(Daniëlle Van de Donk and Ellie Carpenter)
Daniëlle van de Donk sat on the balcony of their shared apartment in Lyon, her eyes fixed on the twinkling lights of the city below. The night was cool, a gentle breeze ruffling her dark hair, but she barely noticed the chill. Her thoughts were elsewhere—far from the city she now called home, far from the field she had dominated so many times before.
Inside, Ellie Carpenter moved quietly around the apartment, the sound of dishes clinking as she cleaned up from their dinner. She glanced toward the balcony every few minutes, her heart heavy with concern. Daniëlle had been distant lately, and Ellie didn't know how to reach her.
It wasn't like Daniëlle to pull away. The Dutch midfielder was usually the life of the party, full of energy and passion, both on and off the pitch. But over the past few months, something had changed. Daniëlle had become withdrawn, her once vibrant personality muted. She still played with her usual intensity, but there was a shadow hanging over her, one that Ellie couldn't quite understand.
Ellie knew that Daniëlle was struggling, but every time she tried to talk about it, Daniëlle would brush her off, insisting she was fine. Ellie had tried everything she could think of—small gestures, words of encouragement, giving her space—but nothing seemed to work. The distance between them grew, and with it, Ellie's fear that she was losing the person she loved most in the world.
Tonight, Ellie decided to try once more. She set down the last of the dishes, wiped her hands on a towel, and stepped out onto the balcony. The city was quiet, the stars dim in the glow of the city lights.
"Hey," she said softly, sitting down beside Daniëlle.
Daniëlle didn't respond at first, her gaze still lost in the distance. Ellie's heart ached at the sight. She reached out, gently touching Daniëlle's arm.
"Dani, please talk to me."
Daniëlle blinked, as if coming back to reality. She turned to look at Ellie, her eyes tired, with dark circles under them. "I'm sorry, Els," she whispered. "I don't know what to say."
Ellie's hand tightened on Daniëlle's arm. "Just tell me what's going on. I'm worried about you."
For a moment, Daniëlle hesitated, her mind wrestling with the words she'd kept bottled up for so long. She had always prided herself on being strong, on being able to handle anything that came her way. But this... this was different.
"I don't know if I can keep doing this," Daniëlle finally admitted, her voice cracking with emotion. "Football, the pressure, the expectations... it's all just too much sometimes. I feel like I'm losing myself."
Ellie's heart broke at the raw pain in Daniëlle's voice. She had known that Daniëlle was struggling, but hearing her say it out loud was different. "You don't have to do this alone, Dani. I'm here for you. Always."
Daniëlle looked down at their hands, Ellie's fingers laced through hers. "I don't want to be a burden," she said quietly. "You have your own career, your own dreams. I don't want to drag you down with me."
"You could never drag me down," Ellie said firmly. "You're not a burden, Dani. You're the person I love, and I want to help you through this. We're a team, remember?"
A small smile tugged at the corners of Daniëlle's lips, the first genuine smile Ellie had seen from her in weeks. "I know," she said softly. "I'm just... scared. Scared that I'll never be good enough, that I'll let everyone down."
"You won't," Ellie said, squeezing her hand. "You're one of the strongest people I know. And even if you're struggling right now, that doesn't change how amazing you are. It's okay to ask for help."
Daniëlle nodded slowly, tears welling up in her eyes. "I just don't know how to fix this."
"We'll figure it out together," Ellie promised. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. Just let me in, okay? Let me be there for you."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Daniëlle let herself lean into Ellie's embrace, the weight on her shoulders easing just a little. She didn't have all the answers, and she didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel completely alone.
"I'll try," Daniëlle whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'll try to let you in."
And as Ellie held her close, Daniëlle began to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back to herself—with Ellie by her side.
