Fragile

Chapter 7 - Internship

I sat down beside her, curling my legs under me. "So. What's new, Captain?"

She glanced at me, brows raised. "You saw that text?"

I smirked. "Yeah...I did. How is it?"

Leah exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah. It's... a lot."

"The Euros?"

She nodded. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's huge. But it's also terrifying. Feels like everything I do is being picked apart, like I have to prove every single day that I deserve this."

I frowned slightly, tilting my head. "You do deserve it, Leah."

She glanced at me, something unreadable flickering in her eyes before she looked away. "Yeah. Maybe."

I studied her for a second but didn't push. Instead, I shifted the subject. "Well, if it makes you feel better, my internship is just as exhausting."

That got a small smirk out of her. "Oh, yeah?"

I groaned, throwing my head back against the couch dramatically. "I swear, the hospital is trying to kill me. Twelve-hour shifts. The other nurses just throw me at whatever chaos is happening. And don't even get me started on some of these doctors."

Leah chuckled, resting her arm against the back of the couch. "Sounds intense."

"It is," I said, sighing. "But... it's good. It's a step forward."

She nodded slowly, her fingers tapping absently against her knee. "Yeah. Feels like we're both trying to prove ourselves, huh?"

I smiled softly. "Yeah. I guess we are."

The silence between us stretched—not uncomfortable, but thick with something unspoken. I wasn't sure what to do with it, wasn't sure if I should do anything with it. Leah sat back against the couch, fingers drumming absently against her knee, her eyes flickering around the room like she was studying it.

"Nice place," she finally said.

I huffed a small laugh. "It's temporary."

She nodded, glancing toward the hallway. "And Riggs? He's good?"

The mention of my son made my chest warm. "Yeah. He's obsessed with the fact that we're in England now. He wants to see a game so bad."

Leah smirked. "Well, I do know someone who might be able to hook him up."

I raised an eyebrow, teasing. "Oh? You know someone on the England squad?"

She rolled her eyes but grinned. "Shut up."

I laughed, shaking my head before settling deeper into the couch. "But yeah. He's doing good. He misses my mom, though."

Leah nodded, her expression soft. "That makes sense. It's a big change."

"Yeah," I admitted, exhaling. "For both of us."

Leah hummed in agreement, her eyes flickering to mine for a second before she looked down at her hands, rubbing the pad of her thumb against her palm. It was a nervous habit—I'd noticed it before, back when things between us were still something.

I chewed the inside of my cheek before breaking the silence. "And you? Other than the whole captain thing, how's life?"

She hesitated, then let out a slow breath. "Busy. Exhausting. A lot of pressure. Same as you, really."

I smirked. "Any fun in between?"

Leah hesitated for a fraction of a second before shrugging. "A little."

I narrowed my eyes, catching something in her expression—something guarded. "Oh? What kind of 'fun' are we talking about?"

Leah shifted, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Beth has dragged me out a few times."

I lifted an eyebrow. "And?"

She cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck. "And... you know. Drinks. A few nights out. Some—" She paused, lips pressing together for a beat. "—distractions."

I swallowed, my stomach tightening. I knew what she meant. I had no right to feel anything about it—I was the one who had walked away—but that didn't stop the quiet pang in my chest.

I forced a casual smirk. "Distractions, huh?"

Leah glanced at me, expression unreadable. "Yeah."

Silence settled again, heavier this time.

I shifted, crossing my arms. "Good. I mean, you should be... having fun."

Leah nodded, but there was something about the way she looked at me—something careful, like she was waiting for me to say something else. But I didn't. I couldn't.

So instead, I picked up my glass of water, taking a slow sip.

Leah exhaled, leaning back again, stretching one arm over the back of the couch. "I still don't know why you ignored my texts for months."

I stiffened slightly, the shift in topic catching me off guard. I swallowed, setting my glass down. "Leah—"

"I'm not mad," she interrupted, shaking her head. "I just... don't get it."

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "I told you. I needed to focus on Riggs. On school. On everything."

Leah studied me, eyes sharp in a way that told me she wasn't fully buying it. "And I couldn't be part of that?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it, feeling cornered in a way I hadn't expected. Finally, I sighed. "I didn't know how to make you part of it. And I was scared of trying and failing. Of hurting Riggs. Of hurting myself."

Leah's jaw tensed slightly, but she nodded, looking down at her hands again.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "And now?"

She looked up. "What?"

I gestured vaguely between us. "Now you're here. And I don't know what that means."

Leah licked her lips, exhaling slowly. "I don't either."

And somehow, that was the most honest thing either of us had said all night.

~~~~
AN: I'm too tired to say much other than surprise!

As always, vote ⭐️
and comment

🫶🏼