It was the next morning and after Erin finally fell asleep at 3 in the morning it was now her alarm, taking off at 6, that was ripping her out of her dreams.
"What the hell", Erin mumbles when she turns tiredly under the sheets, not wanting the short night to be over already.
Today was the last day of the preparation at the Barcelona training center before the friendly against Atlético Madrid will take place in a couple of days.
Erin turns in her bed, now being even more tired than right before she fell asleep, when her hands slowly shove the blanket aside as she sits up to get ready for the day.
As usual she took her time for her morning routine. A nice cup off coffee, an ice cold shower and a few minutes of yoga to prepare herself for work.
She always felt refreshed after that morning routine and soon she was strolling towards her therapy room from her parking lot at the training center.
Just like yesterday it was only Martha who was there already. They had some very early therapy sessions with some team members today, due to the upcoming trip to Madrid they were training on the pitch later that day.
So the morning was reserved for the physiotherapy of some athletes. Erin checks the agenda tiredly, counting a sum of 8 appointments within the next four hours.
The therapist looks over her schedule, searching for an specific name on the sheet when finally her eyes are on the second appointment early that day.
Alexia.
Her mood changes immediately and even she knew she shouldn't be this happy about seeing the captain, she was excited to catch up with the woman she was thinking about all night.
Soon after there was a soft knock at the door an the central defender, Maria, makes her way inside the therapy room.
"Good morning, Er", she greets the therapist when she pulls off her boots and hops onto the therapy bench.
"Well, good morning to you to, Maria. Looks like someone can't wait to experience some pain", Erin laughed, referring to the last therapy session they had the other day.
Erin was very good at finding specific points. Her skills with removing pain and pressure of the muscles and tendons were really solid.
"The therapy was really good the other day, Erin. And I'm not lying. But don't put as much pressure on it like last time", Maria warns, turning into her stomach when Erin takes a look over the defenders ankle and calf, touching it gentle.
"I'm always gentle, Maria. Don't worry", Erin laughs sarcastically.
"I knew that was a lie", Maria mumbles with her head pressed into the bench, while she was holding tight onto the handle in front of her while Erin increases the pressure a little, starting of a little softer than last time.
"So, how were your first couple of days?", Maria mumbles, her words a little hard to understand because she was laying on her stomach.
"I guess they were... alright", Erin shrugs, concentrates on her work at the players ankle.
"Alright? You mean finally meeting your lover again was just alright?", Maria laughs, making clear of what topic she wanted to talk about.
"Oh, I see where this is going", Erin chuckles, releasing her grip for a second just to increase pressure the next.
"Ouch. Okay, I got it. But for real now. How are things going between you and Ale?", Maria asks while Erin rolls her eyes to the back of her head with a smile on her face. Of course Maria would ask her about it.
"Well, there is nothing really going on between Alexia and I. I think she's very nice", Erin shrugs, increasing the pressure a little more.
"Just nice? Come on Erin I'm not stupid. I can see the way you both look at each other. You can't hide that you like her", Maria laughs, not letting the therapist come away so easily.
"I guess I'm pretty bad at hiding", Erin chuckles, lightening up the situation as she now goes on to work on the athletes lower calf.
"You're so bad. Whatever... I really hope you can make her happy. Ale really deserves it", Maria mumbles and Erin looks towards her face, even if she can't see it from her position.
"That sounds like she needs it?", Erin wonders, her eyes still on the blondes head.
"I think she doesn't know yet how much she really needs it. Since I've known Ale she has always been on her own. She's often alone with her mind. That night at the club I had the feeling the both of you were just... matching", Maria shrugs, while Erin does some bends with the defenders foot.
"You think Alexia and I match?", Erin laughs unsurely, not for sure knowing if she could go with this.
"After what I saw... No doubt!", Maria answers when Erin slowly but surely finishes her therapy and the defender sits up on the bench.
