solitude → sam kerr

forty eight → new team, new country

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

evelyn strolled into sam's apartment, her steps carrying the ease of someone who felt at home. dropping her bags without a care, she moved through the familiar space, a comforting feeling that echoed with the moments of their relationship. the sound of sam's voice reached her ears from another room, indicating she was on a call of some sort, so evelyn went to help herself to a glass of water. even after a short week away, the sense of relief at being back with sam was evident.

sam's voice ceased, leaving only the ambient hum of the apartment. the singer, glass in hand, approached the small study area where the other had stationed herself. with mischievous intent, she placed her hands firmly on sam's shoulders and gave a sharp press, causing sam to startle and nearly tip out of her chair.

"man, fuck you!" she exclaimed, recovering from the sudden scare.

evelyn's giggles sounded in the air as she wrapped her arms around sam. "sorry, babe. couldn't resist," she teased, playfully defending her scare.

the striker chuckled, her eyes scanning the girl's appearance. "hey, you're back to blonde now," she observed, noting the change in her girlfriend's hair colour.

the singer nodded, her fingers running through the newly blonde strands. "yeah, i got tired of dyeing it, and i think it's been enough time for me not to be reminded of my mum every time i look in the mirror."

sam couldn't help but express her delight at the return of evelyn's signature blonde hair. "i missed your blonde," she exclaimed.

the girl looked surprised. "so you didn't like the brown?" she asked, genuinely curious with a twinge of mischief laced in her voice.

the footballer chuckled, cupping evelyn's face in her hands. "you look hot in both. i just fell in love with your blonde self first."

evelyn blushed, a bashful smile playing on her lips. sam's compliments always had a way of making her heart flutter. "smooth talker," she quipped, playfully pushing the other's shoulder.

"hey, it's the truth," she insisted, leaning in for a sweet kiss.

the room fell into a brief silence, the weight of sam's unspoken words hanging in the air. evelyn sensed that something was amiss, and with a gentle nudge, she encouraged her girlfriend to share her thoughts.

"sammy, what's going on?" she inquired, her eyes searching the brunette's face for clues. her expression shifted, a mix of guilt and uncertainty.

"i'm signing with a new team," sam hesitated before finally admitting.

evelyn's eyes widened in excitement. "really? that's fantastic! where? maybe you can move closer to la so i don't have to keep flying around every few weeks."

the striker's guilty look deepened, and she paused, choosing her words carefully. "no, not another contract in the nwsl. i've...signed for chelsea."

evelyn's initial joy was replaced by confusion. "chelsea? in the super league? that's amazing! well done!" she hugged sam tightly, genuine happiness for her girlfriend overriding any concerns.

sam, however, remained reserved. "you're not mad that i'm leaving the states?" she asked cautiously.

the blonde pulled back, looking into her eyes with sincerity. "of course not. you can't help your career, and if you get a better deal elsewhere, you should take it. i'm proud of you."

a warm smile spread across sam's face, grateful for evelyn's understanding. yet, the question lingered. "but what about us? can we cope with being in two different countries?"