Elena Daisy Pugh joins Arsenal during the 20/21 season winter transfer window and catches the eye of a certain Australian.
Does Elena have the same feelings?
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I'd watched all her games. She'd assisted 4 goals and scored one in the semi finals aswell as Beth and 3 of their other teammates, securing their place in the finals against Germany, which they very clearly won.
She seemed happy and I was happy for her, but it still hurt seeing her happy. I'd been trying to distract myself from what happened that night at Leah and Jordan's party by spending my time with Macca and Lani. We'd been to the beach and gone out to eat loads of times, but nothing seemed to fill the void in my heart.
I knew I fucked up. I shouldn't have kissed Lia, but I guess I was searching for some sort of closure between us because after it happened and Lia and I talked after Elena broke up with me, it made me realise why Lia and I never worked.
'But who's to say Elena and I would work for a second time.' No. I needed to get Elena back. I don't know how, but I would.
I sit in the corner of a cafe, waiting for Steph to arrive. We'd decided to meet up and talk and so I thought it would be a good distraction from Elena and I wanted to leave Macca and Alanna alone for a while too and let them do their own thing.
"Caitlin!" Steph calls my name as she walks over to me.
"Hey." I smile at her as she sits down opposite me.
We order drinks and wait for them to come as we chat lightly about our off seasons so far.
"Did you see Elena win the Euros. I'm so happy for them." Steph says mid-conversation and my stomach drops at the name. I had only thought about her since we finished our season, hearing her name said out loud made me feel nauseous.
"Yeah, it was really cool." I say, blankly. As I go to say something else, Steph's phone rings and she looks at the caller ID before she picks it up.
"Steffy."
My heart drops at the voice. Elena's voice echoes from the other side of the call as she smiles at Steph.
"Hey, Els. Congrats on winning the Euros. I'm so proud of you." Steph says.
I can get up and leave if I just say I'm going to the toilet and then not come back until the calls ended, but for some reason I don't want to get up. I want to stay and listen to the conversation that unfolds between the two of them because it meant I could hear her voice again.
"Thanks." Elena smiles. I peak at the phone, praying that Steph wouldn't mention me being here. "Where are you? You're not at home."
"Oh, I'm out with Caitlin at a café." Steph replies and turns the phone to me until I come into view. Elena stares back at me, while I stare at her. I try saying something to her, anything, but my mouth doesn't open. "How have your Euros celebrations been like?" Steph continues the conversation as she brings the phone back to herself.
"Good. I was definitely hungover, let's just say that." Elena let's out a chuckle and I feel like she's directing that towards me on purpose. "Steph, can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, of course."
"When do you know it's time to move on from a friendship? Like how long do you give it before you stop hoping it'll work out?" Elena smiles with a hint of sadness that only I can notice is there.
My heart pounds in my throat as I wait for Steph's answer, knowing Elena asked that as a little dig at me. She wasn't being serious, was she? She couldn't let me go, I needed to make things right.
Steph pauses to think. "Hmm, that's a tough one. I guess... it's different for everyone, right? You don't just wake up one day and decide to stop caring about something or someone. It's more like... when you've given it everything you've got and it still hurts more than it helps-that's when you know. But if there's even a part of you that believes it could be fixed, maybe it's worth holding on a little longer. I think hope's only dangerous when it's the only thing keeping you in it, you know?"
"You're right." Elena pauses for a moment and I hope it's for a good reason. "Thanks, Steffy."
"No, problem. How do you plan on celebrating?"
"I'm actually getting ready for that right now. I'm packing to go to Spain with Ona."
Ona.
She's going to Spain with her ex.
"Ona as in the girl you fight with everytime we have a game against United."
"Not anymore, Steph. We're changed people." Elena says with a light chuckle that makes a smile grow on my lips, but then I remember the situation and grow angry.
How could she get angry at me for kissing Lia when she was going on holiday with her ex.
