Inevitable

Alessia

So, as it turns out, getting over a crush is exponentially harder when you have to see the person every few weeks for matches, every few months for camp, and they text you every few days just to chat.

Leah is very private and they don’t really talk about each other's personal lives but instead sticking to lighter topics and football mainly. Alessia knows that Leah watches or at least keeps up with the scores of all her games as she texts to say well done or express her condolences after every single one often adding her opinions on the teams or oppositions play. Ever the leader. Alessia likes it though. She loves their friendship and looks forward to Leah's messages even if she does get a small sinking feeling in her stomach every time there is an x at the end of a message. The feeling doesn’t appear to dissipate either. It only gets stronger as she gets to know the defender more. Knows that she isn’t just a mesmerising football player but is also kind and considerate and smart and funny. The attempt to get over the crush is proving more difficult than expected and it isn’t helped by the fact that she hasn’t gone on a date in over a year, a fact that Tooney never fails to bring up whenever they are chatting.

It's been over a year since the Arsenal and Man U matchup and their team dinners at the same restaurant. And one night, after a particularly grueling game against Chelsea, minutes after she walks through her front door, her phone rings.

‘Do you have cameras in my living room or something? How did you know I had literally just walked through the door?’ Alessia jokes.

‘No cameras. Just stalking your location via satellite,’ Leah replied deadpan.

‘You’re funny Williamson.’

‘I just figured you might want a distraction?’ Leah replies. Is that hopefulness in her voice? No, Alessia shuts that thought down. She is just being a kind friend.

‘And why would you think that,’ Alessia replies but Leah stumbles, coming up with a reply, ‘I’m joking Lee, it was a bad day and I could definitely use a distraction.’

They end up staying on the phone for hours. They talk briefly about the game, with Leah pointing out that despite the final score, Less still got two goals and an assist and played brilliantly, but then they move on to other topics. They talk about Alessia's brother moving to Australia. They talk about Leah’s family dog and her nephew. They switch the call to Facetime at some point in the evening and Leah is propped up on the counter in the kitchen while Alessia cooks dinner. Leah’s take away arrives at the same time that Alessia is plating up her dinner so they eat together too. Leah watches as Alessia does the dishes and moves to the sofa. They talk about the latest charity event that Leah is going to and the next football awards that they will both be at. They talk about potential outfits and who they think are going to win. It's all very innocent but Alessia catches herself staring more intensely than she should. She stares at Leah’s jaw and follows it down her neck. She stares at her hair pulled back into a bun. She stares at her eyes as they seem to change colour as it gets later. She finally has to pull herself out of the stare when Leah coughs.

‘Sorry, I didn't catch that - what did you say?’ Less said, trying to shake off the feeling she felt.

‘I was just saying it's getting pretty late and we both have training tomorrow so we should probably go to bed.’ Leah laughs.

‘Oh um yeah you are probably right.’ Alessia starts to blush slightly.

‘It's been really nice talking to you though Less,’ Leah isn’t looking at her. She’s looking at something in her own hands. ‘We should um… do this again.’

‘Yeah absolutely.’ Alessia responds trying to find the right mixture of eagerness but only as a friend.

‘Well,’ Leah pauses for a second, ‘good night Russo.’

‘Night Leah’

As the call disconnects Alessia falls backwards to lie flat on the sofa staring up at the ceiling.

She mutters to herself. ‘Fuckkkkkkk’

The calls become more frequent from then on