𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞 ★ leah williamson

11 - mistakes

"You're gonna get that back!", I threatened.

"You always say that, but you never actually get me back", Beth laughed, and I had nothing to say back to her as I realised she was right. I'd definitely have to change something about that.

"Well, how was London?", I asked the two, who smiled at their own victory, soon telling me the events of their own international break.

By the time we stepped into London City again, searching for our car in the lousy weather, and watched Beth sprint towards her and Viv's apartment complex in the pouring rain, my head was filled with more happy thoughts than it'd been since I'd left for Germany.

The realisation that Beth and Leah had been able to change my mood completely, making me excited for the rest of the season and taking my thoughts off of my family issues hit me suddenly as I sat in the passenger seat, watching Leah start the journey towards our homes contently. I smiled at the blonde as she steered the wheel, only taking my eyes off when Syd had texted me.

"So, about your family", Leah started, her voice low but soft. My head snapped up, and I realised by the look of determination on her face that I couldn't really get out of the situation. For a split second, I wondered whether or not jumping out of the moving car would hurt more than my other two options - snapping at Leah or facing the topic I most definitely did not want to talk about.

"It's weird", I started, and even though I felt the nerves tingling in my head, I figured it might not hurt as much as I feared to speak about the topic to someone a little more smart than Syd. I loved my best friend, but sometimes, she lacked critical thinking skills.

"How so?"

"It's just- Marik and I used to be a lot closer, and I know he's just seventeen and annoyed by everything the way teenage boys are, but-"

I stopped myself, biting back tears.

"I just feel like he doesn't care at all about my career, or about me in general. And I know he doesn't have to, but I can't help but feel guilty about it."

"Guilty about what?", Leah asked curiously, her eyes still busy on the road.

"About leaving him", I breathed.

"I left when he was eleven, and I feel like he's angry with me about it. Even more now that I moved to a different country."

Leah nodded as she took in my words, and parked the car shortly after in my driveway.

She turned to look at me, carefully taking one of my hands into hers as she noticed how I was fidgeting with the ring on my finger.

I sucked in a breath at the sudden contact, my eyes focused on my lap as I didn't dare to look at her.

"Ellie", Leah breathed, and my eyes turned towards her slowly.

"Is that why you lost weight?" she asked, and I jumped at her words slightly. No one had addressed the situation as directly before.

"I didn't."

I shook my head gently, looking right into her eyes as I did so, and even though we both knew I was lying to her shamelessly, Leah said nothing for a second, and then-

"You can be honest with me."

"I know."

"Okay, then."

And with those words, I stepped into the pouring rain, giving her a last thank you before retrieving my luggage and sprinting towards the door, desperate to escape the continuous downpour and Leah's sad eyes.

Magnus greeted me at the door, and I was surprised he even still remembered me.

"Hey, you", I cooed as I picked up the cat, dropping the luggage and bags in my second in a heartbeat.