Girls like girls | Elisa de Almeida - fanfic ♡ (english)

one ♡

After being eliminated from the World Cup, sad days took over the French team, but gradually, they faced the defeat, and there was nothing left but to prepare for the Nations League that was just around the corner, as well as the D1 Arkema.

'Come on, girls!' shouted the head coach, Hervé Renard, from the training field, a former French player and the current coach of the French women's national team —'we're almost done.'

Elisa de Almeida was focused on training; she passed every obstacle with the exclusive speed of a defender, taking deep breaths of air with each sprint she had to make. Her hair was freshly cut, something her teammates noticed, and they didn't hesitate to tease her, causing her to smirk.

'You're distracting me,' Elisa joked with her teammates.

Geyoro and Karchaoui began to laugh.

'It's just that we love it when you show up with a fresh cut,' Geyoro said amid laughter.

'Both of you will end up falling in love with me for real, and I won't respond,' Elisa threatened with a laugh.

Between different drills, Elisa ran her hand through her hair, trying to push her bangs back, or she lifted her long-sleeved jersey to wipe the sweat from her face, revealing her flat stomach. It was impossible to deny how attractive she was doing these things on the field.

After training, they all headed to the locker rooms, led by the coach.

'Excellent training,' Hervé said, announcing that he had something else to say —'this Friday is the inauguration of the Nations League, which will be hosted here in Paris, and...'

A ringing cellphone interrupted him.

The coach closed his eyes in stress and sighed; it seemed he knew who it was even without looking at the phone. With his right hand, he took the phone while the left hand went to his forehead.

'I'm still busy, Celine.'

What a beautiful name, Elisa instantly thought.

All the girls started chatting, but she was more attentive to that call because it seemed like the coach was arguing with someone named Celine.

'I'll be busy that day too,' Hervé said —'what do you want me to do? Tough days are coming for my team... I know... sorry... sorry, on Friday, I'll introduce you to my team, how about that? Over dinner?'

What will the coach's girlfriend be like? It was a question that lingered in the mind of the Parisian defender. She imagined an elegant and beautiful French lady, maybe tall, possibly with a modeling-related profession.

Attention returned to the coach when he started apologizing for the interruption caused by Celine.

'As I was saying...' he pocketed his phone —'the inauguration will be here in Paris, and it's a dinner, so prepare your best outfit because it will be an elegant night.'

All the players got excited.

'And by the way,' the coach said —'you can bring someone if you like.'

Karchaoui instantly looked at Elisa.

'Who are you taking?' she said, giving her a light tap on the shoulder —'I demand to know, Almeida.'

Elisa started to smile; she had no one to take, and it wasn't something that worried her at the moment. Some time ago, she had a fling with a woman from her hometown, and it was more drama than she could handle. So, for now, she prefers not to have commitments and is more interested in 'casual encounters.'

'You, Karchaoui,' she said, winking at her.

Both started laughing.

'I know you'll be flirting with players from other teams during dinner,' the other defender reproached —'I know you.'

In previous inaugurations, Elisa's group of friends had caught her flirting with a player from the Swiss team. Since then, they had labeled her as a potential heartbreaker, and with that face, how could she not be?

'I won't do that again,' Elisa said amid laughter —'you should have stopped me.'

'Sure,' she responded —'I think that woman still loves you'

They spent a few more minutes talking about the heartbreaker reputation she had earned over time, and together they went to their dormitories. On matchdays, the entire team slept in a hotel in Paris and then traveled to their next destinations from there.

♡

It's been a long time since Celine felt something so strong for someone, in fact, she doesn't even remember ever feeling something so profound.

Throughout her life, she's always been told whom to date, and although she's always surrounded by handsome men, she couldn't feel love for them. 'Something is wrong with me,' she always told herself, and she reached a point where she started to believe it, not even arguing with her parents when they arranged a forced boyfriend for her.

When she finally decided on her first boyfriend on her own, she thought her parents would deny it, but they didn't.

'Hervé Renard?' her parents asked —'head coach of the French national team?'

Celine nodded, prepared to hear a scolding for the 25+ years of age difference.

'Okay,' her mom said —'it could even be good publicity for the restaurants.'

Every move the Leroy family made was strategically planned for the benefit of France's most prestigious restaurant chain, as they were the owners and founders.

Celine and Hervé met in one of the Leroy family's restaurants, and although she wasn't captivated instantly, she accepted the date Hervé proposed because she no longer wanted to spend a second more with the fake boyfriend her parents got her. This way, she would get rid of her pathetic boyfriend and try to fall in love with Hervé. What if she discovers that her ideal man is the older type? Maybe then she can fall in love for real.

They have been together for a year and six months now, the relationship has been quite easy for Celine as Hervé is busy with his women's football team, and she can enjoy her solitude since she doesn't feel great love for him. However, there were days when she longed for company and being hugged, like today.

She took her phone and called; the first thing she received was a 'I'm still busy, Celine'

'And tomorrow?' she began to get angry at the rude way he was responding —'you're always busy, Hervé, always.' She took her hand to her forehead, messing up her bangs in frustration —'besides, there's no need to talk to me like that!'

The call ended with Hervé telling her that he will introduce his entire football team.

Celine smiled and started to think about what to wear for that day.

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Hello! this is my first english fanfic, I'm a spanish native speaker, so if you find something weird in the chapter, please please let me know <3

thank u for reading!! <3 take care!