Thank you Eliza!!!
Today was the day.
Today was Erin's first day at the club of her dreams. Though it wasn't as the incredibly talented winger she used to be. But as a therapist.
At least Erin was given the opportunity to work for the Spanish top club, the club she'd wished to win titles with as a player.
And the slender blonde, dressed in the uniform Jonathan had handed her yesterday, initials printed just above her heart, was thrilled, she was beaming when Alexia maneuvered the grey sports car into the training ground's parking lot.
With her warm hand resting in the therapists lap, ice cold palms folded on top of hers, the captain had a hard time believing that this was reality.
That this wasn't just a dream she'd wake up from very soon.
But little did she know.
For she had no idea about the storm that this day would bring.
"I can't believe this is happening", Erin grins excitedly, her cheeks colored in a light shade of rose as she takes in the sight of the building - her working place - in front of them.
Giving the blonde's thigh a gentle squeeze before turning off the engine, Alexia couldn't help but find Erin's behavior extremely adorable.
She was so in love with this irresistible woman.
"I'm so proud of you, Bonita", the captain tells her, reaching out to cup the blondes chin, tenderly tugging the therapists flawless visage up and towards her, gently brushing her delicate lips against Erin's.
"I'm so happy to be here, love... you make me so happy", Erin whispers against the athletes tender lips, before connecting their lips in a loving kiss.
And it made the captain's heart both melt, and shatter into a million pieces.
Because that conversation with Alba was still very present in her mind.
"But... I should go and meet up with Martha. She's my 'buddy' for the day to show me around and expects me in... damn... two minutes", the blonde chuckles, hastily reaching for her sports bag in the backseat, before climbing out of the passenger seat.
"I can't believe this woman is punctual", Alexia laughs as she gets out of the car as well, opening the front door for the stunningly beautiful blonde once they approach the building.
And there she was.
Martha.
Dressed in her usual working uniform. Black hair tied up in a messy bun, the happiest grin possible plastered on her lips, as well as two iPads in hand.
"Buenos días my favorite colleague. It's my pleasure to show you around today", Martha greets her, completely ignoring the captain that was trailing slightly behind the therapist as she hands Erin the tablet.
"Um... I'll leave you two alone... see you later, Bonita", Alexia mumbles shyly, her cheeks blushing as sparkling hazel eyes glance at the stunning blonde, before she makes her way down the hallway, and towards the locker room.
"Can't wait to see you later", Erin mumbles, unable to help herself but look after Alexia as the gorgeous brunette walks away, her sports bag slung over her strong shoulder, hair tied up in a higher ponytail.
She couldn't believe how happy she was.
How much she loved this woman.
"You two are the cutest. But none of that today. We've got plenty to do", the black-haired announces as she pulls Erin down the hallway, and into one of the therapy rooms.
"So this is the-", Erin wonders as she unlocks the tablet given to her, seeing the her busy time schedule for the very first time.
"Exactly. This is your work schedule for the day. Week. Month. We can switch appointments, reschedule them, send mails to the athletes, Jonathan and all that", Martha says excitedly, her fingers hovering over the screen a little too quick, not really giving Erin the chance to follow her speedy explanations.
Deciding it might be beneficial to get an overview of todays schedule first, the blonde takes her time to memorize the first couple of appointments.
That is, until her eyes settle on a particular name.
Jennifer Hermoso.
"I prepared everything for you, my favorite colleague. But if you want to switch some appointments, maybe with... um... Jenni... feel free to tell me", Martha offers with a friendly smile, gesturing to the certain appointment later that day.
"Um... no. Don't worry about it. I'll see her a lot from now on so it might be better to just get used to it anyways. Thank you, though", Erin chuckles nervously, trying to downplay the fact that she wasn't in the mood of seeing this woman today.
Or any time.
She meant what she said, though.
She should get used to see Jenni.
With her eyebrow furrowed, the black-haired shrugs her shoulders, watching Erin look up from her tablet. And it wasn't hard not to notice that the blonde had absolutely no idea which way to go.
Because this building was huge.
"The gym's over there", Martha chuckles, pointing to the sign above them, resting a hand on her friend's shoulder, before checking her own schedule.
"Um... sure. Thank you", the blonde mumbles as she peers up at the sign, before making her way down the hall, noticing she was already running late for her first appointment.
And Erin's first day as a Blaugrana went perfectly fine.
She got used to the idea of Jenni being her last appointment of the day, before the forward, as well as the other athletes would stay for a photoshoot to present the new home kit for the upcoming season.
The therapist had just washed her hands at the sink after her second last appointment with Mariona, as a soft knock resounds from the door.
"Come in", the blonde announces, reaching for the towel as the door behind her opens.
Pivoting on her feet, drying off her hands in the motion, the therapist was surprised to find a pair of dark brown eyes gazing at her, the forwards expression blank as they look at each other.
"Oh... um... are you sure that you don't want me to meet up with Martha instead?", Jenni asks unsurely, hesitantly closing the door behind her as she steps into Erin's temporary therapy room.
Studying the forward, Erin considered to accept this offer and give Martha a call. But just like she decided earlier, she should get used to it.
"No it's... it's perfectly fine. Your file says you picked up multiple ankle injuries over the years?", Erin asks, changing the topic as she tosses the towel back into the sink, gesturing towards the therapy bench for Jenni to sit on.
"Hm, I'm glad we're able to have a new start", the forward chuckles nervously, her cheeks colored in a light shade of red as she drops her sports bag, before kicking her shoes away.
