Prompt - you run into the very person you tried to escape from.
*
Running away from people and places you loved was something you had perfected over the years.
First it was your childhood club after the manager had lied to you, something which followed you to several other clubs before things got messy and you had explored relationships with teammates, settling for one night stands with girls you picked up in bars.
That was until you moved to Barcelona and you realised that you had to start taking things seriously again, taking football seriously again.
The move was possibly the best thing you had done in your entire career, because that was where you met the two people who would become the most important in your life, the people who you knew you needed, wanted to change for.
Vicky very quickly became the mentor you never knew you needed, as she was the person to pick you up after every bad pass or shot off target and tell you to keep going, she was there when you needed advice on how to improve your game but most importantly she was there to comfort you when you felt as though you made every mistake in the world.
Leila on the other hand, was very similar to you.
It was a well known thing in the football world that she had had relationships with several of the Barca squad and this prompted you to keep your distance for the few months, hesitant to get to know the defender in case you slipped into your old ways.
You needn't have worried because when you did finally approach her and while she portrayed this funny, outgoing persona, once the mask dropped and as you got to know her, her down to Earth, introverted self really shone through and your shared experiences brought you closer together than you ever thought you could be.
While you had developed feelings for Leila over the course of your time in Barcelona and while you were aware the two were talking, it almost felt like a betrayal when she posted a picture with the goalkeeper on a night out in Madrid.
Her getting together with Misa stung you more than you'd like to ever admit, partly because it seemingly happened overnight.
You shared your thoughts with Vicky the next day and planned a course of action that involved never telling anybody but the midfielder about your feelings for Leila and also about her relationship, for fear of repercussions that you couldn't control.
The end of the season and therefore the end of your contract, rolled around and that's how you came to find yourself in the middle of Manchester, having just signed for the blue side of the city and escaping Spain and Leila as quickly as you could.
Your apartment was a mess, however.
Boxes littered the floor, Vicky was coming to pick you up in less than twenty minutes and you were in no way ready to meet the team as most of your clothes were still packed away somewhere in your room.
Knowing your mentor wouldn't be very happy to see the state you were in, you tried to make things better but evidently made them much worse. You hope because of your swift exit from your motherland, that Vicky wouldn't be too angry with you and maybe even help you sort some of the mess out.
A quick knock tells you the midfielder has arrived and you sheepishly open the door, cowering behind it slightly as she enters, "ay dios mio, what happened cariño?" she asks, picking a path through the destruction, "lo siento, I'm not as organised as you" you admit sheepishly.
She starts looking through boxes for something but it quickly turns out what she wants is not going to be as easy to find as first thought, "where are your clothes?" she asks, hands on hips and a very disapproving look on her features.
"No sé" you shrug.
*
While you meet most of the team on that first day, it takes another 24 hours before you to have met almost the entirety of the squad, except for the one person you were hesitant to see again.
Vicky, being the excellent mentor she is, takes the initiative and throws you in at the deep end before you can even introduce yourself on the first afternoon, "sorry chicas, this one couldn't find her clothes" she smirks.
"Oye! No es justo".
The second day goes much more smoothly and you're slowly starting to find your feet, mainly thanks to Vicky but also Laia's and Deyna's help, the three of you navigating your way through the days with your limited English.
It's not until the morning's training that you see or rather hear Leila, the defender making her presence known in the most Leila way possible.
"No encuentro mi camiesta de entrenamiento" you sigh, rummaging around in your locker, "what have you lost?" Deyna asks from across the room, but it doesn't take long for her notice what you're not wearing. "I could help you find your clothes?" the forward says but you miss it, head half stuck in your locker again, meaning you don't see who enters the room.
"Oh y/n doesn't need any".
The sound of her voice is enough to make you freeze but it's the same old Leila camaraderie that makes your blood boil and fills you with rage. How dare she waltz in as enough nothing happened between you and make an offhand comment about your body, let alone your sex life like that?
You slowly retreat from the locker and and come face to face with the person you had tried and albeit failed to run away from.
"Leila" you mutter though gritted teeth as your teammate smirks back at you, running her eyes over your body, only covered by your sports bra and shorts before reluctantly returning to your own.
She then unexpectedly crosses the space and throws her arms you in one of the hugs she was famous for, pressing several kisses to your cheek. Her touch brings a blush to your skin that you thought you were long over but the betrayal from your body says otherwise.
