the warm smell of pure coffee beans was comforting to eleanor. and right now, she needed comfort more than anything.
morning before the game, yana and eleanor had gone to morrell's for a quick catch up, which included eleanor informing her she had to be a physio for today's match.
"arsenal? isn't that leah's team?" yana questioned, a concerned look on her face.
eleanor just nodded in response. "i mean, it's gonna happen sooner or later, we live in the same city again now, i'm bound to bump into her at some point. i think i'm ready"
yana visibly gulped, no longer holding eye contact with ella but instead looking behind her. "damn el, i hope you're ready right now"
she furrowed her eyebrows, "what?"
but before yana had a chance to answer, eleanor felt a tap on her shoulder. she turned to be met by leah herself along with a few others from the arsenal squad not far behind her.
"eleanor?" leah said in surprise. "when did you get back? why didn't you call me?"
eleanor just stared at the girl with a blank expression, attempting to take in what had just happened. her first love was stood right in front of her again after three years.
"i, uh, sorry i haven't had a chance, how are you? you look good"
after realising what she'd said, eleanor's eyes went wide. "sorry i don't know why i said that"
leah just laughed it off, "don't worry about it, i'll take the compliment"
the pair looked at eachother for a little two long before yana did a dramatic cough to pull them both out of it. leah smiled, checking her watch.
"i'm gonna have to shoot, got a game today"
eleanor smirked. "i know, i'm gonna be there"
leah raised an eyebrow. "what?"
"i joined chelsea's physio team" eleanor stated with a small smile. the corners of leah's lips slowly turned upwards.
"really? congratulations!"
without thinking, the defender pulled eleanor into a tight hug. taken aback, eleanor slowly wrapped her arms around the girl, the intoxicating smell of sweet vanilla suffocating her just as it had years before.
leah pulled away. "see you later, hayes"
the girl watched her walk away before yana coughed once more.
"excuse me? i'm still here babe?"
eleanor's head snapped to her. "huh, what?"
"what was that!" yana exclaimed, nudging her. "what about sam!"
eleanor shot her a puzzled look. "sam? what are you talking about? i've talked to the girl two times i don't even know her"
yana simply rolled her eyes in a huff. "i like sam better"
————
eleanor arrived at kingsmeadow exactly at 11am, just as instructed. she'd spent the past few hours talking to the rest of the backroom staff, getting some last minute tips for the game.
it was about 10 minutes until kick off now, the time of player arrivals. ella was sat in the changing room with the chelsea girls, her eyes tied to one in particular. sam kerr was directly across from her, walking around chatting with people in nothing but chelsea shorts and a nike sports bra, showcasing her abs to the rest of the team. when she spotted eleanor, her lips turned upwards into a small smile and she made her way over to her.
"nervous?" sam asked, genuinely.
"shouldn't i be asking you that? you're the one playing in a derby"
sam waved her off. "no way, i'm built for these things"
"someone's cocky" she remarked, earning a smirk from the aussie "anyway, go put a shirt on kerr"
she grinned. "why? is my amazing physique distracting you?"
"you wish, you're forgetting that i didn't know who you were until a couple of days ago"
sam looked defeated, about to speak when she was interrupted by emma walking in and making an announcement. "staff it's time to make your way to the dugout please. girls, get ready. big game today okay? let's give it everything, you're more than capable of beating them"
this earned a few cheers from the chelsea players. eleanor made her way up, walking towards the exit with the other staff. "also sam please put your shirt on, we don't wanna see that" emma added, making her chuckle.
