"Make sure to text me when you get there, okay?" Mapi repeated herself for the millionth time as she navigated us through the busy traffic around the train station Barcelona-Sants.
"Sí, baby" I nodded with a big smile on my face.
"Remember, it will be warmer in Murcia than here" the blonde warned me, glancing at me with a worried look. "Make sure to drink enough water."
"I know, Mapi" I laughed as we pulled into a parking spot next to the train station.
Mapi turned the engine off and shifted her body into my direction. "I just don't want you to have another heat stroke."
I firmly put my hand on her arm to calm her down. "Baby, I'll be okay, don't worry."
The Spanish national player, who would take a later train to Madrid in the evening, was still not looking very convinced. "Do you know where to go?"
"Yes, Laura just texted me" I lifted my phone to show Mapi the message. "She's waiting for me at the access to the platforms."
"Did she use her real phone number this time or did she stick to the fake e-mail address?"
"Mapi!" I jokingly slapped her arm. "We still don't know if it was really her."
The tattooed defender grimaced. "You're right. Has that person still not said anything else?"
I firmly shook my head. "When would they have done that without you noticing? We literally spent all week together."
After our anonymous stalker had sent that photo last week, we finally decided to reply with a message to ask them what their intentions were, but we never got an answer. So, we came up with a plan to not tell anyone about us yet and see if there was anyone in the team or staff acting different around us. In retrospect, it was an arguably bad idea as it meant we were much more focused on our detective work instead of football, leading to the both of us being subbed off after halftime when we played Madrid CFF on the weekend. While Mapi didn't seem to mind that she finally got some rest after having played a full 90 minutes in most games this season, I was still upset, so I promised myself to put this whole situation to the side for international break and focus on it whenever we'd be back in Barcelona.
I glanced at the time on my phone and unbuckled my seatbelt. "I need to go."
After we both got out of the car to get my huge bag out of the trunk, I pulled Mapi into a tight hug, trying to get as much of her scent as I possibly could. "I'll miss you so much."
"I'll miss you too, princesa" the blonde stated sadly, quickly scanning the surroundings before she pressed a goodbye kiss on my lips. "Stay safe there! I'll see you in a week when we beat your German asses."
"Hey! Remind me when of the last time you beat us was?"
"Leave!" Mapi laughed, acting all hurt.
I quickly stood on my tiptoes to give her a kiss on the cheek, before making my way to the entrance of the train station. I'd be lying when I say I didn't turn around a thousand times to get a last look at the blonde Spaniard waving me goodbye.
If only I knew what would happen this week, I would have turned around and run back into her arms to kiss her one last time.
But I didn't.
As she said in her message, Laura was waiting for me next to the entry gates for the train station. In Germany, literally anyone can access the platforms at the train station, whereas the Spaniards were acting as if their long distance trains were leaving from an airport. Without speaking much, we passed the entry gates and the security check and made our way to platform 8 from where the only direct train to Murcia would be leaving in 20 minutes.
(A/N: all conversations between the players of the German national team are obviously in German, but it would be way too much to translate everything.)
"I'm gonna get some water and snacks" Laura announced when we passed a small kiosk. "Do you want anything?"
"Just some water" I put on a fake smile and grabbed Laura's suitcase from here. "I'll wait here with our luggage."
The German nodded and turned around to enter the crowded shop, totally oblivious to my suspicious. As much as I tried, I just couldn't wrap my heart around the fact that it had most likely been Laura who took that picture.
She returned with a huge water bottle for me and we continued our walk to the platform in silence.
"So, how did you get here with your big suitcase?" Laura wanted to know after seeing me struggle to carry my suitcase down the stairs leading to the platform.
I threw her a confused look. Was this a normal question or was she implying something?
"I- I had a ride" I finally mumbled, instantly trying to change the subject. "So, I've got coach 3, seat 23. And you?"
"I should be right across from you, seat 25" Laura checked her ticket, before pointing at a coach with a big 3 on it. "There it is. Who was your ride?"
I bit my lower lip at her question, wondering why she just wouldn't let go. As I was struggling to lift my suitcase up the stairs to the train, it allowed me to postpone my answer, but I had a feeling she wouldn't let go.
And I was stuck on a train with her for another 7 hours.
After I stowed my suitcase in the luggage rack, I let myself fall on the comfortable window seat that the German national team had organized for me, Laura taking a seat on the other side of the small wood table separating us.
As the train started moving, an uncomfortable silence was laid over Laura and me, both of us focusing a little too hard on looking out of the window.
"Emilia?" I heard Laura mumble questioningly.
"Hmm?"
"Why won't you just tell me that it was Mapi who dropped you off?"
My jaw dropped and I turned away from the window to stare at my friend, a questioning look pictured on her face.
Had Mapi been right with her suspicions?
"What- How....? No? " I stuttered.
A smile grew on Laura's face until she couldn't keep in it anymore and bursted out laughing. "You should see your face. You're so busted!"
"I'm not!" I protested in confusion.
Laura's laughter slowly died as she whipped a tear out of her eye. "Yes, you are! Two weeks ago, Ingrid told me that she saw the two of you kissing some weeks ago and I've been trying to get you to drop hints as I just couldn't believe her. But I definitely do now."
