Training with Arsenal had been fun, it was a much quicker game, much faster paced and everything was more accurate. It was clear that the team was an upgrade from Bristol City, everything they did was more precise and it was possible to win some competitions with this team. Leah and Cameryn were closer than ever, Cam had made herself properly at home in Leah's house.
It was a weekly tradition for them to have a movie night, which usually involved rewatching the Harry Potter series, but they both enjoyed it nonetheless. The night before Cameryn's debut game they had a movie night for good luck, but neither of them made it to bed, instead, they were cuddled up on the couch in the living room. Cameryn's head rested ever so gently on Leah's chest with Leah's arms wrapping tight around Cam's body. The sun broke through the open windows shining into Cam's face, which caused her to snuggle into Leah's neck.
"Good morning," spoke Leah, her morning voice heavily present.
"Ugh, the sun is in my eyes," Cameryn spoke as she breathed in Leah's perfume from the day before. She kept trying to cuddle in deeper to Leah's neck but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't escape the light that shone through the living room window.
"We've got to get up Cam, it's your debut game remember," said Leah as she tried to wiggle her arm out from underneath the brunette, but her efforts were useless, the 19-year-old wasn't moving at all. "Cameryn, get up."
"No," Cam responded as she fiddled with the edge of Leah's shirt, "I don't want to go to the game, it's going to be really scary".
"I'll be by your side, so don't worry; also isn't it a special day tomorrow?" asked Leah hoping that it might pique the brown-haired girl's interest.
"Nope," was the muffled head directly in Leah's ear.
"What do you mean, no?" asked Leah completely and utterly confused, "it's the 20th of November tomorrow," she continued hoping that Cameryn would figure out what she was hinting at.
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"It's your birthday, Cam," Leah said bluntly.
"I know."
"So it's a special day," the blonde continued.
"No, it's just a day, the same day I was born 20 years ago."
"Cameryn, why don't you like your birthday?" asked Leah expecting to get a response, but instead Cam climbed out of the blonde's arms and marched out of the living room and up the stairs without looking back. Leah took a deep breath, letting out a massive sigh as she stared up at the ceiling, suddenly feeling very empty without the warmth of her best friend.
While Leah lay contemplating what she had done wrong, Cameryn walked back and forth across her bedroom floor scuffing her toes on the carpet. Why did life have to be like this? Cameryn's life was good, she lost her dad at nine years old, but her life was still good. Cam stopped kicking her feet into the carpet and opened her wardrobe, searching for the box she stored in the bottom corner.
She opened it to find a number of things carefully piled into the black box. First, she pulled out a pile of photos, the top one was of her and her dad during one of her first training sessions playing football. Cam was perched on his knee with the biggest smile across her face, her jersey was a bit too big and her socks were pulled up right over her knees but everything about the picture seemed perfect. She flicked through each photo taking in each moment, there was one of when she scored her first goal on her under 10's team when she was only seven, one of her with Jayden after her team won their grand final and many others.
Underneath the collection of photos was a book - a diary that her father had started writing when he got his first cancer diagnosis. He wrote entries every few days or when something important happened in her life. She flicked through seeing the words 'always and forever' scattered throughout, it was his favourite saying. She found the page about her first game of football ever, she was five years old, so it didn't look the same as a game now, but his words spoke that he was equally as proud.
She closed the book scared she would shed more tears than the few that had already trickled down her face. The next item made her giggle, her first pair of football boots, they were bright pink. How her father allowed her to get bright pink football boots she would never know, but she loved them regardless. They showed her bubbly childlike side, the one she left behind when her dad passed.
There were two more items left in the box, two of her most valued. She lifted out the children-sized Alex Scott Jersey. It had been neatly folded but fell open as she lifted it. Cameryn assessed the jersey as she turned it around to see the back of it. Nothing compared to that jersey, she'd never worn it since that first day she got it - the day her dad died. Tears began to fall again, she clutched the jersey to her chest, sobbing tears into it. The jersey held a strong smell of must, but she didn't care, it felt like home, it felt like her dad.
There was a light knock at the door and then the soft words, "Can I come in?"
Cameryn chose not to respond and instead placed the jersey down on her lap before lifting out the last item. It was a pack of letters grouped in a rubber band, each with its own description written on the front. She flicked through the letters, some opened, some not. The latest one she had opened was for her Lionesses debut. She had read it when Leah wasn't in the room so the blonde hadn't figured out about the letters, but she was going to figure it out now.
The door handle rotated and the door creaked open allowing the blonde to walk into the room. The first thing Leah noticed was Cameryn's tear-stained face and the now empty black box. She scanned across the bed seeing the photos, the book, the tiny pair of football boots and the jersey, before finally noticing the pile of letters in the brunette's hands.
Leah carefully approached not wanting to intrude, before taking a seat right next to Cameryn. She carefully took the letters out of the younger girl's hands placing them on the bed beside them, before wrapping her arms around Cameryn's waist and pulling her in so Cam's head rested on Leah's chest.