Vicky picks up on the tension, as does Deyna but they choose not to mention it and go back to talking amongst themselves, however Leila doesn't seem to notice and carries on in her usual manner, "estás hermosa mi corazón" she smiles, reaching out and placing a cold hand on your arm, her touch making shiver for more than one reason.
"Enough with the niceties Lei, I left Spain to get away from you, to escape whatever this was" you gesture between you, "not be on the same team again. Why did you follow me here?".
She frowns, "qué? I didn't know you were going to be here" she shrugs and a wave of anger surges through you again as your hands curl into fists, "if we're going to play together again, we need to set some ground rules... I'll see you after training" you explain, taking your now found top from Vicky and slipping past your former lover.
*
You ignore Leila for the entirety of the training session, only pairing up with Deyna or one of your fellow midfielders, thankfully working in their own small group and your only interaction with the defender comes in the small sided game at the end.
Rushing around, you beat your teammates out of the changing room and have already been waiting in Vicky's car for a good half and hour by the time she appears, frowning at your disappearance but ready to drive you home nonetheless. She doesn't bring up your conversation with Leila or the fact that the defender is only a few cars behind hers and stops at your building with the promise of taking you into training tomorrow.
"Gracias Vicky, nos vemos mañana".
Closing the door, you notice Leila out of the corner of your eye but carry on towards the building and almost run for the lift.
Somehow, your teammate manages to squeeze in with you and having been on high alert since you first saw her this morning, you think the confined space might cause you to pass out. Leila catches on to your panic but not realising she is the cause, reaches over and takes a hand in hers, squeezing gently and rubbing her thumb over your skin.
The action used to calm you and while now it just heightens your frustrations with her, you can't find the energy to pull away so instead you end up pulling her along the corridor and stumbling into your apartment with the girl still holding tightly.
"Vale Leila, you can let go now" you scowl.
"Lo siento".
She drops your hand and watches as you dart around, smirking as you try and tidy up so she doesn't think you're a slob but eventually you give up, defeated by the task and tired from the days training, collapsing onto the sofa and gesture for Leila to join you.
"We need to talk Lei" you announce and she hums in agreement, "if we're going to be seeing each other every day for several hours at a time or longer, play and train together again then we need to set up some ground rules between us" you explain, eyeing her up from the corner of your eye.
"Numéro uno y el más importante... no flirting or sleeping around with teammates".
Leila sniggers, hiding a smile behind her hand and prompting your earlier anger to come rushing back even stronger, "you think that's funny?! I had to watch you flirt and fall in love with a teammate, how do you think I'd feel if that happened again? I will not let you tear apart another team, let alone one that I'm a part of, with you sleeping around...".
She cuts you off, "¡espera! ¿Qué quieres decir con que te afectaría?" the defender asks, "oh come on! Were you - are you really that blind?" you respond, as you get to your feet and stare her down.
"I don't know what you mean" she protests, drawing herself up to your level and towering over you a little, you push her away, "don't you dare use this to your advantage" you scowl, frowning even harder when she grabs your wrists and stops you moving away, in fact pulling you closer.
"Una palabra... Misa".
Something flashes across Leila's eyes and you're not sure whether it's surprise or embarrassment, but that doesn't matter right now, "what about her? We dated..." she shrugs, "I didn't realise you were so bothered by it, you were friends no?" she asks.
"Not really but that's besides the point" you roll your eyes, "what is the point then?" she hisses.
This takes you by surprise but you figure it's now or never to explain to the former Barca player how you feel, especially now that you're on the same team again, "I have, had feelings for you but you threw me away for Misa without a second thought" you sigh, turning your gaze to the floor.
Leila drops your wrists and takes a step away, her gaze burning into the top of your head, "lo siento, I didn't know" the defender apologies quietly and returns to the sofa.
You take a deep breath, steadying yourself and then delve into the story, "when I joined Barca, I had had many a failed relationship with teammates and a few too many one night stands and I promised myself it wasn't going to be the same, I needed to start a fresh; it was Barca after all. I knew how messy the squad was, who had slept with who etc and at first I was worried about getting to know you but that's where I was wrong.
I knew of the Leila you wanted the world to see but not the behind closed doors Leila and once I got to know you, my perception of you changed and our experiences brought us closer, that's when my feelings for you started" you pause, hesitant to go on, "then all of a sudden, literally overnight, you go and post a picture with Misa, like you've been together for months and it break my heart more than you were ever supposed to know".
Only now, as you pause again, do you realise you're crying, tears flowing freely as Leila rises and scoops you up in her arms before settling down as, face buried in her neck as you let out the hurt of the last year and a half.