right where you left me

Chapter 5 - Peace

"Yeah, it's more than alright," caitlin joked.

"What is she going on about?" Steph asked, looking at me.

"I may be kinda seeing someone else," I replied.

"Kinda?" Caitlin laughed. "Seems a lot more than kinda." Caitlin soon showed Steph a photo.

"Holy shit," Steph said, chuckling.

"It's nothing. We were only holding hands." Steph and Caitlin both looked at me, confused.

"I think we are talking about two very different photos," Steph soon said, as Caitlin showed me the photo. It wasn't the same photo I had seen that morning. It was another one. It was of me and Leah, in the alleyway, kissing.

"Holy shit," I said, taking the phone and looking at it. "I had not seen this."

"So, are you two together?" Caitlin asked.

"It's not... um- well- no-"

"Not yet, you mean," Steph said.

"Guys..."

"Come on," Cait soon said. "It's all fun and games." She winked at me, before walking inside the building.

When I got inside the locker room, I saw Leah sitting there. She smiled at me, and as I looked around, I saw all the girls' eyes on me and her. On me and Leah. I went to sit down, with Caitlin on my left as she was number 19 and Katie on my right as she was 15, and we didn't have a 16, or 17 (as Lisa Evans was on loan to West Ham.)

"You guys need to stop staring at each other," Caitlin said, under her breath.

"We are not," I responded.

"You two are basically eye fucking," she said.

"What the fuck, Cait," I said.

"I'm just saying."

"What's Caitlin going on about?" Katie asked, chiming into the conversation. Her Irish accent was so strong, surprising me for a small minute.

"She's just being annoying," I joked.

"When isn't she?" Katie laughed.

We soon got the line up, and I would be starting, just as Jonas had said.

Manu was in goals. Noelle, Leah, Rafaelle, and Katie made the backline. Lia, Frida and me in the midfield. Caitlin, Viv and Beth at the top. This was a strong line up. Incredibly strong.

At Lyon, we always had a strong team. We had won so many championships, and trophies that it was hard to dismiss it, but here, it's harder. We were the only strong team in the league for so long, but at Arsenal I felt as if there was something to fight for. Maybe that's what drew me here, rather than Barcelona or Wolfsburg (where I also had offers).

"Nice armband," I said to Leah, as she was about to put on the captain's band.

"Eh, it's kinda loose," she replied, trying to keep it up on her arm.

"Here," I said, going closer to try to help keep the armband in place. I wrapped the elastic around twice, twisting it and helping it hold in place.

"Thanks," Leah said, looking at me.

"Not a problem," I responded.

"Um, so, just thought I should let you know that-" Leah started to say, before I cut her off.

"The other photo?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

"Caitlin showed it to me, so they all know now."

"Well, it was bound to happen," Leah responded.

"Yeah, it was. And besides, it'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"I know so." Leah had a confidence about her that filled me with contentment. I felt okay. She made me feel okay. She was my epitome of peace.

We soon headed out, with Leah leading the line. I hung on the end, always liking to be one of the last to take to the pitch.

For the first 30 minutes of the game, my mind was elsewhere. I wasn't able to get myself into the game. This was not the debut I wanted.

But after Brighton had scored a goal, I knew I had to get my head into the game. I had to pull myself together and make something of this match.

By half time, we were still down by 1, but we had created chances. I had been playing their midfield a bit better, making some opportunities at goal.

Thankfully, in the second half, I was able to weave a pass through the defenders, playing the ball up to Viv on a platter. She slotted it past the keeper equalising the game. And only five minutes later, Beth scored a goal too, helping us to a 2-1 victory. It was what we needed. It was what I wanted. We had won on my debut, and I had an assist. Although I was by no means proud of that performance, we got the job done.

After the match, Leah came beside me, hugging me softly.

"Good job," she said, whispering into my ear. I smiled as my hands linked around her back. She was taller than me, but not by too much. Her blonde hair contrasted to my auburn locks. We were yin and tang, but it worked. It just seemed to work.

I was soon called over for an interview, post game. Alex Scott was holding the microphone.

"Hello Tippah," Alex said.

"Hi," I responded, smiling at her. She passed me the microphone.

"Ready?"

"Yep."

"So, Tippah," Alex said, as the camera started to rolling. "Good win for The Arsenal. How did it feel to get those three points on your debut?"

"Yeah, it was quite relieving I guess. I want us to win every game, and I was just glad I could help us in that."

"You played a strong game. You came away with an assist and 90 minutes of play, were you expecting a full game on your debut?"

"No, not at all. But, I'm glad I got the opportunity to play that 90. I think it really helped settle me into the team and yeah, it was nice."

"Two great goals by Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead; how excited are you to play with two of the best forwards in the league at the moment?"

"Oh, I'm so incredibly excited. They are two of the best players around and being able to have them on the end of my balls, fills me with lots of confidence."

"Well, you played very well, and thank you Tippah Jones."

"Thank you," I responded, walking off.

After the post-match debrief, I headed home, soon posting onto my instagram. The first photo was of me smiling, laughing at something Cait probably said post game. The second was the team picture. The third was of me celebrating with Viv after she had scored. And the last was of Leah and me, hugging post match.

Tippsjonesy: proud to have made my debut for this incredible club. We keep pushing!

Caitlinfoord: yay! Amazing work tipps, as always

Stephcately: INCREDIBLE

Bethmead_: woohoo

Viviannemiedema: that ball tho!

Leahwilliamsonn: you're okay i guess ;)

Tippsjonesy: @leahwilliamsonn don't lie gurl ;)

Leahwilliamsonn: @tippsjonesy never

I laughed at the phone, holding it close to my chest. As I did, I soon had a buzz. When I turned my phone around, it was a number I didn't think would be calling me. A number I had deleted from my phone, a while ago.

+33 142 432 673: can we please talk? It's time, Tippah.

I knew I should. It wasn't fair. It was not fair.