Erin felt happy about the defenders opinion but it just confused her even more. The talk with her brother yesterday was really tough for her. All Erin thought about last night was should or should she not go further with the beautiful captain.
Her mind was so overwhelmed, she didn't even realized that Maria had already left their therapy room and Erin wonders, if she had said her goodbyes to the defender.
With her mind still on the brown haired beauty Erin changes the towel on the therapy bench and washes her hands like she always does after therapy, when there suddenly was another knock at the door.
"Come in", Erin says, her voice a faint when her mind was still somewhere else.
It was until she smells an pleasant scent appearing behind her that she remembers who was scheduled next.
"Hi Alexia", Erin turns, eyeing the captain, wearing an dark blue tank top that was showing off her toned arms.
"Hola", Alexia smiles, making her way towards the therapy bench.
"So, how are you feeling?", Erin asks while the athlete lies on her back, making herself comfortable as Erin walks around the bench to her right leg.
"My leg is feeling alright. I hope with a few more therapy sessions it will be back to normal", Alexia answers, slightly stroking over the muscle on her thigh.
"That's not what I meant. How are you feeling?", Erin asks, touching the tanned womans skin gently as she keeps her eyes on the hazel ones.
"Oh. I'm pretty stressed... actually. There's a lot going on right now", Alexia answers, her eyes watching as Erin now concentrated on her leg.
"Why is that?", Erin asks with a smile and then takes a deep breath, silently showing Alexia to relax. Which was working because the athlete was immediately mirroring the therapists breathing.
"Good", Erin whispers, praising the captains reaction.
"There are a lot of appointments. There are interviews, appointments with the national team, shootings for the club. Nike. Meetings with the team and the coaches", Alexia explains with a sad voice.
There really was a lot going on.
"And what is really bothering are the therapy sessions with my therapist", Alexia jokes, Erin throwing her an disbelieving glare.
"That must be the worst", Erin scoffs, but then turning into a soft laugh.
"I'm sorry. That is actually the best part of the day. It is relaxing", Alexia corrects herself with a happy smile on her face as Erin blushes slightly about the captains compliment.
"Good to know. There are others that don't think what I'm doing is for relaxation", Erin chuckles, referring to the appointment with Maria she had before.
"I don't mean you're doing bad, just-", Alexia stutters nervously.
"Alexia. I know. I was joking", Erin smiles, locking her eyes with the hazel ones who was sighing relieved.
"Okay", the captain smiles, while Erin bends the athletes knee into different ways, trying to loosen the tension.
"So, I have been thinking about something", Erin starts, concentrated on the movements she was doing the the athletes leg.
"About what?", Alexia asks, her voice silent when she keeps her eyes shut because of the pressure Erin was putting on her leg.
"I was asking myself... when you're in private you seem very introvert, but as soon as you put your feet on the pitch you are that confident leader. How does it come your behavior is so different?", Erin asks, pushing the question to the side if asking this was a good or a bad idea.
"I have to admit... I didn't expect you asking something like that", Alexia chuckles, not really knowing what she should answer.
"You don't have to answer it if you don't feel comfortable. I was just wondering", Erin shrugs, giving the captain a feeling of secure.
Alexia takes a deep breath and collects her thoughts, preparing a solid answer in her mind.
"Since I was a child I spent so much time on the pitch that I just have the experience with the things that happen there. It's like I can control them because I have the knowledge, the skills", Alexia explains and Erin just listens, wanting the athlete to continue.
"I guess I didn't have the chance to get this knowledge in my private life, yet. I was never meeting many people or going out to clubs. I was always the one going to training while everyone else learned all that stuff", Alexia explains, her voice uncertain.
"Maybe you just didn't find the right person to improve your skills with", Erin blushes, her eyes finding Alexia's when they just stare at each other for a second.
"Maybe you're right", Alexia answers with a shy voice, now quickly looking away as she feels her cheeks redden.
