It's the year 2027. After the ligament operation, Alexia's recovery, which initially seemed very promising, was marred by one complication after another. Time, slow recuperation, and age eventually distanced her from professional football.
Although...
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Alexia grasped another stone from the depths, submerging nearly half her arm in the water and wrenching it from beneath a few centimeters of sand. She scrutinized it carefully. It seemed like a good candidate. Its edges were rounded, and it weighed enough for the impact to make it skip without being carried away by the wind that was presently tousling her hair.
"Get ready," she warned, burying her feet in the sand.
The blonde tossed the stone at the sea's surface. Unfortunately for her, it was slightly off target. The perfect stone Alexia had been scouring the shore for over the last ten minutes took an awkward first bounce, spinning around and ending up back at the water's bottom.
She held herself back. What she wanted most at that moment was to throw a tantrum. She had picked the best stone. The best. She had thrown it perfectly. It wasn't fair. Not at all.
Martina observed her from a meter behind, unable to relish a victory against her girlfriend, as usual. Alexia couldn't lose at anything, at absolutely anything. She walked up behind her and encircled the athlete's body with her arms.
"It was a treacherous wave," she lied. The sea was completely calm. "You threw it great. And it was a good stone."
"Maybe I could look for it and throw it again."
Martina stifled a laugh, shook her head, and effortlessly found another stone, much less effort than the blonde. It seemed flat enough to throw, so she handed it to her girlfriend.
"Here you go." Alexia took it in her hands. "I was saving this one in case you beat my record, but you made me feel a little sorry for you."
"You just picked it up," the former soccer player rolled her eyes.
"But I had my eye on it like half an hour ago," Martina raised both eyebrows, making her laugh.
Alexia resumed her initial position and threw the stone they had just given her, making it skip four times. Martina clapped enthusiastically, and the blonde rolled her eyes.
"See? I had my eye on it."
"You're lucky that I'm a great thrower," Alexia teased, earning herself an elbow nudge.
"You're still only the second-best thrower here."
Alexia chuckled a bit, although it wasn't that funny, and Martina kissed her.
They were doing good. She couldn't deny it. Since morning, having decided to spend the day together before Martina had to leave, she felt like they were as they always were. She felt comfortable with her again, as it was natural. Perhaps healthy love was indeed that, comfort, stability. Living life in the company of someone who knows you well enough to understand the reasons behind the decisions you make.
She followed Martina to the towel and lay down on the one to the right, after shaking it a bit. Maybe she could. Maybe she could forget what had happened, never remember it again. She had done it once. Now it would be easier.
Martina was engrossed in her reading, much calmer since Alexia and herself had returned to normalcy. She was convinced by what she had told her, that day had been a struggle. She enjoyed being with Ale, a lot, always had. From the first day she had seen her, she had found her hypnotic. She knew it hadn't been the same for her. She had fought hard for her attention and trust, but she liked feeling that it had been worth it when she saw her resting on her right with her eyes closed and a hand brushing her leg from the neighboring towel.
It had been on that same beach the first time they had met. Eli always insisted on it, as it was her favorite beach, and she managed to convince the younger of the sisters to accompany her most of the time.
It wasn't a very crowded beach. That was what the girls' mother liked the most. It allowed her to behave as if it were a small coastal town where she could get to know the neighbors.
Martina's parents lived there, and she had just finished her master's degree. With nothing else to do for the moment, she had decided to return home for a few months, after so many years away and before starting to work.
As with everything, it had been a matter of chance. Eli knew her face by heart, spoke to her every time she crossed paths with her reading on one of her walks along the shore, discovering more and more about that brown-haired girl with an angelic face who escaped to the beach to feel truly far from Madrid, to savor that feeling to the fullest.
When Alexia started joining them, already feeling a little better and ready to face real life, it was only a matter of time before the Putellas women plotted to include the brunette in their coastal getaways. Martina knew perfectly well that Alexia was completely unaware of her family's plan, and she couldn't help but find that adorable; despite treating her like a teenager, alongside someone who seemed to choke every time they had to talk about feelings.
The sea breeze caressed their faces as Alexia continued lying next to her with her eyes closed. Martina set the book aside and reached out to gently stroke Alexia's leg, seeking to establish that intimate contact they both enjoyed so much.
Alexia felt the touch of Martina's hand on her skin and slowly opened her eyes, meeting her partner's gaze filled with affection. She smiled slightly. She could get used to that.
"I haven't fallen asleep, promise," she remarked.
Martina shook her head and left the folding chair she always dragged along to the beach. She sat on the towel right beside Alexia and took advantage of the temperatures dropping enough to lean against her body. Alexia allowed it, wrapping her left arm around Martina and adjusting herself on the fabric.
"Are you bored of the book? It's odd I don't have to drag you out of the chair to head home,"
She shrugged. It was strange, indeed, but she wanted to be with Alexia. She wanted to relish in her presence now that everything felt so normal.
"They're getting married," she informed her, whispering against her chest.
"Well, of course, it's a romantic book," Alexia replied.
Martina chuckled softly. "Not all of them have happy endings, you know?" she joked.
"You shouldn't buy those. No need to pay money to feel sad," Alexia retorted without opening her eyes, a smile etched on her face.
Martina paused for a moment, contemplating her words. She wanted to ask a question without making it seem too significant.
"Do you want to get married?"
"I don't believe in marriage."
She wasn't lying. Alexia lay there, not dwelling further on the question Martina had just posed.
Martina nodded, respecting Alexia's response. She knew not everyone shared her romantic view of marriage. She had pictured herself marrying the blonde, but she could live with it. After all, it didn't make that much of a difference.
"I guess not all love stories need a ring and a paper to be meaningful, right?" Martina said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Alexia returned the smile and nodded.
She had once believed in that silly idea of forever love, love above all; but that had been many years ago, and it wasn't necessary to bring it up. Truth be told, it had only brought her long-term troubles. As those podcasts she never listened used to say: Romantic love is a lie from the movies.