————
the game was in play, currently 0-0. eleanor could see that the girls were starting to get frustrated. arsenal were really giving them a game. leah, in particular.
sam herself was getting very frustrated. it had been about 30 minutes and she hadn't had a single shot. strange for her, who'd usually scored by now. she was having to track back, something she absolutely hated.
eleanor watched as leah regained possession of the ball, dribbling all the way from her own box up to the other half. she moved like silk through the chelsea defenders before lining up a shot. she curled the ball effortlessly, sending it flying into the top right corner. 1-0.
the away support went wild as leah celebrated with her teammates. after she'd finished, she jogged back towards her own half, not before slowing down by eleanor, shooting her a wink.
this didn't go unnoticed by sam. in-fact, for some weird reason it made her blood boil. sam knew it wasn't her place to judge or even get jealous. she barely knew eleanor, but she just couldn't help it.
eleanor didn't know how to feel about what had happened. she just simply brushed it off and continued to watch the game, sam mostly.
she watched on as sam finally made a break away towards goal. the aussie glided across the pitch towards the arsenal goal, running confidently through the middle with the ball. she was confident she was in until a sudden slam of studs collided with her legs harshly, sending her to the ground face first.
eleanor stood up waiting for a signal. sam still hadn't gotten up, so erin cuthbert waved ella over. she grabbed her bag and ran across the pitch towards sam, kneeling when she got to the girl. she nudged her slightly. "sam?"
the striker turned over onto her back, before sitting up and nodding at the girl. "i'm all good thanks"
"are you sure?" eleanor questioned, but didn't get an answer. she was too busy looking up to see the culprit. it was no other than leah williamson. leah stretched out her hand, for sam to take.
sam was furious. she had no reason to be, the challenge was perfectly fine. but she wasn't leah's biggest fan today.
sam took her hand and pulled herself up before pushing leah away with force, gaining a questioning gesture with her hands. the defender came right back, her fury now at the same level as sam's.
"the fuck was that for?" sam questioned with a strong australian accent, their foreheads now angrily pressed together.
"i could say the same thing to you. of course you play for chelsea, all dirty little cheats the lot of you" leah snapped back.
sam grabbed the neck of leah's shirt pulling the girl up close to her. "watch your mouth"
before leah could respond, she felt arms wrap around her waist. eleanor pulled her back lightly. "hey, just leave it, okay?" she whispered softly, leah turning to look at her with a small smile. the defender nodded in response before jogging off to rejoin her teammates. sam watched the interaction, still pissed off from the recent event.
eleanor turned and walked to her. "you all good? does anything hurt?"
"no" she responded coldly, making ella's face drop slightly. eleanor turned and ran back across the pitch towards the bench, leaving sam to slowly walk back to position.
--------
the game ended 1-0, leah's goal being the only one. as eleanor made her way into the stadium towards the changing room, she felt a tap on her shoulder. she turned to be met by a very smiley leah. "hey"
"hey, nice goal" eleanor stated, earning a big grin from the girl.
"thanks, hey i was wondering if i could take you out after this?" leah said quietly. eleanor raised her eyebrows at the girl.
"what, like a date?"
"exactly like a date"
hayes bit her lip. "i don't know, leah"
leah gave her a small smile before grabbing ella's face with both hands delicately, and pulling her in for a soft kiss. their lips connected lightly for just a couple of seconds before leah pulled away. "you can't tell me you don't miss that"
eleanor stared at the girl, completely stunned. "what about jordan? aren't you guys like a thing?"
leah shook her head, "not anymore. just, think about it? please?"
she nodded slowly, watching as leah shot her a small smile and jogged off towards her changing room.
"giving it another go then i see" came a sudden voice, making eleanor jump.
"jesus sam, you scared me! and no, i didn't know she was going to do that. you calmed down now?"
sam sighed. "i'm sorry for snapping at you, eleanor". the girl really hated her name, but loved how it sounded on the aussie's lips. "really, i am. i don't know why i snapped at all, i'm not usually like that i promise"
eleanor giggled lightly, "it's okay, don't worry"
"i don't wanna make a bad impression on you"
she shot her a raised eyebrow. "why do you care what impression you make on a physio? you're sam kerr"
sam blushed slightly. "yeah, well, you're also my manager's daughter. and hopefully my friend?"
eleanor smiled. "of course, loser, now go shower you stink"
the aussie shoved her and sprinted off to the changing room.
--------
A/N - hope you're enjoying the story!
how are you guys feeling about leah?