Therapy Session - Alexia Putellas

1.

"We are one of the newest and best therapy centers in Europe. Many athletes from all different kind of sports have visited us after their injury and we helped them get back into their previous state", the doctor explains proudly, leading the sisters through a long hallway until they reach the reception of the center.

There were pictures of extremely famous athletes who had been recovering at the rehab center over the last years hanging on the wall.

Alexia hated the fact that maybe after some months, she'd be one of them. It was like a hall of fame... or maybe a hall of fail.

At least that's what she thought. Failure.

"Welcome to Barcelona Rehab, Miss Putellas", the red haired receptionist greets the athlete with a friendly smile, putting some papers and documents on the counter as Alexia hands her crutches to Alba.

"Hola", the athlete says, not paying the receptionist a single look as she started to quickly fill in the papers, declining the doctors offer of taking a seat at the lounge area while she does.

"Here are the papers, thank you", Alexia says, trying to form at least the smallest of a smile when she hands the pen back towards the receptionist.

"Don't worry, Miss Putellas. You're in very good hands here", the doctor smiles, knowing that the athletes mood was usual for new patients, injured athletes hating to visit a rehab center or hospital.

"I hope so", the athlete breathes, following with her crutches as the doctor leads the way towards the waiting area in front of the therapy rooms, the three of them taking their seats in the nice waiting area.

The whole rehab center seemed to be very nice and well decorated with simple, yet meaningful stuff. In each corner were small pieces that Alexia would sure would keep up her motivation by now.

Just hopefully the therapist will be good.

If not she wouldn't hold back to ask for a change in therapy, not that she wanted to sound arrogant.

She just wanted the best.

"So Alexia, we planned the whole rehabilitation process with one of our best therapists. She's specialized with mostly female soccer players and she already treated a few of your teammates", the doctor explains, giving Alexia a little hope that coming here was the right decision, even though she didn't really had another chance.

"I guess I'm excited, then", Alexia shrugs, her lips forming the smallest of a smile as she feels herself tensing up, knowing that the start of therapy would show her how weak she's gotten in the last five days after the injury.

"It'll all work out in the end, Ale", Alba smiles, stroking her sisters back as she shares a quick look with the doctor, the medical now leaving the two of them waiting for the therapist to arrive.

"You know... the therapy will take around two hours anyway. You don't have to wait", Alexia breathes when she turns around to face Alba, her sisters lips pressed into flat line as she listens to the captain words.

"Are you sure?", Alba asks, seeing her sister just nod sadly. She hated seeing her like this. Alexia was usually so strong but right now she was just... broken.

"I think I need a few moments for myself. Is that okay for you?", Alexia asks, wrapping her arms around her sisters neck as she embraces her in a tight hug, feeling herself tensing at the realization that the therapy would start soon.

"If you wish", Alba smiles as she presses a small kiss on her sisters cheek, before standing up and turning to leave.

"Alba?", Alexia asks out, standing up carefully with one crutch in her left hand as she makes her sister turn back around surprised.

"Thank you... I know I've been extremely hard to handle those last couple of days", Alexia excuses herself with a small smile, knowing her mood was extremely bad.

Yet, she couldn't help but feel this way.

"Don't worry, Ale. I'm always there for you", Alba smiles, waving a quick goodbye before leaving.

And soon after Alexia realizes that this was the first time after the injury that she was alone.

"Relajarse, Alexia", the captain mumbles to herself as she stumbles up and down the small hallway, looking at the pictures of the athletes hanging there at those walls.

She takes her time, taking deep breaths after another as she stares at all the pictures, seeing athletes she knew extremely well that had suffered a cruciate ligament tear as well.

But the fact that this happened just a day before the Euros, one of the biggest tournaments she'd been looking for for years now, was making her situation even worse.

Alexia tried to overplay it but all she wanted to do was cry. Knowing that she wasn't be able to help her teammates made her hate the situation even more.

Being here at the therapy center with those freaking crutches was something she also hated, even though she knew that only this was helping here come back there where she'd been before.

"Hello, Alexia?", a friendly, female voice suddenly rips the athlete out of her thoughts, the brown haired woman turning with her crutches as a blonde woman comes into sight.

"Hi", Alexia breathes, her voice quiet when she just stares at the woman in front of her, the blonde wearing a dark blue long sleeve shirt along with some black tights.

She looked... like a good therapist.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Erin", the therapist smiles, stretching a hand out to greet the injured athlete when Alexia takes two crutches in one hand, quickly stabilizing herself before she was able to shake the blondes hand.

"I'm Alexia", the Barcelona captain says, somehow her heart beat fasten as she looks at her hand still holding the therapists tightly.

There was a small moment of silence, before the captain lets go of the blondes hand and looks up into her eyes, somehow having a familiar and comfortable feeling the second their eyes lock.

"Alexia? Can we go now?", the blonde asks, already standing in front of her therapy room while Alexia was still standing there in front of those pictures, paying them a quick, positive look before starting to follow her therapist.

"Y- Yeah. Sorry", Alexia chuckles, making her best to approach the blonde while she was already holding the door towards her room open for the captain to enter, the athlete feeling those eyes on her while she was walking past her.

"You seem to come along very well with those crutches. You walk extremely fast with them", Erin says as she watches Alexia now standing in the middle of that huge room, looking around eagerly to see all those things standing around.

"I guess so...", Alexia shrugs, still looking around while the blonde shuts the door with a friendly smile on her lips.

"We'll make sure you can walk without them as fast as possible. How does that sound?", Erin asks, strolling towards the computer on her desk that was standing in front of a huge window wall, everything looking well organized.

"Sounds extremely good", the captain smiles, watching the blonde standing at the high desk while she was looking for something on the screen, Alexia taking in the room she would spent most hours of the next weeks inside.

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