Chapter 30
3 months post surgery*
It was midway through december and both Ella and Erin were packing for their National team camps being held over the winter break.
Even though Erin couldn’t play, John wanted her to still be around the team while they were building for the world cup, and she could do her physio at the training facilities.
“I. Am. So. Excited!” Ella sang for what seemed like the hundredth time to the keeper in the last two days.”
“Ya I get it babe you’re going to florida and will be sitting on the beach while I’m freezing in Vancouver.”
“Someone's jealoussss, it’s not my fault Canada’s freezing.”
“Whatever.”
“Awe babe, don’t worry I’ll send you plenty of pictures from the beach it’ll be like you’re there with me.” Ella smirked as she zipped her suitcase.
“Gee thanks. Hey babe are we doing christmas presents before or after camp?”
“Well we will both be home by the thirtieth so I think we can just save it for then. That okay with you?”
“Sounds perfect babe.”
“I can’t wait for you to open your present.” Ella smirked.
“Oh come on you can’t just say that after we decided to wait.” The keeper pouted, wrapping her arms around Ella.
“Oops, you’ll be okay, and you’ll forgive me because it’s to best present ever sooo.”
“ELLA. You’re killing.”
“But you looove me.”
“Remind me why again?” Erin mumbled sarcastically.”
Ella just shook her head, leaning in and capturing the keeper’s lips.
“Oh ya… I remember now.”
“I’m gonna miss you.” Ella whispered in the keeper’s ear as she wrapped herself around the keeper in the airport.
“I’m going to miss you too El, but it’s not quite as long this time, and the time difference is only a couple hours so it shouldn’t be too hard to work around.”
As the last call for Ella’s flight was spoken over the speakers Erin pressed a kiss to the forwards temple.
“Have a good flight and I’ll call you when I land since I get in after you.”
“You too, I love you.”
“Love you more.” Erin cheesed as she watched Ella walk away.
“I’m glad you had a good flight babe.” Ella smiled wide as she admired her girlfriend through facetime.
“Yeah, Vancouver is such a beautiful city. I definitely want to come back here, maybe even live here one day.”
“Only if I can come with you.” Ella teased.
“Of course, I wouldn’t go anywhere without you. Any plans of mine for the future have you in them.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course, you are my future El.”
“Well isn’t that just the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard. And I thought Ali and Ash were bad.” Carli teased from across the room.
“As much as I’d love to keep grossing your room mate out with how adorable we are, I’ve got to head to a meeting so I’ll talk to you later babe.”
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you more.”
Ella signed off facetime and looked over to see Carli smirking at her.
“What?”
“I know you and a lot of the young ones think I’m some heartless robot but I do have an emotional side in case you were wondering. You and your girl are really cute. Although if I have to listen to your conversations more than once a day I might change my opinion.”
Ella laughed, “I don’t think you’re heartless exactly… maybe a little robot like at times, but not heartless.”
“How kind of you. Can I ask you something though?”
“Of course.”
“I’m not at all like judging or anything, just curious, but you and Erin seem pretty serious for how young you both are, and I’m sure you probably get this a lot so I was just wondering kind of how you got to that point so quickly.”
“Honestly I couldn’t tell you, everything is just different with her. I was never really with anyone else before she came along so I do get that question a lot of how I know that I want to be with her forever, but it’s just one of those things where you just know I guess. She just kind of fits in my life and I honestly can’t picture a future that she isn’t a part of.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a seventeen year old as mature as you. I wasn’t expecting that answer at all, but wow.”
Ella blushed a bit, she still got nervous talking to Carli like she was just a teammate. “So do I get to hear about Brian?” Ella teased the midfielder.
“You know about Brian?”
“Well I mean yeah, about six months ago I was just another teenage girl who was obsessed with you.”
“And now?”
“And now I’m a teenage girl who is still mildly obsessed with you, but also happens to be getting the chance to play with you.”
“You know I feel the same way, I’ve been watching you about as long as coach has, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pretty damn excited when you finally decided to join us. Do you mind my asking why you turned it down so many times?”
Ella looked down for a moment not sure if she wanted to get into this conversation right now. “You haven’t told me about Brian yet.” The striker winked, trying to deter the conversation.
Carli shook her head. “Brian is my guy, there really isn’t much to it, we met in high school, I was a shitty girlfriend because believe it or not I used to be even more bitchy than I am now. He never left me though, he stuck by my side because somewhere underneath my resting bitch face he saw something he liked I guess. We broke up for a brief period right after high school, because I decided he was a distraction and if I wanted to be the best that I couldn’t have love and success. But really it was because I knew I was a shitty girlfriend and thought he deserved better. He never gave up though, after first year of university he flew across the country to my parents place to surprise me and I guess then hit me that I would never meet anyone else that would do that for me and that I was stupid to think I didn’t need him in my life to help me succeed. So anyway he’s a nerd but he’s my nerd and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”
“Damn, you really aren’t a robot.”
“Ha ha good one.”
“So are you guys going to tie the knot anytime soon?”
“Uh, well when he finally proposed last year we agreed no wedding until after the world cup so it will probably be closer to next year. Anyway so you have to answer my question now since I shared my soft side with you that most people have never seen.”
“Um could we maybe talk about that another time? It’s kind of a long story.”
It was clear to Carli that this had to be a tough topic for the younger girl so she let it go.
“Yeah of course, we should get down to dinner anyway”
“ELLA.”
“ALI.”
“Ahhhh how’s my favourite roomie?” Ali squealed as she jumped on the younger girl.
“Well now that you’re here I’m doing great obviously.”
“You flirting with my girl again Masar?”
“Well duh, who wouldn’t flirt with this pink princess.” Ella gushed, putting an arm around both Ash and Ali’s shoulders.
“Ooh speaking of flirting, how's Erinnnnn?” Ali asked excitedly.
“Al you ask like you haven’t been texting her and stalking her social media since the end of last camp.” Ash shook her head, taking a seat in the conference room next to whitney.
“Erin is good, her recovery is going pretty well, she is in Vancouver with the Canadian team right now.
“Do you think she will be okay for the World Cup?” Ash asked.
“If her progress continues as it has been she’ll definitely be ready, I’m just trying to keep her as positive as I can, she has her doubtful moments which is perfectly normal but for the most part it’s been good.”
“Well good, she’s gotta be prepared for us to kick her ass right?” Whit chimed in. “Do you two talk about it much? Like playing against each other?”
“Honestly we usually only talk about it when other people bring it up, we’ll say something occasionally and kind of joke about it but honestly I think we both know that if we were to play each other that we both just have to respect whatever happens.”
“Are you sure you guys are seventeen because I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as mature as you. Like if this was Ash and Al in that situation at your age, they would be going after each other’s throats and whoever won would never hear the end of it.”
“Hey! We would not!” Ali pouted, crossing her arms.
“Babe, I think Whit got that one pretty spot on…”
“Ugh whatever, I’m going to sit with HAO.”
“Awe come on princess.”
Ali glared at her girlfriend before walking over to where Heather was sitting.
“Someone’s not getting any tonight.” Whit winked at Ashlyn who just rolled her eyes.
“At least I have someone to get it from Whit.”
Ella just laughed, shaking her head at the two friends.