Crossing Lines - a Lucy Bronze story

1: The Decision

Lucy Bronze stood on the balcony of the apartment she shared with Ona Batlle, her gaze fixed on the shimmering lights of Barcelona's skyline. The city was alive with its usual vibrancy, but for Lucy, the buzz of the streets below felt distant and muted. Tonight, the decision she had been wrestling with for weeks was finally clear in her mind, and it weighed heavily on her heart.

She had always known that being a professional footballer meant making sacrifices. But she never imagined one of those sacrifices would be the person she loved most. Lucy sighed, running a hand through her hair as she replayed the conversation she had with her agent earlier that day.

"They're offering you a great deal, Lucy. Chelsea's been looking to strengthen their defense, and they want you. You'd be close to family, close to home," her agent had said, his voice tinged with excitement.

Home. The word had stuck with her. England was where she'd grown up, where her family still lived, and where her football career had truly taken off. But Barcelona had become home too. The city had embraced her, and Ona had become her anchor, grounding her in ways she had never expected.

Ona. The thought of her girlfriend brought a fresh wave of guilt crashing over Lucy. How was she supposed to tell Ona that she was considering leaving?

Lucy sat on the edge of the bed, her heart pounding in her chest. The sun had set, and the once bright room was now filled with shadows, mirroring the darkness she felt inside. Ona would be home any minute now, and Lucy knew she couldn't delay the conversation any longer. She had to tell her the truth.

The sound of the door opening echoed through the apartment, and Lucy's breath caught in her throat. Ona's light footsteps approached, and a moment later, the bedroom door creaked open.

"Hey," Ona greeted with a warm smile, her voice soft. She walked over to where Lucy sat and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "How was your day?"

Lucy forced a smile, but it felt unnatural, fake. "It was... okay. How was training?"

"Exhausting, but good," Ona replied, kicking off her shoes. She plopped down beside Lucy and began to pull off her socks, clearly oblivious to the tension in the air. "You wouldn't believe what happened at practice—"

"Ona, we need to talk," Lucy interrupted, her voice strained.

Ona froze, her hands mid-motion. She looked up at Lucy, her smile faltering. "What's wrong?" she asked, concern filling her eyes.

Lucy took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "I got an offer today... from Chelsea."

Ona's brows furrowed in confusion. "Chelsea? As in Chelsea FC?"

Lucy nodded. "They want me to come back... to England."

The room fell silent, the weight of Lucy's words sinking in. Ona's expression shifted from confusion to shock, then to something darker, something more painful.

"What... what did you say?" Ona finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I haven't given them an answer yet," Lucy admitted, though the decision had already been made in her heart. "But I'm seriously considering it."

Ona stared at her for a long moment, as if trying to process the information. When she spoke again, her voice was tinged with hurt. "Why? I thought we were happy here. I thought you were happy here... with me."

"I am happy," Lucy insisted, reaching out to take Ona's hand. "But this is a huge opportunity for me, Ona. I'd be closer to my family, and it's Chelsea. It's a chance to take my career to the next level."

Ona pulled her hand away, standing up and pacing the room. "But what about us? What happens to us if you leave?"

"I don't know," Lucy admitted, her heart breaking at the sight of Ona's pain. "We could try long-distance, or maybe you could—"

"Long-distance?" Ona interrupted, her voice rising. "You know we've talked about this, Lucy. We both hate long-distance. It never works. And you want me to just drop everything and follow you to England? Leave my career here, my life?"

"I'm not asking you to do that," Lucy said quickly, though part of her had hoped Ona might consider it. "But I can't turn down this offer, Ona. It's too important."

Ona stopped pacing, her back to Lucy as she crossed her arms over her chest. When she finally turned around, her eyes were filled with tears. "So you're choosing your career over us."

"It's not like that," Lucy tried to explain, standing up to face Ona. "I love you, but this is something I need to do. For me."

Ona shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I can't believe this. I can't believe you're just going to walk away."

"I'm not walking away," Lucy said, her own voice trembling. "I want us to stay together. We can make this work, I know we can."

Ona let out a bitter laugh, wiping her tears away. "You say that, but how? You'll be in London, I'll be here. We'll never see each other, and eventually... we'll drift apart."

Lucy didn't know what to say. Deep down, she knew Ona was right. Long-distance was hard, and it often led to the end of relationships. But she didn't want to admit it, didn't want to face the possibility of losing Ona.

"Maybe we need some time apart," Ona finally said, her voice cold and distant. "To figure things out."

Lucy's heart clenched. "Ona, please—"

"No, Lucy," Ona cut her off, shaking her head. "You've made your choice. Now I need to make mine."

The finality in Ona's words left Lucy speechless. She watched as Ona walked out of the room, leaving her standing there alone, her world crumbling around her. The sound of the door closing echoed through the apartment, and Lucy knew that nothing would ever be the same again.