My Girl ~ Alessia Russo

London

Over the next few weeks, Hailey and Alessia continued their routine of daily phone calls. It became a comforting constant in Hailey's life, and a way for her to stay connected with Alessia, even as their lives were heading in different directions.

One afternoon, as Hailey was playing with Eleanor in the living room, her phone rang. She quickly picked it up, smiling when she saw Alessia's name on the screen.

"Hey, Alessia," Hailey greeted, balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder as she helped Eleanor stack some colorful blocks. "How's my favourite Londoner?"

"Hey, Hailey!" Alessia's voice was bright and filled with the usual energy. "I'm doing well. Just finished another tough training session, but I'm feeling good."

"That's great to hear," Hailey said, genuinely happy. "How's the team? You settling in okay?"

"Yeah, it's going really well," Alessia replied. "The girls are amazing. There's this great energy at Arsenal, and everyone's so focused on pushing each other to be better. It's definitely a step up from what I was used to, but in a good way. I feel like I'm really growing as a player."

"That's incredible," Hailey said, a note of pride in her voice. "You deserve it. I'm so glad you're happy there."

"Thanks, Hailey. I've been spending a lot of time with some of the girls off the pitch too. I've gotten pretty close with Lia Wälti and Katie McCabe. They're both super down-to-earth, and they've been really welcoming. It's nice to have that camaraderie, especially since it's all still so new."

"That sounds like a solid crew," Hailey said, picturing Alessia fitting in perfectly with her new teammates. "How's Katie? I've heard she's quite the character."

"Oh, Katie's a riot," Alessia said with a laugh. "She's always cracking jokes and keeping the mood light, even during the toughest drills. But she's also incredibly driven and serious about her game. It's inspiring to see how she balances that. And Lia's just the best. She's got this quiet strength about her, and she's so supportive."

Hailey smiled as she listened, feeling genuinely happy for Alessia. But as Alessia continued talking, she mentioned another name that made Hailey's stomach tighten slightly.

"And then there's Kyra," Alessia said, her tone warm. "Kyra Cooney-Cross. She's another new signing, and we've been spending a lot of time together. She's from Australia, so we've kind of bonded over being the new girls. She's got this really laid-back vibe, but when it's time to work, she's all in. We've been going out to explore the city together on our days off."

Hailey felt a small pang of jealousy rise in her chest, though she tried to push it aside. Alessia deserved to make new friends and enjoy her time in London, but hearing about Kyra, who was now filling the role that Hailey had once occupied, was a little harder to swallow than she'd expected.

"That's great," Hailey said, forcing a smile into her voice. "Sounds like you've found your crew."

"Yeah, it's been really nice," Alessia replied, seemingly unaware of Hailey's inner struggle. "Kyra's been a huge help with settling in. It's been fun exploring with her. She's got this adventurous spirit that's kind of infectious."

"That's cool," Hailey said, trying to sound casual. "It's good that you have someone to do that with. London's such a big city, it can be overwhelming on your own."

"Exactly," Alessia agreed. "But enough about me. How's Eleanor? And how are you? What have you been up to?"

Hailey took a deep breath, grateful for the shift in the conversation. "Eleanor's doing great. She's really starting to show her personality now. She's so curious about everything, always reaching for things and making the funniest little faces. And I've been... well, you know, just the usual. Looking after her, keeping up with the house, trying to find a moment here and there to breathe."