Roses || durm

.eins.

.eins.

"Your papa and I met when I was a little girl. I was around ten years old." She explained, smiling at the memories she had of him. "He was about fifteen, already going far in his football career, and he was like an older brother then. Well, he saw me as more of a younger sister, but I always had a big crush on him."

Her daughter interrupted with a curious, yet excited smile. "Papa was like a prince, I bet. Huh, mommy?"

Arabella nodded, "He was. He had the look of a prince too, and he was nice like one. He always used to get me presents whenever he went on trips. I still have a lot of the things he got for me. I remember the first time we talked..."

-

The little girl with eyes a deep blue like the ocean and auburn hair styled into a bob with a hair clip on the side sat at one of the benches with a book on her lap, what seemed like a box of crayons in her small hand. Though she was concentrated on her book, she looked impatient as though she didn't want to be there. She looked maybe ten years old, her face had yet to lose the childish roundness.

Erik thought to brighten the child's day, but he didn't know how.

He thought hard about it. What could cheer up the little girl? Then he remembered. He knew just how to put a smile on her face. His family had gone to Euro Disney that weekend, Erik was unable to go because of training, and they brought him back some sweets.

A mickey mouse shaped swirled lollipop that he had in his training bag because he was determined to eat it after training, possibly spoiling his appetite that day. But he decided the little girl needed it more.

He went back to the locker room to get it and hid it behind himself as he returned to the field where the little girl was sat on the bleachers by herself. Some of his team mates were already on the grass, warming up. The little girl looked up and Erik caught a small hint of gold tint in her ocean blue eyes, like a ring of light around the sun.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" Erik began in a soft tone one often used when speaking to small children. He crouched down until he was eyelevel with her. He had learned in one of his classes that children felt more comfortable when people got down to their eye level, rather than towering over them. "Where are your parents?" The footballer added yet another question for the little girl.

"Daddy says I shouldn't talk to strangers." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Your dad is a very wise man." Erik nodded. "Speaking of him...where is he?"

"Arabella!" The concerned voice of someone called. As there were no other females in the vicinity, Erik automatically assumed the name belonged to the little girl. It was a fitting name, he thought. In his limited knowledge of the languages of love, he knew 'Bella' meant 'beautiful, and the little girl was just that.

A big smile brightened her face and she jumped up from her spot on the bench to run past Erik to greet the man waiting for her with open arms. "Daddy!" She yelled in a voice that was so full of love and even admiration. Erik turned just as she passed him to see she hugged a man he knew well. Golden blonde hair, thick black rimmed glasses, an authoritative figure which made him straighten up his posture at the very sight of him. He was the head coach of the team and the little girl was his daughter. Being only sixteen years old, Erik felt intimidated by his presence. It didn't help that the head coach was shooting him a glare that if looks could kill...

"Uh..." Erik coughed awkwardly. He didn't want the team manager to think he was being a pedophile. "I wasn't bothering your daughter, sir. I was just wondering why there was a little girl sitting here on her own. I just wanted to help because she looked so bored."