Nothing shines as bright as your eyes - (Leah Williamson x OC)

Part 19

A few minutes after the game I saw the door of the medical room open and Lauren walking inside.

She went to sit beside me and I let my head lean on her shoulder. I was exhausted, the pain radiated through my entire body and really took all the energy that I had out of me.

Luckily, I was given some painkillers by the medics, so the worst part of the pain had subsided, but it still wasn't completely gone.

"Lauren," I started, "who actually tackled me?" I asked curiously. Knowing that the answer wouldn't really matter, but it was nice to know anyway.

"It really doesn't matter." She awkwardly said. Well, that was not the answer I was expecting. Usually Lauren is actually quite straightforward with me, so this was really an uncommon occurrence.

"What do you mean," I chuckled, "why won't you tell me who tackled me?" I asked, now confused as to why she wouldn't tell me.

"It's really best if you didn't know." She stated in a whisper. I already had my suspicions, but this just strengthened my feeling of who had done it, so I decided to come out and say it.

"It was Leah, wasn't it? I asked, already convinced that Leah once again really had it out for me. I didn't receive a reply, which confirmed it even more.

"Lauren?" I asked, still wanting to hear her say it. She nodded in reply and put her arm around my shoulder. I just sighed in frustration and closed my eyes, trying to not let my anger get the best of me.

Fortunately, before that could happen, the medics came back in the room with the result of all the tests I had done. I felt my chest tighten a little, anxious for what the outcome would be. I really couldn't handle a big injury, right now.

"So we're convinced that it's just a bad sprain. So nothing broken or torn. You really got lucky, Stacy. This could've ended up much worse." One of the medics said, with a serious expression on her face.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and, once again, felt a wave of relief wash over me. "Tell Leah that." I frustratedly replied in a whisper, but just hard enough for them to hear. They understood I wasn't directing my anger at them, and just smiled softly at my remark.

Lauren helped me out of the medical room and I was given crutches for now, until I could put some weight on my ankle again. We walked back to the changing room, when we went past a few of the Arsenal players. Including Leah.

"Bitch." I whispered, but, on purpose, just loud enough for Leah to hear, when I walked past her. Lauren heard it as well, and quickly ushered me to walk on, gladly avoiding yet another discussion between Leah and I.

"What did you say?" Leah shouted from behind me. I turned around and limped forward, so that we were now face to face, while still holding a more than sufficient amount of space between me and her.

"I said 'bitch'! You could've broken my fucking ankle, you know! I now shouted back, the anger eventually taking over anyway.

"Stacy... just let it go. It's not worth it." Lauren whispered in my ear. She had a point, I know she did. Maybe, before I get myself into even more trouble, I should just walk away from thi-

"Yeah, well, you would have fucking deserved it!" She shouted, while I was already turning around to walk away. I'm pretty sure I almost got a whiplash from how fast I turned back around again, and started limping towards her, this time much faster. I dropped one crutch and was about to shove her when I felt someone lift me up into the air, turn us around, and walk away from the Arsenal player.

I tried to get out of their grip, but they were too strong and held me right in place. They dropped me as soon as all the Arsenal players were out of sight and we were in front of our changing room, the door closed.

"Stacy! What the fuck was that!" They said, I turned around to look at the person, and realised it was Lucy who had brought me here.

"I- I- I don't know." I said, my voice already beginning to tremble. Lucy engulfed me in a hug, while I started bawling my eyes out. I wasn't a cryer, but it sure as hell looked like it right about now.

"Stacy...," Lucy began, "it's okay, you're okay." She said, trying to calm me down. I couldn't handle it anymore, and I told her everything.

Everything.

From my exhaustion from the painkillers, to everything single thing Leah had said or done, to me missing Emma, I even told her about the void I felt without my parents here. I told her everything.

I think it was a good ten minutes before I finally stopped talking and realised Lucy hadn't said a word this entire time. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth hung slightly agape.

Before I could say anything more, she just holds me in a hug and ushers me to be silent.

"You don't deserve all of this, Stacy." She whispers in my ear. "I don't know, Lucy. Maybe I do, maybe-" I started saying, but she cuts me off. "No, no, don't start thinking like that, Stacy. No one deserves that," she stated clearly, clarifying that their was no room for discussion and that she wasn't going to change her mind, "now come on, we've got a camp go get ready for." She said, giving me one last tight squeeze and walking into the changing room.

A/N
-22K reads. HOLY SHIT!!! I can't thank any of you enough, but just know that I appreciate this soooo much.
- a bit of Leah drama again, but I'll let you in on little secret... Their bond really can't get any worse than this... I think?
- hope you have a lovely day and see you at the next chapter!

:)