, it came to penalties, and she somehow managed to win; she had jumped up in celebration, making me roll my eyes and make excuses for the win. Ellie also hounded me when I groaned about doing my at-home stretches, which I should probably thank her for now that I wasn't upset anymore. I'd do that later.

I was sitting on the couch absent-mindedly watching the highlights of Jack's, my stepbrother's, hockey game I had missed the night before. Whenever I had time, I'd watch hockey and catch up on Jack's world, not just because he played but also because I very much enjoyed watching the sport. I'd practically grown up around it; I just never got into it because I had football. The sun, which had made its rare appearance through today's gloom, had begun to set, giving me a marvellous view. I was lucky to get an apartment where the main room's window faced west, letting me watch the rare sunsets that I cherished every time.

A knock echoed through my apartment, catching my attention as the door clicked open, revealing Jill holding multiple bags. I raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she had so many bags. "Hey, you're finally back." I gave Jill a smile while slowly pushing myself off the couch.

Her head perked up as she shut the door. "Caroline! It's nice to see you again. Did you enjoy the quiet weekend?" She set her things down by the door as I walked towards her, pulling her into a short hug.

"Wasn't all that quiet?" I began. "Ellie came by yesterday to watch the game with me, and we played a bit of FIFA as well. She rolled her eyes out of amusement, knowing my competitive side had most definitely made an appearance. As she pulled away, her hand trailed down my arm, sending a shiver through my entire body.

It was silent for a moment as I looked down at the bags before glancing up again in Jill's direction to find her eyes already on me. Her piercing green eyes pulled me in, not allowing me to look away. I searched her eyes, not recognising the look or thoughts behind them, but it made me shudder and pull my own eyes away.

I ended the silence rather quickly, not knowing exactly what I was feeling. "Great game, by the way." I turned on my heels, walking slowly with a limp but no crutches. I sat back down on the couch. "That assist was perfect."

Jill picked up her bags, taking them to my room. Her voice echoed through the apartment as she walked, "Thank you, Caroline." Caroline. She was one of a few people who called me by my first name just as often as my nickname. I had nothing against it really; if anything, I loved the way her accent pronounced it.

Moments later, I felt the couch sink beside me, dragging my attention away from the television and to the Dutch player beside me. I watched as she sat down, leaning her head back and closing her eyes with a sigh. She was tired; it was obvious. "You know you can just go to bed. I won't be too far after you." I reasoned.