Tuesday morning (4 a.m.) gameday -1
Ona stirred in her sleep, feeling the softness of her pillow shifting beneath her head. She cracked open her eyes, immediately realising that her pillow was not a pillow but the chest of her girlfriend, Alessia. Alessia was coughing softly, her body shaking with each breath. Ona sat up, rubbing her eyes and looking at Alessia with concern.
"Cariño, are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on her girlfriend's back.
Alessia nodded, coughing again. "I'm fine, just a little tickle in my throat," she replied, her voice hoarse. "Go back to sleep. I didn't mean to wake you up."
Ona shook her head, "No, I'm awake now. Let me get you some water," she said, getting out of bed, walking to the kitchen, getting Alessia a glass of water, and returning to the bedroom.
Alessia sat up, gratefully accepting the water from Ona. "Thanks, babe," she said, taking a sip of water. "I'm really sorry for waking you up, babe."
Ona shrugged, "Don't be sorry. I'm always here for you, no matter what," she said, sitting on the bed beside Alessia. "Let's try to get some more sleep. It's 4 a.m." Ona said, taking the now empty glass from Alessia.
Ona settled back in bed next to Alessia, opening her arms for her Girlfriend to cuddle into, but Alessia didn't move. "What if I get you sick too?"
Ona smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from Alessia's face. "I don't care about getting sick. I want to make sure you're okay and get some rest," she said, pulling Alessia into her arms. Alessia snuggled up against Ona's chest, feeling her warmth and comfort. "I'm so lucky to have you," Alessia whispered, closing her eyes, and drifting off to sleep. Ona smiled, holding Alessia close and kissing her forehead. "I'm the lucky one," she whispered back, drifting off to sleep.
At a not-so-ungodly hour, Ona woke up to the sound of her alarm, feeling Alessia snuggled up against her back. She reached over to turn off the alarm and turned to face Alessia, still asleep. Ona watched her momentarily, admiring how peaceful she looked in her sleep.
She got out of bed quietly, trying not to disturb Alessia, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. As she waited for the coffee to brew, she thought about the upcoming Arsenal game and how important it was for Manchester United to win. She hoped Alessia would feel better tomorrow and be able to play.
Ona returned to the bedroom. Alessia was still asleep, so Ona sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook her shoulder. "Hey, sleepyhead, I'm about to head out for training," she said softly.
Alessia stirred and opened her eyes slowly. "Training already? What time is it?" she asked groggily.
Ona checked her phone. "It's almost 9 am. But don't worry. The game isn't until tomorrow, so you have all day to rest and feel better," she reassured her.
Alessia sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, right. Sorry, I must have slept through my alarm," she said, yawning.
"It's okay, babe. You need the rest," Ona said, leaning over to kiss her. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay, have a good training session," Alessia replied sleepily, smiling at her.
When practice ended, Ona rushed home to check on Alessia.
"Cariño, I'm home", Ona shouted.
She found her lying on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and watching TV. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Ona asked, pressing a kiss to Alessia's hairline.
"Better," Alessia replied, smiling at Ona. "I slept through the whole morning. My coughing has subsided a bit."
"That's good," Ona said, running her fingers through Alessia's hair. "Do you want me to draw you a bath?"
Alessia's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Yes, please! That sounds amazing."
Ona grinned and headed to the bathroom to run the bathwater. She added some bubbles and lit a few candles to create a relaxing atmosphere. Once the bath was ready, she returned to the living room to help Alessia up from the couch and guide her to the bathroom. Alessia sank into the warm water with a contented sigh, and Ona sat on the tub's edge, keeping her company.
Alessia took Ona's hand, "Care to join me in the bath, baby?"
Alessia scooted over, making room for Ona to sit behind her. Ona wrapped her arms around Alessia's waist and rested her chin on her shoulder.
Ona began to massage Alessia's shoulders, working out the tension from her muscles and pressing her lips to Alessia's back and shoulders. Alessia let out a soft moan of pleasure and leaned back into Ona's embrace. They sat there in silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's company.
Do you think you're fit enough to play tomorrow, Cariño? Ona whispered in Alessia's ear.
Alessia closed her eyes, relishing the sensation of Ona's hands on her shoulders. "I think so," she replied low and husky voice. "I feel a lot better than I did this morning, " she added, looking at Ona over her shoulder.
Ona smiled, "I'm so glad you're feeling better," she said, kissing Alessia gently.
Alessia shifted in the tub, turning to face Ona. "Thank you for taking care of me, babe," she said, cupping Ona's face in her hands. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Ona's heart swelled with affection for Alessia, and she leaned in to kiss her deeply.
Breaking the kiss, Ona looked into Alessia's eyes, "I love you, Cariño," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.
Alessia's eyes softened, "I love you too," she replied, leaning in for another kiss.
Later in the evening
As Ona and Alessia settled on the sofa, cuddled under a blanket, Mark's name flashed on Alessia's phone. "Hey, Coach," she answered, putting him on speakerphone so Ona could hear too.
"Hey, Alessia. How are you feeling?" Mark asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I'm feeling better, thank you," Alessia replied, glancing over at Ona with a smile. "Ona took great care of me."
Glad to hear that," Mark said. "Listen, I know we have an important game tomorrow, and I wanted to check in with you. Do you think you'll be able to play?"
Alessia paused for a moment, considering. "I think so, Coach. I'll give it my best shot."
"Okay, just let me know if anything changes," Mark said. "Rest up and make sure you're ready for tomorrow. We need you at your best."
"I will, Coach. Thanks for checking in," Alessia replied, ending the call.
