Breaking the Grid

Burning

"This is the best surprise!" she says, her excitement lighting up her face. As she finally lets go, I laugh, spotting a few staff members recording videos of the moment. It's Arsenal, after all—every moment is content.

I make my way through the gym, greeting everyone I recognize. Players wave and call out my name, some clapping me on the back as I pass. The energy in the room is infectious, a mix of focus and camaraderie. I spot William Saliba in the corner, his broad shoulders moving in perfect rhythm as he powers through a set of push-ups.

Grinning, I stroll over and plop down on the bench beside him, crossing my arms and watching him finish. "Allez, William! C'est quoi cet effort, là? Ça manque un peu de motivation,"(Come on, William! What is this? It lacks a little motivation) I tease, keeping my voice light.

He glances up, sweat dripping from his brow, and smirks. "Blair Becks. T'es venue vérifier mes progrès?" ( Blair Becks Did you come to check my progress?)

"Évidemment," (sure) I reply with mock seriousness. "Je dois m'assurer que tu seras prêt pour nous aider à écraser tout le monde pendant l'Euro ." (I have to make sure you're ready to help us for the euro).

He laughs, shaking his head as he sits back on his heels to catch his breath. We fall into an easy rhythm of conversation in French, joking about training, our respective schedules, and how neither of us gets much downtime.

But as we chat, my attention drift across the room. I glance subtly toward Leah, who's deep in conversation with Declan Rice near the free weights. She's laughing at something he said, her body language relaxed, but she glances over in my direction, catching my eye for a moment.

I excuse myself from William, giving him a quick fist bump before heading over. "Declan Rice," I say with a grin, holding out my hand as I approach. "England's midfield maestro and captain extraordinaire. Nice to meet you."

Declan shakes my hand, his grip firm and his tone light. "So, what brings you here? Feels like enemy territory for someone like you."

I smirk, glancing between him and Leah. "Oh, just observing the rare sight of both England captains in one place. Honestly, it feels like a golden opportunity." I pause for effect, then lean in conspiratorially. "You know, I could leak a few insider details to my own country. Wouldn't that shake things up?"

Leah lets out an exaggerated groan. "You're terrible."

"Terrible? No," I say with mock innocence. "Just patriotic. Besides, it's all in good fun."

Declan raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Fun for you, maybe. What are you really doing here, Becks?"

I grin broadly, throwing an arm around both of their shoulders. "Well, if you must know, I just signed a shiny new partnership with Arsenal. So get used to this face—I'm going to be spending a lot of time with you guys."

Leah narrows her eyes at me, though she's smiling. "I'm already regretting this."

"Don't worry, Williamson," I tease. "You'll love having me around. And who knows, maybe I'll even teach you a thing or two."

"Highly doubtful," Leah quips, shaking her head.

The three of us share a laugh, and for a moment, it feels like I belong here, like I'm part of this world despite my F1 roots. Declan eventually excuses himself to grab some water, leaving me alone with Leah.

"So," she says, crossing her arms and leaning slightly against the wall. "What's got you so distracted? You've been looking around since you walked in."

I feign innocence, shrugging as I glance around the gym. "Oh, you know me. Always observing, gathering intel..."

Her eyes narrow playfully. "Right. Or maybe it has something to do with a certain someone at the squat rack who's been watching you since you got here."