"You wanna have an advice?", Erin chuckles.
"Of course", Alexia smiles.
"Even if you don't feel comfortable with it yet... Sometimes... you should just go for it. Because even if you would be experienced you never know where things are going", Erin says, her eyes again finding Alexia's at the end of the sentence, when she releases her grip on the athletes leg, done with the therapy.
"I'll keep it in mind, then", Alexia blushes, slowly sitting up to leave for her next appointment as Erin goes towards the sink to wash her hands after the treatment.
"Erin?", Alexia asks, getting the blondes attention while she stands at the door.
"Yes?"
"Thank you", the captain smiles, taking off her head band just to put it on again. A nervous tic she was sometimes doing.
"For?", Erin wonders.
"For caring", Alexia smiles, appreciating Erins effort, when she opens the door of the therapy room, taking a last look back at Erin before she closes the door behind her, leaving the blonde alone.
Erin releases the breath she didn't realize she was holding and leans against her bench, again wondering what she was doing her.
Her mind was turned back and forth. She didn't know if it was better to just go with the flirt or to hear what Austin had said and leave it. She knew Austin was right. Alexia was an important part of this team and this was a first-class club with great athletes.
But the blonde couldn't help it. Even she told herself to let go of Alexia she couldn't.
The next appointment was a short meeting with staff members about the upcoming trip to Madrid. They were meeting in several minutes so Erin stills towards the meeting room at the end of the hallway.
"Hello Er", the therapist smiles, embracing Erin into a side hug while they walk down the hallway.
"Hi there", Erin grin, happy to see her friend.
"You look really tired", Martha says.
"That's maybe because I am", Erin laughs as the two of them join the meeting when a few staff members were already sitting in a big circle.
"I would invite you for another cup of coffee but I guess we won't have time for it today", Martha says when she takes her seat beside Erin.
"Thank you again for yesterday, Martha. Can't wait to grab the next cup of coffee with you and you barista", Erin chuckles, her head now turning towards her brother who was preparing some paperwork.
"Shut up", Martha grins, her face blushing because of her love.
"Hello everyone and welcome to our staff meeting before the friendly against Atletico Madrid. I am happy to announce that our flight towards Madrid is scheduled for 8 tomorrow morning. And because it is the first game of pre season I would like to have every team member to attend the trip", Austin says, earning. An applause from his colleagues when Martha turns towards Erin with a huge grin of her face.
"This is so exciting! Will you be my roomie?", Martha asks with a cute voice and Erin throws her hand up to give five her friend.
"Roomies we are", the blonde agrees.
The meeting goes on for another few minutes before the staff members were asked to leave. Except for Erin.
"Erin, could you stay for a minute, please?", Austin says, asking the therapist to stay behind as the others started to leave the meeting room.
"Of course. I'll see you later, Martha", Erin says, standing up and making her way to the front, joining her brother at the lectern.
"So, what's up?", Erin asks, doing her best to put on a smile.
"Have you been thinking about our talk yesterday?", Austin asks, leaning against the desk as he studies his sisters face with a worried smile.
"You know I have", Erin shrugs, looking away.
"And?", he pushes.
"And what?", the therapist asks, now locking eyes with the head coach as she lifts her brows.
"What are you going to do?", he asks, now crossing his arms over his chest.
"I didn't know I have to decide", Erin chuckles, again having the feelings that this conversation wasn't going anywhere.
"You just don't want to decide", Austin says, his lips forming a flat line.
"Maybe", the therapist says with a shrug, not sure what else she was supposed to say.
"I really just want to protect you, Er. Please believe that", Austin says when he pulls his sister into a tight hug.
"I do", Erin whispers when she puts her head in the crook of her brothers neck, wrapping her arms around his strong torso.
"But why are you making it so hard for yourself, then?", Austin asks, holding the blondes arms when he pulls away slightly.
Erin just shrugs.
