Azure leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly as she braced herself for the conversation that was sure to follow. She knew her mother meant well, that she only wanted what was best for her, but sometimes their conflicting personalities clashed like two opposing forces colliding in a storm.
"Hi, Mom," Azure greeted, her voice soft yet guarded. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, a pause filled with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Azure could almost hear the hesitation in her mother's voice, the uncertainty lingering like a shadow in the darkness.
"How are you, sweetheart?" her mother finally asked, her tone gentle yet tinged with worry.
Azure hesitated, unsure of how to answer. How could she explain the tumultuous storm raging within her, the conflicting emotions tearing her apart from the inside out? How could she put into words the emptiness that gnawed at her soul, the ache of loss that never seemed to fade?
"I'm... okay," Azure replied, the words feeling hollow on her tongue. She wanted to tell her mother the truth, to confide in her the depth of her pain and the weight of her sorrow. But she couldn't find the words, couldn't bring herself to expose her vulnerabilities to the one person who should have been her greatest source of comfort.
Her mother had begged her to come back to New York when her contract with Barcelona ended. Gotham would have taken her back in a heartbeat.
But Azure couldn't bear the thought of returning to the city that held so many painful memories, so much heartache. New York was where she had met Gabriella, where they had fallen in love amidst the chaos of their lives.
Central Park used to mean lazy strolls hand in hand. The Red Bull arena used to mean goals she celebrated by pointing at the love of her life in the public. 5th Avenue used to mean late-night walks, tacos, and cries of laughter.
But now, New York was a graveyard. New York was as dead to her as everything else was.
"I heard you're starting training with Arsenal today," her mother continued, her voice pulling Azure back to the present moment. "Are you excited?"
"Yeah, I guess," Azure replied, her voice lacking the enthusiasm she knew her mother was hoping for. She could hear the disappointment in her mother's sigh and could feel the weight of her expectations pressing down on her like a burden too heavy to bear.
"Listen, Azure, I know things haven't been easy for you lately," her mother began, her tone gentle yet tinged with a hint of frustration. "But you can't keep running away from your problems. You need to face them head-on, no matter how difficult it may seem."
Azure didn't reply. She knew all that. Knew everything she was supposed to do. All of it.
But Azure was weak. And was a coward.
"The trial is in two weeks," Jean said. Azure knew that already.
Azure's grip tightened on the phone, her knuckles turning white.
"I told you I wasn't going," Azure muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. The words hung in the air like a heavyweight, each syllable laden with the weight of her defiance and resignation.
"Sweetheart, I-" Jean started, her words strangled in her throat. She let out a deep sigh. "You know that if you're not there, chances of... of him being convicted are slim. You know that."
Azure clenched her jaw, her heart pounding in her chest as memories she had fought so hard to bury resurfaced with a vengeance. She could feel the rage building inside her, a primal fury that threatened to consume her from within.
"I don't care," Azure spat, her voice laced with venom. "I don't care if he goes free. I don't care if he rots in prison. It won't bring her back. Nothing will."
