Leah's POV:
As I'm leaving the canteen with Alessia and Beth, I notice the men's squad starting to come in. Just as we step out, I hear my name being called.
"Leah!" Marcus calls out.
I turn to him. "Yeah?"
He looks a bit hesitant. "Hey, what are you doing after this?"
"Why, what's up?" I ask, curious.
"I need to talk to you," he says, looking serious.
"Okay, sure. My room number is 216. You can come by anytime," I tell him.
"Thanks," he says, seeming relieved.
As he walks away, I can't help but think, if he's going to talk about Kai and try to fill my head with more drama, he's getting kicked out. I really don't need that right now.
We head back to our rooms, and I can't stop thinking about what Marcus might want to talk about. I tell myself to stay calm and not jump to conclusions. Maybe it's nothing.
Alessia and Beth can sense my unease. "You okay, Leah?" Beth asks, concerned.
"Yeah, just curious about what Marcus wants to talk about," I admit.
"Don't let it stress you out," Alessia advises. "It's probably nothing serious."
We part ways at our rooms, and I head into mine. I try to distract myself by reading a book, but my mind keeps wandering back to Marcus.
A little while later, there's a knock at my door. I take a deep breath and open it to find Marcus standing there, looking a bit nervous.
"Hey, come in," I say, stepping aside.
He enters and sits down on the chair by the window. I take a seat on the edge of my bed, waiting for him to start.
"Firstly, I wanted to ask you about something," Marcus began.
"Yeah?" I responded, curious about what he wanted to discuss.
He sighed heavily. "Do you remember when Beth mentioned something about cheating on and off the pitch in the game room? Can you shed some light on that?"
I let out a resigned sigh. "What more is there to say? Didn't Kai tell you? He cheated on me and didn't even try to hide it..."
Marcus nodded, his expression serious. "Could you tell me what he told you exactly?"
"Seriously?" I scoffed, incredulous. Marcus nodded in confirmation. "Well, he just came clean and admitted that he'd been out with the boys, met some girls, and things got physical. It was... something like that."
"Bullshit! That's why this doesn't add up! Kai hasn't gone out with the lads since he's been with you. He'd rather spend his nights talking to you on FaceTime than partying with us," Marcus exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.
"What are you getting at?" I asked, puzzled by Marcus's approach.
Marcus let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, truth is, I brought it up to get your perspective on the situation. Kai actually confided in me about what happened..."
"And that is?"
"Kai would probably flip if he knew I spilled the beans, but I swear, he never even glanced at another girl when he was with you," Marcus confided.
I exhaled deeply, struggling to comprehend. "But he told me himself, Marcus. Face to face."
"Leah, trust me, Kai's not capable of lying about something like that," Marcus insisted. "He's not that kind of guy. But there's something else he told me that completely changes the picture."
My curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
He nodded solemnly, "It's his agent and the manager who messed things up... They decided he's losing his spot on the team because of distractions like a new girlfriend and spending too much time in London..."
"It doesn't add up..."
"It does. He wanted to stay in the United squad, so he had to give up one love to salvage another. It's a tough pill to swallow, but in the end, he lost both... And he was never the same after," Marcus explained.
I listened in silence as Marcus continued, "He faced pressure from all sides. His parents couldn't grasp the breakup, but from then on, he threw himself into training and matches. Yet, the manager ruined it for him..."
"Imagine if you were booted out of Arsenal. Wouldn't you fight tooth and nail to return, even if it meant sacrificing something you loved?"
"It's not about me here, but why wouldn't he tell me normally?" I asked.
Marcus sighed, "From what I think, it's something like he had to try to regain his position in the squad. Taking a break would sound a little silly for that, wouldn't it?" Marcus explained. "But he knew if he couldn't keep his place in the squad, that probably means he's out of England, and trust me, he can't stay away from you for long. Manchester to London was hard for him; imagine him being somewhere sunny in Spain while you're in London?"
"It does sound strange," I agreed, feeling a knot of confusion forming in my stomach.
Marcus nodded in understanding. "But that's Kai for you. He's always been a bit unconventional in his thinking."
I frowned, trying to make sense of it all. "But why fabricate a cheating story? Why not just be honest?"
"Well, it's an easy way out," Marcus explained. "By saying he cheated, he's taking the blame and making it easier for you to move on. Plus, it shifts the focus away from him and onto you, so he can bear the brunt of the hate while you're seen as the innocent party. That's just how Kai operates."
I sighed. "It's still hard to wrap my head around."
"Give it time," Marcus said reassuringly. "Things will become clearer eventually."
"I get that it might be a way out, but why put all that blame on himself?" I asked, still struggling to understand Kai's motives.
Marcus shrugged. "Sometimes it's easier to bear the weight of guilt than to face the uncertainty of what comes next. Kai probably felt that by taking the blame, he could control the narrative and protect you from any backlash."
I nodded slowly, absorbing his words. "But what about us? What about our relationship?"
"That's something only Kai can answer," Marcus replied, his tone sympathetic. "But knowing him, I'd say he's trying to spare you any further pain, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness."
