2 WORLDS

6

THREE MONTHS LATER

ABBY'S POV

We touched down in London for our preparation for the World Cup with a couple friendlies, including against England Women. The hotel was fine, and dinner too, but as always, I felt empty. It's been hard for me lately, not physically, but mentally: whatever I did, I wouldn't forget about that girl. 

Jade Thirlwall. 

I have a lot of regrets : leaving my boyfriend isn't one. But kissing Jade on that beach was a mistake: I totally misread the situation, and now she must just hate me. I hesitated on contacting her via Instagram, but since she had so many followers, I wasn't sure she'd ever respond. Right now, I have to focus on football. It's all that matters.

We are actually sitting in the locker room, about fifteen minutes before the beginning of the game. Most of the girls left already, but I needed to concentrate. Ashlyn (Harris) and Megan (Rapinoe), who I consider like my big sisters and great friends, stayed with me - Ash isn't starting either way. 

They realize something is wrong. 

"Still thinking about that brunette, uh ?" Megan asks, raising her eyebrow.

Those two women - very much gay - are the two I dared to speak to about Jade. They were very comprehensible. 

Ash looks at me, concerned. 

"It's okay" she says, nodding her head. "Must be weird for you to be in England considering it's where she's from."

"Is that even normal ?" I ask with anger. "I mean, I can't get her off my mind, and I only talked to her four times total. What is wrong with me ?"

Megan and Ash exchange a look, before Megan taps my shoulder and says:

"Nothing's wrong with you, girl. You're just in love with that girl. Nothing's wrong."

I sigh. 

"I wish I wasn't : she probably hates me now."

"Or maybe not" Ash argues, before adding : "What do you know ?"

I nod. 

"I should focus on the game anyway."

They don't insist, as we get up and leave the changing room. We are hearing the loud English crowd and the music playing: the game is about to begin very soon. We head to the corridor where we have to stand before walking on the field. Megan and Ashlyn keep on walking, but I suddenly can't anymore. 

My body just stops working: in front of me, in the way, there's Jade. 

I see my two friends exchange surprised looks, before looking at me and see if I was okay - I'm not - to at the end decide that it would be better to leave us alone. Once they're gone, there's only the two of us in the corridor. Jade intensively stares at me, and she doesn't really seem either happy or angry to see me. 

I can't even speak. 

"Hello, stranger" she says softly, a smirk on her face. "You don't seem really happy to see me..."

"I never thought..." I start, absolutely mesmerized. "What are you doing here...?"

"I've heard you ladies had a game in London, so I jumped on the train to see you, actually. And I'd like to speak with you, privately."

I look around, absolutely panicking. 

"The game starts soon, I have to g-" I start, walking past her.

At least, I tried to: she grabbed my arm, before pulling me closer to her. Our faces are only inches away, as she sighs. 

I freeze. 

"At the end of the game, I'll be waiting for you at the back entrance for an hour. If you don't show up, then I will never bother you again. I just want to know what that kiss meant to you." she blurts out, kind of whispering, which made it hard for me to be concentrated.

I'm such in a state of shock that I am just looking at her face with what I feel can be described as a desire. 

I don't answer anything. 

She lets go of my arm, before looking straight into my eyes and leaning in. Her oh soft lips are suddenly pressed on my cheeks, and my heart explode. Once she's done, she only whispers into my ear:

"Good luck out there."

With that said, she just leaves. 

Feeling out of my body right now, I try my best to concentrate again. When I join my teammates, nobody is angry at me, everybody is focused. So it's time I forget all about Jade and focus on what I do best : football.  

*

I thought a long time about this. 

We won. But it wasn't important to me anymore. When my teammates asked me if I was coming, I just said 'no'. No questions were asked, they just all looked at me because they knew I wasn't myself lately. 

I push the back door three minutes before the hour has passed. Jade is indeed here, and when she sees me, her eyes widens : she doesn't look like she believes that I actually came here. The truth is, I didn't think I would either. 

I am petrified.

"You're here" she breathes out, shaking. 

I feel my body shaking as well, and my knees getting weaker when I find myself facing her. Her eyes are looking at me like never before, just looking at every details. And I catch myself doing the exact same thing. 

I crack a smile. 

"And you're here." I only say.

She smirks. 

"Come with me ?"

"Where ?" I ask, feeling my hear beat intensifying. 

"Anywhere."

Anywhere. 

We get on her car, and drive away in the night...