"There will never be a new start", Erin mumbles, unable to help herself as she watches Jenni hop onto the therapy bench, toned, slender legs dangling from the edge as the therapist approaches.
Ducking her head, the black-haired considered, just for a second, to ask for Martha instead.
Maybe this wasn't a good idea, after all
"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, just... I'm glad that you and I are... talking", the forward clarifies, raising her hands in defense as she watches Erin critically examine her ankle, reaching out to start with some tests to get to know the athlete.
"I'm not doing this for the two of us. I'm doing this for myself. And for Alexia", the blonde's response came quick.
"Of course you do", Jenni scoffs quietly, turning her head away from Erin as she feels her cheeks redden.
Looking up, Erin's brow furrows as she stares at the black-haired, her movements stopping as she watches Jenni gaze outside, avoiding to look at the therapist.
"Is there... a problem with it?", the blonde wonders as she keeps working on Jenni's ankle, focusing on her task as they talk.
And the tension couldn't be any more uncomfortable.
"A problem? Oh Erin... you have no idea", the forward rolls her eyes as she speaks.
And by the sound of these words - these so ironical words - the blonde drops her hands.
Stepping away from the black-haired, whose legs were still dangling from the side of the therapy bench as they stare at each other, Erin slowly clasps her hands behind her back.
"Well... maybe you should share your thoughts with me?", the blonde shrugs, not once allowing her intense gaze to shift from Jenni, the anger brewing up inside of her as she stares at the forward.
As she stares at the woman who had ended her career.
Laughter fills the room at that, the forward propping herself up on her hands a she reclines back ever so slightly, shaking her head as she looks down, hiding her grin from the speechless therapist in front of her.
"Are you going to tell me? Or will you keep laughing? Because... if you need a break, I'll get myself a cup of coffee from the cafeteria", Erin states dryly, clearly not in the mood for any of this on her first day.
The day that was supposed to be the best day of her career as a therapist so far.
These words were enough to have Jenni look up.
"Hold on... you... Alexia didn't... she didn't tell you?", the forward frowns, eyes dilating in surprise as she feels her throat tighten.
Maybe she shouldn't have said something, after all.
"She didn't tell me... what exactly?", the blonde wonders hesitantly, unsure if she even wanted to hear what this was about.
"Um... oh", the black-haired breathes.
Furrowing an eyebrow as she nervously taps her fingers against each other behind her back, Erin waited for this explanation.
Because she really had no idea.
"Jenni", Erin urges.
"And I wondered why you're even talking to me... mierda Ale... ¿qué has hecho?", the forward grumbles to herself as she clasps her palms over her face, not wanting to see Erin's reaction, not wanting to be the one telling her.
Why didn't Alexia tell her?
"Jenni", Erin urges once again, unable to wait any longer. She wanted to, no, she deserved to know what this was about.
"I think... I shouldn't be the one telling you", the forward tries to push this conversation away from her, or at least to postpone it.
But not with Erin.
Not this time.
"And I think you owe me that", the blonde states harshly, stepping closer as she casts a bunch of death glares into Jenni's direction.
And by the sound of these words, the forward knew that there was no way to get around this.
All of a sudden, she felt so small.
Clasping her hands in her lap, closing her eyes for a second as she takes a deep, shaky breath, Jenni felt her heart pounding furiously once she looks back up at Erin.
"I love her", were the quiet, unexpected words that break the silence as they stare at each other.
Erin's heart sinks.
Her lips purse.
Her breathing stops.
"W... what?", she frowns.
"I love Alexia. I love her ever since I met her. She's... she's incredible. But my love was never enough. I've never been enough for her. Because... because every time you...", the forward starts, but her voice faints the more she says, knowing that she shouldn't say those words.
That she shouldn't say anything more.
Because she shouldn't be the one doing this. She shouldn't be the one telling her.
But Erin had other plans.
"Now why is that about me?", the blonde wonders in surprise, her eyes wide as she stares at Jenni.
She had a hard time believing that any of this was real.
"Alexia and I... we... we were okay whenever you weren't around. But as soon as she saw you... as soon as she saw you every time you stepped onto that pitch... there was this sparkle in her eyes. The sparkle in those irresistible hazel eyes that I've never seen before. She never looked at me like that. And she... she just loves you so much more than she ever loved me", Jenni confesses, actually feeling relieved to get this off her chest.
The blondes jaw drops as she stares at Jenni.
Erin was at a loss for words.
"I'm not surprised she didn't tell you, to be honest", the forward chuckles nervously, unable to believe how awkward all of this was.
"Why?", Erin breathes.
"She always protects the ones she loves. And she never did that with me. I was never meant to be the one for her... but it seems like you are... as much as I hate it", the forward shrugs, a soft, unsure chuckle slipping from her lips.
And the blonde just stares at her as she felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.
Love.
"I have a feeling there's something else", Erin says.
She could tell by looking at Jenni, by the helpless look in her dark brown eyes, by the way the forward was nervously shifting in her seat, that there was something else.
That there must be something else.
"There is", the forward breathes, nervously scratching the back of her neck as her throat tightens.
She couldn't believe that this was about to happen.
Because Jenni was aware that this confession would change everything.
Powerful, yet concerned eyes steadily gaze at her. And for several minutes it seemed like time stood still. As if nothing else mattered.
That was until...
"Your injury... I... I tackled you this harsh on purpose", were Jenni's quiet words that caused Erin's entire world to break apart.
She should've known that fairytales don't exist.
⬇️⭐️⬇️
Hm, I'm curious to hear what Alexia has to say about this ☕️✍🏼
⭐️ 280 for the next ⭐️