Faulty Trust || Katie McCabe

26

I found myself three glasses deep after two bottles of wine shared between me, Wally, and Leah. God, it felt good to let loose.

"No, I'm fucking pissed I wasn't able to be on that pitch helping my team to the best of my abilities." Wally and I both stared at Leah for a moment, wondering if she was actually upset about this. Her sudden outburst came after another cheeky text from her brother about Tottenham beating us just before break. Neither he nor her father would let it go, and Leah was reaching her breaking point.

"I'm just pissed we lost to the Spurs," she quipped with an exaggerated eyeroll while crossing her arms across her chest. I snorted, and Wally caught my eye immediately, which meant it was game over.

Wally and I burst into laughter, and so did Leah, but we knew deep down she just wanted to come back from injury. She wanted to play again, and I couldn't blame her one bit. All of us knew what it felt like to be sidelined for extended periods of time, and we all knew what it felt like to miss playing the sport we loved so deeply.

Leah poured her heart and soul into Arsenal; everybody knew that, but sometimes I think people put too much pressure on her. She puts too much pressure on herself as it is, and in return she lost her spark for a while. Anyone who looked close enough would realise that, but it's the price you pay nowadays.

"Ok, whatever, back to the game." Leah waved us off as our laughter died down, but I couldn't contain the smile stuck on my face.

At some point after finishing a second bottle, we'd somehow agreed on playing the single-handedly most competitive game of spoons I'd ever played. Leah and I were relentless when it came to snatching the spoons from the middle of the table. Poor Wally just watched us fight like children over the last spoon when she occasionally would sneak a spoon without Leah or I noticing. It was like a war zone that had no end in sight because Leah and I were probably the most competitive people ever.

"HA!" Leah stood up with a spoon in hand, waving it in front of my face in a taunting manner.

I scoffed, throwing my cards in the centre of the table and slouching in my seat. I'd lost our last round, which meant Leah had managed to win our tiebreaker round.

"Don't be a sore loser, Em," Wally gave me a sly smile. "And don't be an arrogant winner, Leah," she quipped, making Leah freeze. Laughter slipped from my lips before I could ever register what I was doing.

"Hey! I thought you were on my side." Leah sat back down, a frown taking over her features. It gave me whiplash but never failed to make me laugh.

"I'm on both of your sides." Wally would always still be the mediator, even when drunk. Something I constantly admired her for because I never understood how she did it. Through everything, she'd always find a way to make both parties happy to an extent. It seemed exhausting, and I knew it was; only because of the rare occasion Wally came to me utterly exhausted from trying to stay neutral. Everyone reached their breaking point eventually.

Ironic in the sense that I would reach mine sooner rather than later.

We moved Wally's patio. The air was chilly, but neither of us seemed to feel it because of the alcohol in our systems. Easy conversation paired with fits of laughter filled the darkness of Wally's backyard. The moon and the kitchen lights inside, acting as our only sources of light; it cast a soft glow onto us and created a comforting vibe.

In many ways Leah and Wally were the closest thing I had to family since moving to the WSL. Even when I was in Liverpool, I saw them constantly. As Leah's voice grew quieter, I found myself lifting my head towards the clear sky. It was rare for London, especially in winter, but I could see a few stars and a full moon.