"Oh my..." Embarrassed, I buried my face in my hands, realizing that not only was Laura definitely not the one who had taken the picture, but Mapi's and my plan would not be working if Ingrid went around telling everyone. However, it left me with the question of who was responsible for taking the picture. Believing it had been Laura was hurtful, but it was a comfortable kind of pain as it at least gave me someone to blame.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Laura asked still laughing, but I could tell she was definitely a little bit hurt by me keeping it a secret from her.
"I don't know. I wasn't really telling anyone" I tried to excuse myself.
"Honestly, I thought you knew that I was on to you" Laura revealed, leaning her head against the window. "But if you didn't, what was the reason you were avoiding me all week?"
I frowned at Laura's question, knowing I couldn't lie to her anymore even though the truth would rightfully upset her.
"Last Friday someone took a pic of Mapi and me kissing in the locker room after training" I mumbled, focusing on the floor as I was too ashamed to look into Laura's eyes.
"Okay, and? That doesn't sound too bad" the German shrugged, throwing me a confused look.
"I'm almost completely naked in that picture and they threatened to release it to the press" I sighed loudly.
Suddenly, Laura lifted her hand up to her mouth and looked at me shocked. "Wait. You thought I was the one who did that?"
"No! Yes? Kind of? You were acting so strange that day when we ran into you in the hallway" I half-heartedly defended my suspicions, carefully lifting my head to get a look at Laura who stayed quiet for a time, so quiet in fact that I could almost hear her thoughts.
"I don't know what to say" She finally spoke up again, her quiet voice filled with hurt. "We've known each other for years and I'm genuinely hurt that you think I'm capable of doing something like that."
"I know, Laura. I'm so sorry, it's - "
"Don't bother with your apologies now" the blonde interrupted me. "I'm not supposed to talk about it, but I was extremely upset that day because Jonatan told me they might put me up for loan for the reminding season because I'm not getting enough minutes. And apparently I'm not good enough. Real Sociedad has already expressed their interest in me, so I might have to leave my life here for fucking San Sebastian. I'm already struggling with Spanish and while I can make it work with English in Barcelona, I definitely won't be able to do that in the Basque country in the middle of nowhere! So, excuse me if I don't have time to take candid pics of you and your fucking girlfriend, but I feel like my life is falling apart. And you, who's supposed to be one of my closest friends, hadn't even noticed how much I was struggling until you could make it about yourself. You're so fucking selfish, Emilia!"
My jaw dropped at Laura's harsh words, my heart feeling as if someone put a knife through it. "Laura, I-" My brain felt empty, not able to form a proper sentence as I stared at Laura.
"Don't bother" She said coldly, putting her earphones in as a sign the conversation was over for her.
*
The rest of our journey remained silent, neither of us wanting to take the first step after our disagreement. At 22:30 we finally dropped off at our hotel, the rest of our team already engaged in a team bonding session as they had arrived hours earlier.
Mareike, a small, brown haired staff member awaited us in the hotel lobby, a clipboard in her hands.
"Finally, our late arrivals. You're both already so typically Spanish!" She laughed, pulling both of us into a quick hug. "You guys must be super tired, so you're allowed to go straight into your assigned rooms. Your roommates will be with you in about 30 minutes."
She started fumbling around in her bag and I could suddenly feel my heart racing. I hadn't really given the whole room sharing situation a thought as I had normally always shared a room with Klara, leaving me wondering if it would be the same now.
Mareike pulled two room cards out of an envelope. "Laura, you're in room 703 with Klara."
Odd. Laura usually always shared a room with Sydney.
"And Emilia, you're in 619 with Sydney."
I could feel my heart sink to my stomach. "But... but usually it was the other way round" I tried to protest.
"Yes, but Klara specifically asked for that change. Something about team bonding?" Mareike shrugged. "Breakfast is tomorrow at 8 and then we have a meeting at 9. Good night, girls!"
Confused, Laura and I walked over to the elevator.
"I wonder if I did something to piss Klara off" Laura thought out loud, breaking the silence between us as she pressed the buttons with the numbers 6 and 7.
"No, I think it was my fault" I sighed as the elevator slowed down again.
Laura threw me a compassionate look, gently touching my arm as I was leaving the elevator. "I'm sure it will all work out. Good night, Emilia."
"Sleep well" I replied a little bit confused, my eyes already searching for the number 619 on the brown doors spread in a dimly lit hallway.
When I finally found said door, I stepped into a room that seemed to be the complete opposite from the gloomy hallway, the whole space kept in white tones except for the walls which were decorated with colorful abstract paintings.
Just like she always had, Sydney had taken the bed closer to the bathroom into her possession, the whole piece of furniture covered in clothing items and a wet towel.
As if nothing had changed.
Sighing, I sank on the available bed, tears rushing to my eyes as soon as I laid on the comfortable sheets. Knowing that I wasn't the only one unhappy right now, I picked up my phone to call Alexia who was missing out of the international break due to a biceps femoris tendon injury, meaning she'd be out for at least another 4-12 weeks.
As her face showed up on my small phone screen, I knew it was time to come clean to her about everything.