unexpected love (Leah Williamson)

A Spark Ignites

Leah's POV:

The days after that night felt like a blur. My mind kept replaying moments with Ella: her laugh, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke about her art, the warmth of her hand in mine as we sat together in that quiet park. There was something about her that I couldn't shake, and every time I caught myself thinking about her, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. Beth had noticed it too, of course. She'd shot me a knowing smile at practice, like she knew exactly who was on my mind.

"You're awfully quiet today," she teased, nudging me as we did our stretches before the match. "Thoughts somewhere else?"

I tried to play it cool, though I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Beth chuckled. "Right. No idea, sure. But just so you know, Ella asked me for your number." She looked at me with a sly grin.

My heart skipped. "She... she did?"

Beth nodded. "She was practically glowing when she talked about you. I haven't seen her smile like that in a while." She patted my shoulder before jogging off to join the rest of the team. "You should call her, Leah. Trust me on this one."

I sat there for a moment, trying to calm my racing heart. Beth was right—there was something real between us, something that I hadn't felt in a long time. And before I could overthink it, I grabbed my phone and sent Ella a quick text.

Ella's POV:

When I got Leah's text, a smile broke across my face. The message was simple—"Hey, are you free for coffee sometime this week?"—but I could feel the anticipation behind it. I'd been waiting for an excuse to see her again, to feel the way I'd felt that night, like there was no one else in the world but the two of us.

We decided to meet at a small café near my hospital. The week was chaotic, as usual. A last-minute surgery had me working late every night, and the exhaustion was beginning to weigh on me. But knowing I'd be seeing Leah gave me something to look forward to, and I found myself grinning like an idiot on my way to the café.

When I arrived, Leah was already there, looking around anxiously. She spotted me and waved, her face breaking into a smile that made my heart race. I tried to keep my cool, though I was just as excited to see her.

"Hey, stranger," I greeted her, sitting down across from her.

"Hi," she said, her voice soft. "I wasn't sure if you'd actually come. Figured you'd be swamped at work."

"Trust me," I replied with a laugh, "I needed this break. They can survive without me for an hour."

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, and gave me a look that was a mix of admiration and curiosity. "I don't know how you do it, honestly. The hours, the stress... it's intense."

I shrugged, smiling. "It's just what I do. Besides, it's worth it. Every kid that walks out of the hospital healthy makes it all worth it."

Leah looked at me for a moment, her expression softening. "You're incredible, you know that?"

Her words caught me off guard, and I felt a warmth spread through me. No one had ever said that to me quite like that before. "I don't know about incredible," I mumbled, suddenly shy. "But... thank you. That means a lot."

The conversation flowed from there, easy and natural, just like it had the first night we met. We talked about everything—from our favorite places to travel to the craziest stories from her time playing football. She made me laugh so hard my sides hurt, and I could feel myself relaxing more with each passing minute.

After we finished our coffee, Leah glanced down at her watch, a hint of disappointment crossing her face. "I'd better get going. We've got a match tomorrow, and if Beth sees the bags under my eyes, she'll never let me live it down."

I chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I should probably head back too. But... I'd love to do this again."

Leah's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly. "Definitely. How about this weekend? We could go for a walk, maybe?"

"I'd like that," I replied, trying to ignore the fluttering in my chest.

We stood up and walked outside, and I felt a mix of excitement and nerves as we said our goodbyes. She gave me a quick hug, and I found myself lingering just a moment longer, feeling the warmth of her arms around me. When we finally pulled apart, our eyes met, and for a second, it felt like time stopped.

"I'll see you soon," she said, her voice soft.

I smiled, feeling my cheeks flush. "Yeah. Can't wait."

As I walked away, I could feel her eyes on me, and I couldn't help but smile. This was different, something I hadn't felt before. And though it scared me a little, I was ready to see where this spark would take us.