Avoidance
After that disastrous night in the bedroom, it didn’t take long for things between them to change. Especially from Alessia’s side.
At first, it was little things. Sitting at the other end of the couch instead of letting Leah throw her legs over her. Leaving the training ground quickly instead of waiting around in the changing room, knowing Leah would be one of the last ones out. Taking her own car instead of catching a lift with Leah, even when it would’ve been easier.
It wasn’t intentional. Not at first. All she knew was that being around Leah felt… dangerous. That every second alone with her felt like walking a tightrope, balancing on the edge of something Alessia didn’t understand, something she didn’t want to understand.
So she avoided it.
She kept herself busy, spending extra time at the gym or grabbing coffee with some of the girls after training. She FaceTimed Ella more often, throwing herself into conversations about Manchester, about the United girls, about anything that wasn’t Leah.
Leah didn’t seem to notice the change at first.
She still acted the same-still cracked jokes, still teased her, still draped an arm over her shoulder as they walked back to the car park after training. And Alessia still played along, still smiled and laughed and acted like everything was fine.
Because she wasn’t ignoring Leah. Not completely. She still spoke to her, still sat beside her during team meetings, still responded when Leah tapped her knee under the dinner table to get her attention. But she made sure there was always someone else there.
Because being alone with Leah was dangerous in ways that terrified the living hell out of her. She could barely be within a few inches of her before her thoughts ran wild. She imagined what Leah’s hands would feel like against her skin, tracing gentle circles across her back. She imagined what her lips would feel like against her own, soft? Chapped? What would she taste like? It was wrong. So wrong. Because Leah was just a friend, and Alessia wasn’t gay.
After a while, the avoidance became intentional.
She stopped hanging around the house as much, leaving early and coming back late, claiming she was getting to know London better, that she wanted to explore the city.
Leah didn’t question it, only gave her an odd look here and there, but Alessia could tell she noticed something was off. She was still the same with Alessia, still warm and teasing, still herself. But there was something searching in her eyes now, something that made Alessia feel like Leah was watching her too closely, seeing something Alessia didn’t want her to see.
So she distanced herself further. Because this had to stop.Whatever this was, whatever was happening in her head, it wasn’t real. She wasn’t gay. She didn’t like women like that.
And she sure as hell didn’t like Leah like that.
*
Leah had never been one to ignore things when they didn’t feel right. She was observant, always had been, and Alessia was acting off.
It had been gradual at first. Small changes that might have gone unnoticed if she hadn’t spent so much time with her. But Leah had, and she noticed.
Alessia wasn’t home as much anymore. She was always busy, always had plans with someone. If it wasn’t coffee with some of the Arsenal girls, it was dinner with old friends, or a trip into the city to ‘get to know London better.’
And when she was home, it wasn’t the same.
The easy companionship that had formed between them over the past month felt strained now, stretched too thin. Alessia still talked to her, still laughed at her jokes, still responded when Leah asked her something. But there was a distance now, a hesitance that hadn’t been there before.
And Leah didn’t know why. She wasn’t one to jump to conclusions. She knew the move had been a big one for Alessia, that adjusting to a new team, a new city, a new life took time. Maybe that was all it was. But something in her gut told her it wasn’t.
She tried asking, more than once.
“You alright, Less?”
“Yeah, course. Why?”
“Just seems like you’ve been busy a lot, that’s all.”
Alessia would shrug, offer some half-hearted excuse. “Just settling in, you know? Trying to find my feet.”
Leah wanted to believe her, but the words felt empty. Alessia had been here for weeks now. She had found her feet. But every time Leah tried to push, Alessia pulled away, and that didn’t sit right with her. So she did the only thing she could think of. She called Ella.
It took a few rings before she answered, and when she did, her voice was laced with confusion.
“Leah?”
Leah didn’t often call Ella. She liked her well enough, got along with her when they were in camp together, but they weren’t exactly the kind to just chat on the phone.
“Hey, Tooney. You got a minute?”
“Uh…yeah? What’s up?”
Leah hesitated for a second, not sure how to phrase it. “It’s about Less.”
That got Ella’s attention. “What about her? What’s she done?”
“Nothing,” Leah said quickly, shifting on the couch. “She’s just been… off. I don’t know. Distant, I guess. She’s out all the time, and when she is home, she’s-” Leah sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know, just different.”
Ella was quiet for a moment, and Leah could hear her shifting, probably getting comfortable wherever she was.
“She’s been weird with me too,” Ella admitted eventually. “Not as bad, but… I dunno, she’s been texting less, not calling as much. Says she’s just busy, but-“
“But it’s not that,” Leah finished.
“Yeah.”
Leah leaned her head back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. “Do you know if anything’s happened?”
“Not that I know of,” Ella said, but she sounded unsure. “She hasn’t mentioned anything. She seemed fine last time I saw her, but now that you’ve said something, I dunno. Maybe I should’ve paid more attention.”
“It’s not your fault, Tooney,” Leah assured her. “She’s…less. You know what she’s like.”
Ella huffed out a short laugh. “Yeah, I do.”
There was a pause before Ella sighed. “I’ll talk to her,” she said. “See if I can get anything out of her.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Let me know if she suddenly stops avoiding you.”
Leah smirked. “Same to you.”
They hung up, and Leah dropped her phone onto the couch beside her, exhaling slowly. At least she knew it wasn’t just her.
Something was going on, and Leah was going to find out what.