Hospital
The second Alessia stepped off the train in Manchester, she felt like she could breathe again. It wasn’t that she didn’t love London, didn’t love Arsenal, didn’t love the people she had in her life there. But Manchester was home. It always would be.
And more than anything, she’d missed Ella.
She spotted her before Ella saw her, waiting near the barriers, bouncing on the balls of her feet like she physically couldn’t stand still. Alessia smiled to herself, shaking her head. Then, as soon as she stepped through the crowd, Ella’s eyes landed on her.
“Lessi!”
Alessia barely had time to react before Ella practically launched herself at her, wrapping her arms around her neck and squeezing so tight it knocked the air from her lungs.
“Jesus, Tooney,” Alessia wheezed, laughing as she hugged her back.
Ella just squeezed harder. “Shut up, you love it.”
And yeah. Maybe she did. After a long moment, Ella finally pulled away, grinning at her like she was seeing her for the first time in years. “Come on, let’s get back to mine. You can tell me everything over a cuppa.”
Alessia rolled her eyes fondly but let Ella tug her towards the exit.
The drive back to Ella’s flat was filled with easy chatter, catching up on everything and nothing, the way they always did. It had been about a month since they’d last seen each other in person, and even though they texted, called, FaceTimed nearly every day, it wasn’t the same.
Once they were inside, Ella kicked off her trainers and headed straight for the kitchen, already pulling out mugs before Alessia had even sat down.
“Tea?”
“Obviously.”
Ella shot her a grin over her shoulder. “Just making sure London hasn’t ruined you.”
Alessia snorted. “Not yet.”
Ella handed her a mug a few minutes later before plopping down next to her on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath herself as she turned to face her.
“Right,” she said, blowing on her tea before taking a sip. “Tell me everything.”
Alessia raised an eyebrow. “Everything?”
Ella waved a hand. “Okay, not everything, just the important stuff. Training. The girls. And…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Leah.”
Alessia sighed, but she didn’t even hesitate before launching into it. She’d never lied to Ella before, and she wasn’t about to start now even f the whole Leah thing still scared her a little.
She told her everything.
About how she’d admitted -out loud, to Leah’s face- that she wanted to kiss her. About how Leah had been happy, that she even saw a first kiss as a possibility when that hadn’t been the case a few weeks ago. About how she was adjusting, slowly, to the idea that maybe, one day, she and Leah might actually be together. And then, before she could stop herself, she admitted the thing that had been gnawing at the back of her mind for days.
“That’s the thing, though,” she said, fidgeting with the handle of her mug. “I’m scared.”
Ella’s teasing smirk softened just slightly. “Scared of what?”
Alessia bit her lip.
“That I’ll take too long,” she admitted. “That she’ll get bored, or impatient, or just…move on.” She swallowed. “Because as much as I’m still figuring this out, as much as it’s still scary, I really like her, Tooney. And I-I want to be with her.”
She hadn’t even realised she was rambling until she glanced up and caught Ella’s expression.
The knowing smirk. The barely-contained amusement.
Alessia groaned, cheeks flushing red. “Shut up.”
Ella grinned, setting her tea down. “Oh, Lessi.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m not saying anything!”
“You’re thinking it.”
Ella laughed, leaning back against the sofa. “I just think it’s funny, you know.”
Alessia narrowed her eyes. “Funny how?”
Ella shrugged. “How you’ve spent months trying to fight this, trying to push it down, and now look at you. All loved up and worried she’ll leave you.”
Alessia let out a dramatic groan, burying her face in her hands. “You’re the worst.”
Ella nudged her with her foot. “I’m the best, actually.”
Alessia peeked at her through her fingers. “Debatable.”
Ella just grinned, nudging her again. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you need to worry.”
Alessia sighed, dropping her hands. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Ella’s voice was softer now, lacking its usual teasing edge.
“She likes you, Less. Properly likes you. If she was gonna give up on you, she’d have done it already.”
Alessia swallowed. Because…yeah. Maybe Ella was right.
They went out for lunch soon after, sitting in a little café that had been one of their go-to spots back when they played together at United. The food was good, the conversation easy, and thankfully, or not, Leah didn’t come up again.
Instead, they gossiped about everything else.
Ella filled her in on all the latest drama at United. Who was winding up the coaching staff, who had the worst banter in the dressing room, who had finally cracked and admitted their crush on one of the physios. Alessia laughed so hard she nearly choked on her drink more than once. It felt good. It felt normal.
For the first time in what felt like weeks, she wasn’t overthinking everything. She wasn’t caught up in the constant loop of doubt and fear that had settled in her chest ever since she’d admitted -out loud, to Leah- that she liked her.
For a little while, it was just like old times. And then, later in the evening, they met up with some of the other United girls. Millie, Grace, Maya. The second Alessia saw them, she barely had time to react before she was being pulled into tight hugs, each of them squeezing her like she’d been gone for years instead of a few months.
