𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙎𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣. 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴

I sighed heavily as I pushed open the door to my room at camp, the weight of the day crashing down on me. The complications of getting here had made what should've been a simple journey feel like an ordeal. My car breaking down halfway to camp wasn't exactly the grand entrance I had planned, and by the time the mechanic had arrived, I was running hours behind. Now, while the rest of the team had already been settled in for the day, probably bonding over dinner and laughs, I had barely made it in time to throw my bags down and collapse onto my bed.

I lay back on the stiff mattress, my eyes fluttering closed for just a moment, trying to shake off the exhaustion. I could faintly hear the sounds of laughter from the dining hall a few buildings away, but I couldn't bring myself to join them. Not tonight.

A soft buzz from my phone makes me roll over. It was a message from Caitlin.

𝘾𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣 🤍
𝙃𝙤𝙬'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥? 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮. 𝙭𝙭

A small smile tugs at my lips as I read her message. Even from across the world, she knows how to make me feel better. Without thinking twice, I tap her name and call.

The line rings twice before Caitlin picks up, her face popping onto the screen with a grin that immediately warms me.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up," she teases, lying back on her couch, a familiar warmth in her voice.

I groan dramatically. "You have no idea what kind of day I've had."

"Oh, I'm sure it was tragic. Do tell," she replied, eyebrow raised playfully.

I sit up a bit, rubbing my eyes. "So, get this... my car broke down on the way here. And I'm not talking about a little sputter. I'm talking about full-on smoke billowing from the hood like it's auditioning for a disaster movie. Middle of the motorway, right? I was stranded for hours, and when the mechanic showed up, he asked if I had any idea how to fix a car. Like I'd even know how to open the bonnet without a YouTube tutorial."

Caitlin's laugh bubbles through the phone, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "You? Fixing a car? Please, I'd pay good money to see that."

"Oh, it gets better," I continue, "Then he tells me it's going to cost a ridiculous amount of money to tow it. At that point, I was ready to hitchhike to camp. It was a disaster."

Caitlin shakes her head, still grinning. "At least you made it in one piece. Barely."

"Barely," I echo, settling back into the bed, the tension of the day starting to melt away now that I was talking to her. "Anyway, how was your day?"

"Uneventful compared to yours, obviously. Just training and missing you. Typical."

I smile softly, our usual banter making everything seem a little easier, even after the day I'd had. "Well, I'm here now. Tired as hell, but here."

"That's all that matters. Now get some sleep, okay? Tomorrow's a new day," she says her voice dropping to that soft, comforting tone that always makes my heart ache a little, especially when we're this far apart.

"Yeah. Goodnight, Caitlin."

"Goodnight, love."

The call ends and I place my phone on the bedside table, staring at the ceiling for a few moments. No matter how chaotic things got, Caitlin had this way of grounding me. With a deep breath, I let sleep pull me under.

The next morning, the lingering tiredness from yesterday's ordeal was still there, but I felt a lot lighter. Pulling on my training kit, I made my way down to the dining room, the buzz of camp life in full swing now that everyone was gathered for breakfast.

As soon as I stepped into the dining hall, I spotted Millie and Rachel sitting at our usual table in the middle of the room, waving me over as soon as they saw me. The sight of that table—where Jill, Beth, and the rest of us used to sit—brought a pang of nostalgia.

I grabbed a plate of food and walked over to them, trying to shake off the sudden rush of memories. So many mornings spent here, teasing each other over pre-training coffee, talking about everything from tactics to who could pull off the worst pranks. It had always been the five of us—me, Millie, Rachel, Jill, and Beth. But now, Beth was out with her ACL injury, and Jill had retired after the Euros. The table felt a little emptier without them.

As I sit down, Rachel is quick to pick up on my mood. "You alright, El? You look like you're in a daze."

I shrug, smiling faintly. "Just thinking about the old days. You know, when Beth and Jill were still here."

Millie nods, her face softening a little. "Yeah, it's weird without them. But hey, we're still the same bunch of idiots."

Rachel gives me a knowing look, her big sister vibes kicking in. "They'd want us to carry on with the teasing, though. Speaking of which..."

I groan, already knowing where this was going.

"Have you spoken to your Aussie recently?" Rachel grins, her teasing tone unmistakable.

I raise an eyebrow, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, last night. Why?"

"Oh, you know why," Millie chimes in, smirking. "Just checking in on your long-distance romance. Still making googly eyes over Facetime, I bet."

I an't help the small laugh that escapes me. "We're surviving."

Rachel leans in, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Surviving? Elena, the way you two talk, it sounds like you're thriving. Let's not pretend you weren't star-gazing over Facetime a few nights ago."

I feel my face flush, remembering how Caitlin and I had been lying under the stars on our respective rooftops, trying to feel a little closer despite the distance. "It wasn't like that."

"Oh, it so was," Millie jumps in, nudging Rachel. "Next thing you know, you'll be naming constellations together. So romantic."

"Come on, guys," I say, laughing despite myself. "Can't two people just enjoy the stars without it being a big deal?"

Rachel gives me a knowing look. "Not when those two people are you and Caitlin. You're lucky I don't spill all this to the press. 'Lioness caught star-gazing with Matilda.' Front page news."

I groan, shaking my head. "Please don't."

She chuckles, then leans in again, her voice softening. "But seriously, you two are doing good, huh? I know long-distance isn't easy."

I nod, the teasing tone in the conversation dropping slightly. "Yeah, it's tough, but... she makes it worth it."

Millie rolls her eyes dramatically, but there's a fond smile tugging at her lips. "You're disgusting, but in a good way."

I chuckle, feeling a warmth settle in my chest. The girls may tease, but they're my support system, and in moments like this, I feel like everything is going to be okay.

Dear Mum,

I've been thinking a lot about the England camps lately, and I really enjoy spending time with the girls I've grown up with. It's such a unique bond we share—like sisters who've gone through everything together. I really miss Beth. She's super annoying and can get on my last nerve, and we always seem to end up in some ridiculous fight that someone has to break up. But deep down, I know she's someone special to me. I think you would've liked her too. She has this way of lighting up a room, even if it means driving everyone crazy sometimes.

With the World Cup prep ramping up, it's tough being away from Caitlin. I miss her so much. Every moment apart feels like a challenge, especially when I see the excitement in her eyes on the field. I wish we could share this journey together, but I know it'll only make our reunion that much sweeter. She's been my rock through everything, and I can't wait for the day when we're back together, celebrating our victories side by side.

I hope you're watching over us. It gives me strength to know that you're with me, guiding me along the way.

Love always,
Elena