Lines We Cross - Alexia Putellas

Five. Common Ground

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It was early morning before the sun rose that Veronica arrived at the training grounds, showing off her ID to the cleaners to pass her way through the halls and on to the clean-cut pitch.

The floodlights were still activated as she walked to the centre, juggling with the ball at her feet—since speaking to Sakina, Veronica had time to decipher their phone call and what would happen if the truth got out.

She would be looked at differently.

Treated differently.

Veronica Castellano was practically a bull when it came to emotions, facing them headstrong and stubbornly.

She smiled at the memories of how Daan would scold the Spaniard for her inability to express, the small Dutch player shouting for her to feel.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Swivelling around quickly, she was surprised to come face-to-face with the captain.

Alexia, who had been watching Veronica from the windows while training in the gym, decided to check on the midfielder as she had froze with the ball at her feet, staring off into the unknown.

But Veronica shook herself out of a daze, "Tired, that's all."

"Practicing at six in the morning will do that," Alexia tried to tease, but her grin faded once realising that the brunette wasn't listening—her mind was somewhere else, "You need to get your head in the game, we're playing tomorrow."

But the strict tone of her captain made Veronica scoff, too frustrated within herself to realise that Alexia had only been trying to be helpful, "I'll be benched, who cares."

Alexia couldn't hide the annoyance growing when listening to the midfielder speak as if she didn't care, it had always irked the captain that Veronica was a pessimist about anything, "I'm only trying to help, Castellano."

With that, the captain had stormed off and left Veronica to think about what had just happened.

It seemed they weren't getting any closer to finding common ground.

Hours later had passed, Veronica was found hiding in the changing rooms when the team flooded in—shocked to see the brunette already at the facility, as she was infamous for tardiness.

"Looks like someone is getting in Jona's good books," Cata whistled at the sight of Veronica, not commenting on the obvious dark circles and messy hair that she sported.

There was a hint of a smile across her lips.

It didn't last long when Alexia walked into the changing rooms with a miserable expression, rolling her eyes at the sight of the woman she claimed to despise, "Jonatan wants to see you in his office."

Ignoring the women's 'oooh's' and teasing, Veronica shoulder-barged past the captain and climbed up to the manager's office, gulping when she opened the door to reveal his less-than-pleased face.

"Veronica, please sit." The man tried to hint a smile at the apparent nervousness, but leaned back in his chair and rose a brow, "Do you know why you're here?"

"No. Alexia told me you wanted to talk." It almost made her cringe at even the mention of her captain, but Veronica pretended like nothing had ever happened. As if a million thoughts didn't pass through her at the idea of her.

Jonatan clapped his hands together, "Speaking of... Staff informed me this morning that you and Alexia were arguing," Veronica averted her eyes away, knowing that a disappointed expression awaited across from the table, "The both of you were going to start the game in changed positions."