“Missed you, Less,” Millie said as she pulled away, grinning at her. “London treating you well?”
Alessia nodded, smiling. “Yeah, it’s been good.”
“Not as good as us, though, right?” Grace teased, nudging her playfully.
Alessia laughed. “Obviously not.”
They all sat down together, drinks in hand, and before long, they were back to the same easy rhythm as always, catching up, joking, telling stories. It was nice. It was comfortable. And then, just as Alessia was starting to feel like she could truly relax, she heard Ella’s voice cut through the conversation.
“So, Less-“
She barely had time to register the shift in Ella’s tone before her best friend continued, grin teasing.
“How’s things going with-“
Alessia felt her entire body tense. Her heart pounded. She wasn’t ready for this conversation. What in the world was Ella doing?!
But then, just as quickly, Ella hesitated.
Something flickered across her face -understanding, maybe, or guilt- before she coughed, covering it with a casual shrug.
“-with Arsenal?”
Alessia let out a breath, ignoring the way her chest still felt too tight as she forced herself to nod.
“Good,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “Yeah. It’s been good.”
Ella gave her a small, knowing look but didn’t say anything else. And Alessia, she ignored the way her heart was still racing, the way relief and fear mixed together in her stomach like a storm because it proved that as much as she was ready in some ways, in others, she was nowhere near there.
After leaving the restaurant they’d decided to go to for dinner, the five of them had made their way back to Ella’s flat, none of them quite ready to say goodbye just yet.
It was late, the streets dark and quiet as they piled inside, but they were still buzzing with energy, laughter echoing through the small space as they kicked off their shoes. They gathered on the sofa, blankets thrown over them, snacks piled high on the coffee table.
Ella had insisted on putting on a film -some old romcom none of them had seen before- but within minutes, it was obvious nobody was actually paying attention.
They talked over it, voices overlapping as they fall easily into the rhythm they always had. Alessia felt warm. Safe. For the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn’t thinking too much. She wasn’t stuck in her head, wasn’t battling the constant weight of everything she was feeling. She was just there. With her friends. Happy.
And then her phone rang.
The sound cut through the noise, slicing right through the warmth in her chest. She barely looked at the screen before answering, already seeing Beth’s name flashing before she pressed the phone to her ear.
“Beth?”
The second she heard the tone of Beth’s voice, her stomach twisted.
“Less,” Beth breathed, rushed and uneasy. “It’s-It’s Leah.”
The world seemed to tilt. “What?”
“She-she was in a car accident.”
Alessia stopped breathing. Her whole body went cold, her fingers gripping the phone so tight her knuckles ached. “What-“ She swallowed, her voice barely working. “What do you mean? What happened?”
Beth let out a breath, and Alessia could hear the strain in it. “I don’t know much,” she admitted. “The hospital won’t tell me anything because I’m not family. I-I just know she’s there.”
Alessia shot up from the couch so fast the blanket tangled around her legs, nearly sending her sprawling. She didn’t care. “Where?” she demanded, already heading for the door. “Which hospital?”
Beth hesitated, voice laced with guilt. “Less, I don’t-“
“Which hospital, Beth?” Her voice cracked.
She could hear the others behind her, the way the laughter had died instantly, how the room had gone eerily silent as they all turned to watch. But she couldn’t focus on any of them. She couldn’t focus on anything except the ringing in her ears, the weight pressing down on her chest like she couldn’t get enough air.
Leah was in an accident.
Leah was hurt.
And Alessia didn’t know how bad.
Didn’t know if she was-
No.
No, she wasn’t.
She was fine.
She had to be fine.
Her fingers trembled as she fumbled with her coat, trying to shove her arms through the sleeves. She barely noticed the way Ella moved, slipping the phone from her grip with gentle fingers.
“Beth?” Ella said, her voice steady in a way Alessia’s wasn’t. “Tell me what you know.”
Alessia didn’t hear the response. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Her hands shook as she struggled to zip up her coat, her mind racing too fast for her body to keep up. She needed to get to London. She needed to see Leah. She needed to know she was okay.
A hand landed on her arm.
“Less,” Ella said, voice firm but calm. “I’m driving you.”
Alessia barely registered the words. Her whole body felt numb. All she could think about was Leah. Leah, who had been fine when she left London. Leah, who had been there when she walked out the door. Leah, who she had seen every day for months.
And now?
Now she was in a hospital somewhere, and Alessia had no idea if she was okay. The others spoke, soft voices blending together, but Alessia couldn’t process it.
Millie. Grace. Maya. They were saying something about calling them when she knew more. About keeping them updated. But it all felt distant. Like she was underwater. Like nothing was real except the pounding of her heart and the desperate need to get to Leah. Because Leah was hurt. And Alessia didn’t know if she was going to be okay.