Alessia turned her head to Ona, who smiled at her softly. "Glad to have you on the pitch tomorrow, baby."
As they got ready for bed, Ona and Alessia chatted excitedly about the upcoming game against Arsenal. They were both looking forward to it.
Ona crawled into bed beside her girlfriend. "I'm feeling good about this one. I think we've got a good chance of winning."
Alessia nodded in agreement. "Yeah, our team has been playing really well lately. And with you as a fullback, we're practically unstoppable," she said, teasingly poking Ona's side.
Ona laughed and tickled her back. "Hey, I'm not that good," she said, playfully defending herself.
"Yes, you are," Alessia insisted, wrapping her arms around Ona's neck. "I wouldn't want anyone else on my team."
They cuddled up together, feeling the warmth of each other's bodies. Before drifting off to sleep, Ona leaned in and softly kissed Alessia's lips. "Good night, Cariño," she whispered, gazing into Alessia's eyes. "Good night, baby", Alessia replied, smiling warmly at Ona. She pulled her in for another kiss, deepening it this time. As they parted, Ona snuggled closer to Alessia, resting her head on her chest. She could feel the steady beat of her girlfriend's heart and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Their quiet breathing filled the room as they drifted off to sleep, their bodies entwined in a peaceful embrace. Tomorrow was a big day, but for now, they were content just being together, wrapped up in each other's love.
Alessia's eyes fluttered open as she felt excitement rush through her body. She couldn't believe the day had finally arrived. The game against Arsenal was today, and she was buzzing with excitement. She looked down to find Ona sleeping peacefully on her chest. Alessia smiled and stroked her hair gently, not wanting to wake her up.
She lay there for a few more minutes, her mind racing with thoughts of the game. She had been looking forward to this match for weeks and couldn't wait to step out onto the pitch and give it her all. She knew it would be challenging, but she was confident in her abilities and her teammates' skills.
Eventually, Ona stirred and opened her eyes. She looked up at Alessia and smiled sleepily. "Good morning, Cariño," she said, her voice husky with sleep.
Alessia leaned down and kissed her softly. "Good morning, love," she replied, feeling her heart swell with affection.
Ona sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked, yawning.
Alessia checked her phone. "It's just after 9. We should probably get up and start getting ready for the game."
Ona nodded and stretched her arms above her head. "Yeah, you're right. I can't wait for today."
Alessia smiled at her girlfriend's enthusiasm. "Me too," she said, giving her a quick peck on the lips before getting up to start her day.
Ona and Alessia arrived separately at Leigh Sports Village. Ona walked into the locker room with Lucia, a fellow teammate whom she had offered a ride. Alessia was lying on the floor with Ella, playfully wrestling with her. "Lessi, you're healthy again!" Ella shouted.
Ona smiled as she approached them. "Ella, don't kill her. I still need her," she greeted the English midfielder.
I'm just glad you got Less healthy for the game. Ella laughed and stood up from the floor, giving Ona a warm hug. "Hey, I'm not that rough," she joked.
Ona smiles at them and heads to her locker.
"Cariño, can you braid my hair?" she asked Alessia. "Of course, baby," Alessia replied, reaching for a hair tie and brush. She carefully sectioned Ona's hair, working on each strand with precision. As she braided, they both fell into a comfortable silence, a ritual they had developed before every game. It helped them calm their nerves and focus on the task at hand. Ona closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Alessia's gentle touch on her scalp.
After a few minutes, Alessia tied off the braid with a final twist and secured it with a hair tie. "There you go, baby," she said.
Ona turned to face her, a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you, Less.
"Anything for you," she replied, pulling Ona into a tight embrace. "Now let's go out there and show them what we're made of."
After the game at home
"God, I'm glad you were able to play tonight. Ona said, kissing Alessia on the lips.
Alessia smiled and wrapped her arms around Ona's neck. "Me too, wouldn't have wanted to miss it," she replied, leaning in for another kiss.
Ona pulled back slightly and looked into Alessia's eyes. "You were amazing out there. That goal was incredible," she said, beaming with pride.
Alessia blushed and looked down at her feet. "Thanks, but it was a team effort. We all played well today," she replied.
They sat on the couch together, cuddling up and discussing the game.
"I'm worried about Leah," Alessia whispered. "We don't need more knee injuries."
Ona nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I hope it's not her ACL."
"How did you deal with Alexia's injury right before the euros?" Alessia asked Ona softly.
"It was hard. Alexia is our captain and the Face of women's football in Spain. Losing her right before the tournament was terrible. We told ourselves as a team that we'll play for Alexia and try to win the Euros for her. " Ona replayed with sadness in her eyes. "It will be hard for England without Leah, but you have an amazing manager and great staff who will figure something out that will work. Ona added, giving Alessia a reinsuring smile.
"Thank you, baby," Alessia mumbled. She kissed Ona tenderly. They cuddled on the sofa in comfortable silence for a while.
"Can we head to bed?" Alessia mumbled, "Already half asleep, I'm tired, and I feel like I'm getting sick again."
"Of course, love," Ona replied, standing up and offering a hand to help Alessia up from the couch. They walked to their bedroom and crawled under the covers together. Ona wrapped her arms around Alessia, feeling the warmth of her body against hers. "I hope you're not getting sick again," she said, placing a gentle kiss on Alessia's forehead.
Alessia snuggled closer to Ona, resting her head on her chest. "I hope not," she said, "but my throat feels scratchy."
Ona stroked her hair soothingly. "Let's rest and see how you feel tomorrow," she said.
Kissing Alessia, good night.