Leah didn't dare ask any questions, she just held Cam into her own chest, gently pressing a kiss on her head. Cameryn twirled her fingers in Leah's shirt before finally sitting upright again. She took the letters back and flicked through each one, Wedding Day, First Child, 20th of November 2023. They were for the future, well the third one was for tomorrow. There were others that she had already opened though, Happy 10th Birthday, First Day of High School, Professional Debut, Lionesses Debut.
There were many more but one caught Leah's eye, Ballon d'Or Winner. Leah reached over to it turning it over in her hands before placing it back in the box. Cameryn took the letter she had been looking for in her hand and placed the rest back in the box. Arsenal Debut. She peeled open the envelope and unfolded the letter.
Cameryn's gaze turned from the letter in her hand to Leah, "I'm sorry for storming out," she spoke, "I'm not a big birthday person is all".
"It's okay, we don't have to celebrate if you don't want to, it's entirely up to you, just let me know," Leah spoke softly. "I'll leave you to read that," she said gesturing to the letter in Cameryn's hand, but before she could leave the brunette grabbed her hand.
Leah stayed seated on the bed gripping Cameryn's hand as she began to read the letter silently in her head.
Hi Cam,
If you're reading this, congratulations, I'm guessing today is going to be your Arsenal debut. I'm so proud of how far you've come, you're playing at Arsenal, in the red and white, there's nothing more I could ask for. I never doubted for a second that you would see this day, I knew the moment you first put on those brightly coloured pink boots that one day you'd be playing in the red and white.
Today is your day, don't worry about the audience, don't worry about the other team, don't even worry about your own team. Worry about yourself and the ball, and I guess worry about your own players, but only a little bit.
I'm so proud of you and have been since the day I first saw you and the day I last saw you. Cameryn, you make me the proudest father in the world, I couldn't imagine how you could ever do better than what you do every day.
When you're on the field today, whether you're reading this before or after, play for yourself. I know you're going to be telling yourself to play for me, but I'm not involved in this equation anymore. You'll wear my name, but now it's yours.
I'll be watching you, I've been watching every game you've ever played, and I'll watch every game after. Be my daughter, wear my name with pride, and never be ashamed of who you are. Goodluck, you'll do amazing, because you are you, and that is a superpower in itself.
Be unapologetically yourself, and I love you, always and forever,
Dad
Leah's eyes had started to well, whilst Cameryn sat giggling to herself. "He really does love that phrase, 'always and forever'," she said through teary-eyed giggles.
"I have an idea," spoke Leah cautiously, "I know you don't like to celebrate your birthday-"
"Leah..." replied Cameryn sternly.
"What if we go get our tattoos, 'always and forever'?" asked Leah.
Cameryn's eyes lit up and she swiftly hugged the blonde over the shoulders, "yes, yes, yes," she repeated. Leah squeezed her tight not wanting to let go but having to.
"It's a plan," Leah stated before standing up from the bed and beginning to walk out of the room.
"Le, wait," Cam suddenly spoke, "look what I found." Cameryn picked up the Alex Scott Jersey holding it out to Leah, which prompted her to carefully take it in her hands.
"Wow, you still have it."
"I only ever wore it once," Cameryn explained, "I couldn't bear to put it back on after he died so it has just sat in that box with the photos and the letters and the diary."
Leah nodded, "I know you don't like celebrating your birthday, but can you explain why?" she asked not wanting to push.
"My dad died a few weeks prior to my birthday, a lot of people see a birthday as a way to celebrate themselves, but to me, it's just a reminder that I keep aging and he never will. He's dead and it doesn't feel right to keep celebrating my life when he never gets to. Everyone tells me to celebrate my birthday because I only get a set amount but I just don't enjoy knowing how much time has passed, I prefer to just live and not worry about the number associated with the day I was born," she explained slowly.
"I get where you're coming from," Leah responded, "but why don't we look at it like this? Yes, his death and your birthday are very close together, so instead of thinking of it as you carrying on without him, think of it as a way of commemorating out far you have come since he left. He left you these letters because he knew you would do great things in the future, so don't neglect to celebrate them, he would want you to. He tells you he is proud of you in every letter, multiple times, I'm sure. So be proud of yourself, 'be unapologetically yourself' and live your life to the fullest because it is what he would want."
Cameryn began to tear up again but before the tear could fall Leah wiped her thumb across the brunette's cheek taking the tear with it.
"I love you, Le," Cameryn said as she reached across to hug the blonde, "I love you more than you could ever imagine." The pair shared a sentimental moment of hugs and tears before Leah broke it off saying they needed to begin getting ready for the game later.
"I love you, Cameryn, always and forever," Leah said, and then the door shut, Cameryn was alone again, with a pile of photos, a pile of letters, a kid's Arsenal jersey, her dad's diary and a pair of bright pink football boots, what a sight to see.
WORDS: 2142
a/n: this chapter is kind of sad, but that's the idea, Cameryn's dad plays such a large role in her life even though he was only around til she was nine, that it needs to be focused on so much, and yeah Leah being emotional for her just shows how much it impacts them both, hope you guys are enjoying please leave your feedback or ideas for stories or plot lines you want to see