Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

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Hunter's POV

I walked back up to mine and Leah's hotel room, feeling rather like I was floating. Reality didn't quite feel real, almost as if it could all be a dream or some highly involved day dream. 

Eventually, I found the door to what I thought was our room, struggling to work the key. I may have had a few drinks at dinner, nothing too serious but somehow they still brought that buzz to my head and apparently some incoordination to my body. 
Someone clearly heard my struggle and opened the door, it was Lia who warmly welcomed me in. As I walked in, I was a little shocked to see all the team scattered on the beds and floor watching a movie. It would have been a rather sweet scene if they didn't all immediately turn to look at me. 

"And so she returns," Jen grinned at me.

I was already rolling my eyes, "I'm back," I raised my arms like my return to the hotel was some major achievement. 

"I'm surprised she came back tonight at all," Lisa joked, "I think you owe me a fiver Katie."

Katie just grumbled, "I'll give it to you tomorrow."

Lia looked slightly startled, "You bet on what?" she looked between the two girls.

"Oh it was nothing," Lisa waved it off.

To be honest, I didn't really care, it wasn't anything new and I'd drunk to much to bother with their questions. 

I looked around the room for one person in particular, Jill was laying on a bed with a space next to her so I sat besides her. Obviously she knew I was there, she wasn't blind, but Jill didn't turn in my direction or speak. I found myself missing her eyes on me, not that I'd ever noticed it before. 

My mind wouldn't focus on the movie, I just found myself continuing to look at Jill, hoping that this time she'd be looking back at me. But she never was.
Eventually, I gave in, realizing my silence wasn't helping, "Hi Jilly," I whispered. 

But Jill didn't turn to me, her eyes remained set on the television, "You're drunk," She stated. 

I was confused and I missed that smile I'd told Ona about. I missed the smile that made me smile, the only time when it felt like someone elses' soul bled into mine and it didn't hurt. It just felt like pure sunshine. 

"No, I'm not," I shook my head, furrowing my eyebrows; trying to convince both myself and Jill of the fact. 

Jill huffed, clearly not impressed, "How was your date?"

My heart stopped, my head whipping towards her at a speed which could've given me whiplash, "What date?"

Much as I begged her to, Jill wouldn't look at me, "With Ona."

A laugh escaped my mouth, still quiet though so the other girls wouldn't hear our conversation, "that wasn't a date. Ona is just my friend, we've known each other since the Barca academy."

"Then why is everyone else calling it a date?" Jill wouldn't believe me.

I pursed my lips, feeling this sting to my chest and annoyance towards a team who'd turned some joke into a fact they were sharing, "Jill, look at me," I pleaded, suddenly filled with this desperation for her to stay.

Now Jill turned her head, though I didn't see the sun, I saw this newfound fragility. Our eyes didn't connect with that usual electricity, where the sparks flew and I found it magnetic, they just lulled. Jill wasn't staring into my eyes, she was searching; searching for answers. "Just tell me the truth Hunter."

I shook my head again, "We're just friends, I promise."

"And the teams lying?" Jill checked, a little light coming to her face. 

I nodded, "I don't even know what they're on about."

Jill scoffed, turning away as she shook her head, "Typisch."

I panicked, partly because I had no clue what Jill was saying and also because she wouldn't trust my word over everyone elses, "Jill, I promise you that nothing is going on between Ona and I."

Jill faced me again, "No, I know," She stated, "It's just typical."

"What is?" I questioned. 

"Guys shush!" Beth complained, looking back at Jill and I, interrupting our conversation so my question was never answered.

"Come on Hunter," Katie pretended to reason, "You can't string both Ona and Jill along in one night."

"Yeah," Lisa chuckled, "At least leave it an hour."

"Guys!" Leah widened her eyes, "Are we watching the movie or not?"

There were a few mumbles of agreement, I don't think I'd ever heard the team shut up and listen to someone before, as the room fell back in silence. 

I looked back at Jill, "So you're not mad at me?"

"Mad at you?" Jill asked like I was crazy, "Of course not."

"Okay good," I nodded, going back to the movie.

"Are you really not going to tell them to shut up?" Jill questioned, sitting up.

"Oh it doesn't bother me," I assured her as I sat up to equal her height, "They're just trying to be funny."

"And failing," Jill retorted. 

"Jilly," I locked eyes with the Dutch, "I am nothing if I'm not a character," I told her.

"I don't know what that means," Jill breathed, lightly shaking her head, never pulling her eyes from mine. 

I brushed it off, "You don't need to, one day you'll figure it out."

"So you're not always this confusing?" She chuckled.

"I'm not confusing," I tilted my head, smirking slightly, "I'm just..." The sentenced trailed off. It turned out I was confusing because somehow I'd managed to completely confuse myself. 

That smile fell back onto Jill's face, "You're so drunk," She accused once again. 

I just toppled onto Jill's lap, giggling, "I am so drunk," I admitted, beyond relief she hadn't run.

Jill seemed convinced that I'd try running from her and she had good reason to be, though I don't think I could ever run from someone I was so drawn and unknowingly attached to.
But I was growing more and more terrified that Jill would run. I was convinced that if she ever found out the truth that she'd run for the hills knowing I was nothing but bad news. Jill didn't need a constant mystery in her life, I knew it wasn't exciting in the long run, it was just scary. 

I stared up at Jill, feeling the room spin slightly, "I'm glad you joined Arsenal, Jilly," I told her realizing that a series of quiet serendipities had led us there. It was the one time in my life where I hadn't been looking for someone to adore, yet it's right when she'd walked in. 

Jill smiled, it was soft, "I'm glad too."

I think I was a little less astray with Jill by my side, because I'd never be completely lost when standing next to someone who felt like home. Home. Barcelona was a place, London was a place. Jill took me to a place more comforting than any city ever would or could; that was home to me. 

I was safe.

"I'm tired," I yawned softly.

Jill chuckled, "Sleep then," she gently brushed the hair from my face, "I'll wake you up when everyone is leaving."

"Okay," I immediately agreed, giving into the exhaustion. 

And as I drifted to sleep, I didn't pay a single thought to the team. I barely paid a thought to football itself. I just thought about home. My home.