She didn't have an answer to it. She didn't know what to say. Her brother was putting a lot of pressure on her even she wasn't really doing anything.
Because she didn't know what else to do she shows her brother a sad smile and then she quickly turns, immediately leaving for the door to hide the water that was already building up in her eyes.
That was all too much for her.
She takes fast, huge steps on the way back to her therapy room, eager to be alone for a minutes before the next appointment.
After entering the room she leans backwards against the door, finally able to breath again as she closes her eyes for a second.
What the hell was going on.
Why was it so hard? Did she really like that woman so much? Was she really this attracted to her?
Erin takes a deep breath, able to calm down. She opens her eyes and mentally prepares for the next point on the schedule, when her eyes fall into her desk.
She stands still for a moment.
Someone put a to go cup of coffee on her desk.
With a surprised smile on her face Erin walks over and grabs the cup, eager to know who the gift was from.
At first she thought it was from Martha because they just talked about coffee earlier. But when Erin turns her hand a little, a handwritten message on the cup catches her sight.
Thought I might go for it.
Erin reads over the short line over and over again. Of course she knew who was putting the cup of coffee onto her desk.
It was Alexia.
The advice Erin had given the athlete this morning really seemed to do something with the brown haired woman.
She really did go for it.
And Erin was flustered. She was happy. Her mood immediately got better and when she saw the telephone number that was written under the short line her face lit up even more.
Alexia was flirting.
She put the to go cup on Erin desk when she wasn't there to give her her number. She really did the first step and Erin was not only proud, but also very excited.
She happily takes a sip of the still hot coffee when something else comes to her mind.
It was an Caramel Latte.
Alexia had talked to Martha. Martha was telling her that Erin needed some coffee. She said Caramel Latte would be a good decision. The athlete really went to her friend to ask for advice.
And actually this was really cute.
Erin didn't think about it further. She takes out her phone and quickly dialed the captains number. After only one sound the athlete takes the call.
"Hola", Alexia quietly says. She was calm. Like she was expecting the blonde to call.
"Hola", Erin smiles, her cheeks blushing and she was really happy Alexia couldn't see it. But she could tell the captain was blushing, too.
"So you did find the coffee?", Alexia asks, her voice soft.
"Well, it wasn't really hard to find", Erin jokes.
"Thank you, I really needed that", the blonde adds, her lips still forming into a big smile. She felt like a child.
"So... I have been thinking about something", Alexia says, using the words Erin had used this morning at the therapy session.
"About what?", Erin wonders, still smiling.
"I heard everyone is joining the trip to Madrid tomorrow morning", Alexia starts. Erin could hear the athlete taking an nervous inhale in the other side when there was a small pause.
She was so cute.
"And I was wondering if I could pick you up and give you a ride to the airport", Alexia says, her voice quiet and Erin couldn't believe what she just heard.
"I really didn't expect you to ask something like that", Erin chuckles, really happy about the offer.
"Someone gave me the advice to just go for it", Alexia nervously says as she refers to their talk earlier.
"Good advice", Erin whispers.
"So, what do you say?", Alexia asks, her voice so quiet and unsure you could barely hear it. She had to be really nervous but that wasn't bad at all. Erin liked it. It was very sympathetic.
"Yes", Erin chuckles, not able to say anything else right now. She was so overwhelmed and still shocked that there aren't more words coming out.
"Okay. So is it okay if I pick you up at 6?", Alexia asks, her voice now getting more confident.
"I'm already looking forward to it", Erin answers.
"Great. So... I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then", Alexia happily says. It was hard to overhear the excitement and relieve the captain was feeling.
"See you tomorrow", Erin grins and then hangs up the phone, taking a deep breath.
She sips from her Caramel Latte and couldn't stop smiling at that moment. Everything her brother had said just went into the back of her head. The therapist was already looking forward to the next morning.
Erin was so overwhelmed and happy with the step Alexia made, it couldn't be said in words.