A Game of Hearts

Chapter 10: The Distance Between Us

The days following the game were marked by a heavy silence between Poppy and Emeka. They had both drifted into their own worlds—Poppy with her gallery submission and Emeka trying to process the sting of the loss. Each of them was caught in a loop of self-doubt, weighed down by their own struggles. The usual texts they exchanged were replaced by quick updates or messages that felt distant, even robotic.Poppy spent more time at the studio, avoiding the swirling thoughts that kept nagging at her. She couldn't help but replay every second of her submission at the gallery in her mind. Had the judges appreciated her work? Had she done enough? The art world felt suffocating in its expectations, and the pressure to be extraordinary gnawed at her constantly. And, with the growing emotional distance from Emeka, everything started to blur together, creating an overwhelming sense of isolation.Emeka, meanwhile, threw himself into extra training sessions with the team, desperate to make up for his performance during the last game. The loss had left a bitter taste, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault. Every missed catch, every incomplete route played over and over in his head. The coaching staff was critical but supportive, encouraging him to shake off the loss and refocus. But deep down, he felt like something more was slipping out of his control—and it wasn't just football.A week passed with minimal contact between them. When they did speak, it was as if an invisible wall had formed. Emeka would talk about practice or upcoming games, while Poppy would give quick updates on her classes or the status of the gallery results. Neither one of them mentioned the growing tension or the discomfort that had taken root between them.One evening, after a particularly long day at practice, Emeka sat in his apartment, scrolling through photos on his phone. He paused when he came across a picture of him and Poppy from earlier in the semester. They had gone to a local park, laughing and teasing each other as they shared ice cream on a warm autumn day. Poppy's smile in the photo was radiant, her eyes sparkling with happiness as she leaned into him. The memory felt so distant now, like it belonged to a different version of them—one unburdened by the pressures of life.Without thinking, Emeka called her.Poppy was in the middle of her latest project, trying to distract herself by throwing all her energy into her art. When her phone rang, she hesitated before picking it up, seeing Emeka's name flash across the screen. She answered, but her heart wasn't in it."Hey," she said softly."Hey," Emeka replied, his voice heavy. There was a pause, the weight of unspoken feelings stretching the silence. "How are you?""I'm fine," she said, though they both knew it wasn't the truth. "Just... busy, you know? Trying to keep up with everything.""Yeah, I get it," Emeka said, leaning back against the couch. "Same here."Another pause, longer this time. Emeka could hear the faint sounds of Poppy moving around in her studio, but it felt like she was a world away."I feel like we haven't really talked," he finally said, his voice quieter now. "I mean, really talked. Not just... updates about practice or classes."Poppy closed her eyes, the tension that had been building between them rising to the surface. "Yeah... I've noticed that too.""I miss you, Poppy," Emeka admitted, his voice raw with emotion. "I miss how we used to be. I know things have been crazy lately, but I don't want to lose us in all of this."Poppy's heart clenched at his words, the vulnerability in his voice tugging at her own buried feelings. She missed him too—missed the connection they had, missed the way he could make her laugh even on her hardest days. But the doubts she had been suppressing, the fear that their lives were pulling them in different directions, made her hesitant to respond."I miss you too," she finally said, her voice barely a whisper. "But Emeka... I don't know if it's enough anymore."Emeka's breath caught, the ache in his chest intensifying. "What do you mean?"Poppy sighed, setting down her paintbrush and sitting on a nearby stool. "It's like we're living in two different worlds. You've got football, and I've got my art, and we're both so consumed by it all. I feel like we're... I don't know, like we're drifting apart."Emeka's mind raced, panic bubbling up inside him. "We don't have to drift apart, Poppy. We can figure this out. We just need to make more time for each other, to... talk more, see each other more.""I know," Poppy said, her voice laced with frustration. "But how? When we're both so busy, when we barely have time for ourselves? I don't want to be the girlfriend who resents your football career, and I don't want you to feel like you have to choose between me and the game."Emeka was silent for a moment, her words cutting deep. He had never considered that Poppy might feel like she was competing with his football career. He had always thought they were on the same page, supporting each other's dreams. But now, it was clear that the cracks had been there for a while, and they had both been too busy to notice."I don't want you to feel that way," he said softly. "I don't want you to feel like you're not important to me, because you are. You're the most important thing in my life, Poppy. I know I haven't been the best at showing that lately, but I promise, I'm here. I'm all in."Poppy wiped a tear from her cheek, her heart aching at his words. She believed him—she knew how much he cared about her—but the reality of their lives was hard to ignore. "I believe you, Emeka. I know you're trying. But I'm just scared that... this might be too much for us. What if we can't balance it all?"Emeka's voice was filled with determination, a quiet strength that came from the depth of his feelings for her. "We'll figure it out. I don't care how hard it gets—I'm not giving up on us."Poppy felt a glimmer of hope spark inside her, but the fear was still there, lingering like a shadow. She didn't want to lose him, but she also didn't want to lose herself in the process. "Okay," she whispered. "Let's figure it out. Together."The conversation left them both feeling vulnerable but also closer, as if they had finally broken through the wall that had been building between them. For the first time in weeks, they both felt like they were on the same page—ready to face whatever challenges came their way, together.