Hailey's POV
"It's crazy that she hasn't told me anything about you. We've been together for almost a year"
Seated on a chair inside the hotel, her words still echo inside of my head. They've haunted me from the moment I heard them leave her mouth. I can still feel the way the hair on the back of my head rose up, or how I couldn't find the words to respond. I was forced to fake a smile, forced to act like I wasn't just about to have a panic attach in the middle of the street.
How is this happening? How did I not see this coming?
I never thought that Katie could be a person to do something like that, to her... to me. A part of me still cant believe it. I don't want to believe it.
Leah was right all along. Katie is not who I thought she was
"You just signed the same hat twice"
I stop zoning out and shift my attention towards where the voice came from, where Katie just walked inside of the room. I immediately look down and see my signature scribbled twice on top of the red hat that I'm holding.
"You look tired" Katie says and approaches the table quietly, "you wanna take a break?"
My head stands low. I'm unable to look at her. Even just hearing her talk is making me sick to my stomach. I try my best to block out the memories of her kissing me in front of my door.
When she kissed me then, I felt overwhelmed because of the way Katie made me feel. Then, I thought I felt something towards her but looking back I realise that it was just the lack of affection from people in my life. I felt alone, and Katie was there. She was the only one who make me feel even a glimpse of comfort and I mistook it for more.
Now I realise that I was wrong.
"Earth to Hailey" Katie says and waves her hand in front of my face while I try with everything in me not to flinch away, "have you gotten any sleep lately?"
"Im fine" I murmur coldly and take another hat for the pile and sign. My foot taps anxiously on the floor since I can feel Katie watching my every move. She seems like she wants to strike up a conversation with me but after I accidentally found out her little secret, im not particularly feeling very chatty.
"So..." she clears her throat "How's Leah?"
"Why don't you go and ask her that for yourself?" I reply and curse myself for not giving her the silent treatment.
"I mean... how are you and Leah?"
"And why do you ask?" I look at her now.
Katie shrugs.
"I'm just asking because I haven't really seen you since you moved in with her"
"I didn't move in with her" I look down again to avoid rolling my eyes at her statement "I'm just staying with her for the weekend"
"Is that what you told Jonas?"
I stop what I'm doing and lean back in my chair.
"What I do in my private life outside from work shouldn't concern Jonas. He is in no position to question me about it" my tone raises a little as im starting to get irritated.
If Jonas knew that I've been staying with Leah for the past few days, I don't think he would be too happy, considering that none of this was part of the contract. There's nothing and no one that's making me stay with Leah and yet once the sun sets, I always end up back at her hotel room.
'Well maybe it should concern him if you're sleeping with the enemy" Katies eyes are cold, nothing like the sweet ones looking eyes from before.
Did she just come here to start an argument with me?
"The enemy?" I ask in disbelief and I suddenly feel myself getting defensive over Leah. For some reason, I cant bear Katie saying anything negative about her, "she's my girlfriend!"
I snap at her and I see a few of the physio's heads turning in our direction, looking at us confused.
"You mean... fake girlfriend?"
My breath gets stuck and I drop the black marker I'm holding, letting it fall, the noise it makes when it hits the table being the only thinking that could be heard in the quiet room.
"W-what?"
Its like my ears heard it but my brain refused to process the information. The back of my throat feels so dry as I gulp down, my hands becoming all sweaty.
"You heard me" Katie says calmly as her eyes are fixed on mine.
I don't understand. How could she have found out?
There were only three people who knew about this; me, Leah and Jonas. I didn't tell anyone and Katie is not Leah's favourite person in the world, not even close. They're both always throwing death stares and making sarcastic comments at every chance they can get. I doubt Leah has had a change in heart and woke up one day deciding to pour it all out to Katie.
I get up from my seat and look around, hoping no one heard what Katie just said because that would get me in a lot of trouble. Thankfully some of the physios have already left and the others just look busy doing their own thing.
"Jonas told you, didn't he?" I ask but I already know the answer.
"He did" Katie admits it.
Of course Jonas told her. Why am I even surprised? Its Katie McCabe. Arsenal's golden player. Jonas' favourite player. If anything, I'm surprised he didn't tell her sooner.
"All this time, you lied to me" Katie says with a cold voice, "I was nothing but nice to you" she then runs a hand through her hair frustrated, "hell, I even liked you a lot Hailey" Katie lowers her voice then and I get closer to her giving her a shocked look.
"Katie, stop walking" worry is all I feel and a bit of anger towards her for being this careless. The things she is saying right now could cost me my place on the team. Something she wouldn't relate to.
"You acted like you were in love with her the entire time, making me sit and watch by. Do you understand how fucked up that is?" her words are interrupted by mine.
"You think this is what I wanted? I came here to play and achieve my dream. Do you think this is what I signed up for?" I clench my eyebrows, "I'm not getting paid enough to put up with all of this shit"
Katie shakes her head.
"You could have told me"
"No... I couldn't" I say and pinch my eyes before turning my back on her, feeling tired from this argument.
The room is empty, only us left.
"I trusted you" she mumbles.
"I trusted you too" I say and turn around to look at her again.
I don't have to say it. I don't have to mention her name. She knows that I know, just from the way I'm looking at her. And I know that she does too just by the way her mouth falls open just a bit, and by the way her eyebrows relax because of the realisation.
"You-"
"I met her" I inhale before exhaling again, "today. She was beautiful and nice and sweet and you don't deserve her"
"We were on a break and we both decided-"
"It doesn't really matter to me. Not anymore"
Katie looks down at her feet, her hands in her pockets. She looks almost ashamed. I hope she feels ashamed.
"You know... I'm glad I walked away that night" I scoff "It might have just been the best decision that I've probably ever made because you could have ruined me. You could have, you almost did, but I didn't allow it"
"I never meant to hurt you" her piercing blue eyes search in mine for some kind of compassion, but she doesn't find any, "I knew it was wrong. I tried to stay away, but then you'd smile at me and I would drop anything to see you do it again"
She reaches to touch my hand, but I pull away.
"It would be better if we remained professional from now on"
Katie drops her hand.
"So that's it? Whatever this is?" she points from her to me with her finger.
"Theres no 'this' Katie, there never was" I shake my head, "plus me and Leah-"
"Leah?" she asks in disbelief, "Leah is going to be the one who ruins you"
Her words raise goosebumps on my skin, making me feel uneasy.
"But this time, I wont the shoulder you cry on"
With that, she walks out of the room, slamming the door on her way out.