It was the next day, tomorrow was my first debut for arsenal and i was feeling so much anxiety Leah had text me the night before to tell me we were going out at around 6 and that she wouldnt mind picking me up which I was very grateful for but now I had the rest of the day to kill before then
I dragged myself out of bed to slowly walk into my bathroom I looked at myself in the mirror to see my eyes looked tired and red, my lips were chapped and my hair was a mess normally i was a morning person but the stress must of been really getting to me
I washed my face and laid out some clothes on my bed before hoping in the shower having decided I was going to see my mum and hopefully my brothers for the day, I missed them when I was in Spain but we FaceTimed nearly everyday and they visited a couple times a year
When I had told them I was coming back to England they were so happy , they were proud
Of me for following my dreams and were proud of the name I had made for myself but they would tell me every day they missed me dearly which was another reason why I wanted to come home I wanted my family
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I got out the shower and put on the clothes I laid out for myself bed
walking out to my apartment i walked to my car and began to drive to my mums house she only lived a 15 minute drive from my apartment, I was grateful enough to have grown up in a fairly nice part of London we weren't rich, we didn't live in a massive house and there were times my mum struggled to make ends meet but we still had everything we needed
I pulled out Side of my mums house at around 2pm , got out the car and went to knock on the door but I got nothing in return I thought why she wouldn't answer the door so I knocked again a little louder but still nothing I tried the handle and to my surprise it was open it wasn't like my mother to just leave the door open but I walked in anyway the house was dark but I could just about make out my surroundings
"Hellooo, Mum" I yelled walking into the kitchen when suddenly the lights turned on and I was met with all my old friends and family shouting 'welcome home Arabella', confetti was thrown and there was a pink banner reading 'welcome home' and on the kitchen table there was sprinkles of glitter and a pink cake and other snacks
"Omg u guys scared me" I said placing a hand on my heart which was going a mile a minute
"We didn't mean to scare you" I heard my mum say while making her way over to me and pulling me into her arms giving me a tight hug
"We missed you" I heard a male voice say also joining the hug it was my oldest brother Isiah , my father walked out on us when I was just a baby so my brother became sort of man of the house I had one other older brother Jayden but he was only 6 at the time while Isiah was 13,
He had made every effort to make sure he was there to be the stereotypical protective older brother along with Jayden when he was slightly older whenever I was upset or hurt they would be the first people to figure out what was wrong and how they could help and I appreciated them so much
"Ok everyone group hug" I heard another voice say presumably Jayden before everyone was swarming around me giving me the best group hug ever
" i missed all of you" I whispered
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I had been at my mums for around 2 hours catching up with everyone, I love being re United with everyone and being caught up with everything I had missed while being in Barca
We had all crammed into the living room everyone enjoying themselves and caught up in conversations with one another I had chosen to sit next to my best friend since primary school Kennedy, having wanted to probably catch up with her
"I can't believe your really back" she said holding onto my hand
"I know I missed all of you guys I mean I love Spain and I miss it dearly but I love being home" I said putting my hand on top of hers
"So tell me what I'm really dying to know" she said with a smirk
"Kenn I swear" I said chuckling slightly
"What I need to know if u had your romantic Spanish love story" she said jokingly but with a big smile "no but for real I swear everyone was speculating you to be with that other Barca girl what was her name again oh alexia it was im pretty sure"
I took a deep breath when she mentioned me and Alexia, the minute we met we instantly clicked and while are chemistry on the pitch was undeniable and great, people couldn't help but notice are chemistry off the pitch,
how we would always be finishing each other's sentences and by the way we would look at each other and how it would be said that 'friends don't look at friends that way'
And while this was true we never got to explore that part of our relationship we were 'close' best friends and that was that, I would never dispute that I had a little crush on alexia because I did but it was a pipe dream something that would never happen so I took Close best friends and ran with it
" we're just good friends" I said offering her a smile
"Good friends like we're good friends or good friends like you guys disappear for half an hour and return flustered and with red faces"
She said knowingly
"Oh my god kenn don't be gross" I said laughing
"What you know I'm right plus everyone saw the way you too would look at each other, major girl crush vibes"
"Ok ok I get it, me and lex never explored that side of our relationship tho but we were happy being close"
" very close" Kennedy scoffed
"Very close" I said smirking and leaning into kenn as we both laughed
"Your so bad" Kenn laughed
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Everyone except my mum and brothers had started to clear out wishing me the best and promising to meet up soon and within seconds they were all gone
"So how have u been really" I heard mum say
"What do u mean mum I said I was fine" I said looking down
"Your forgetting were your family we know when your lying" Isiah said
"I don't know I just- I just feel overwhelmed, I'm tired not just physically but mentally and I love being home I do but Spain has been my home since I was 19 and I've been from meeting to meeting signed contract after contract and have been waking up to go to practice at the crack of dawn and on top of that I have my debut for Arsenal tomorrow and I'm supposed to be this hot shot player who's apparently on her way to becoming the greatest and it's all just too much" I said running out of breath and leaning back into the sofa
"Look at me Arabella" my mother said "you have nothing to prove" she said taking my hand in hers
"What" I said not realising I had let a tear fall down my face
"You have nothing to prove Bella" my brother Jayden said before my mother could speak "you don't need to be good enough for anyone but yourself and u said it yourself people say your on your way to being one of the greatest's and u did that u put yourself there because your an amazing footballer so as long as you know that and you perform like yourself you will be amazing" he said wiping a tear from my face
"Thank u guys" I said giving them a group hug
I pulled away smiling before remembering Leah was picking me up to go out a 6
"Shit guys what time is it" I said frantically
"Ay Arabella no swearing in the house"
"Sorry mum"I said trying to get my phone out my pocket
"It's 5:15 Bella" Isiah said
"Shit gotta go love you guys sorry for swearing mum love u" I said quickly getting up rushing to leave
"Where are u going" I heard my mum yell
"I'm a busy girl remember" I said before running out of the house getting in my car and trying to get home as quickly as I could
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I got to my apartment and ran in running straight to my closet, I wasn't totally shore where we were going with the girls but I settled on a little black dress just slutty enough so it would be appropriate for a bar/club but just dressy enough that it would be appropriate for a dinner
I got changed and did some light make up before letting my hair down, my hair was naturally curly so all I had to do was brush it a little and it looked fine
I looked at my phone to check the time it was 5:50 Leah would be here soon
I ran into my living room finding a pair of black heeled boots and quickly put them on when my phone started ringing and so I immediately answered it
"Hello"
"Hey bella I'm outside I know it's a little early so don't rush"
"It's fine really I'll be out in a second"
"Cool ok see you in a minute"
"Ok bye Leah"
"Bye bella"
I hung up the phone and quickly grabbed a little shoulder bag and just put in a few essentials before spraying some perfume and making my way out of my apartment
I found Leah's car pretty easily as it was just parked right outside the apartment so I opened the car door to see the blonde looking very pretty at that point I was to busy staring into her blue eyes I forgot I was just stood with the door open
"Hey Bella you gonna get in or keep staring at me" Leah said jokingly but Also kinda seriously as I was just letting Cold air into the car
" oh I'm sorry I just- um I just it's nothing sorry"
I said getting into the car closing the door
"It's fine you look good by the way"
"Thank you so do you" I said giving her a friendly smile which she returned before setting off
"So where exactly are we going" I asked genuinely questioning
" oh yea sorry I forgot to say we're just going to a bar it's only around 20 minutes from here the girls are already there"
"Cool" I said turning to look out the window
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We arrived at the bar a short while later and both of us stepped out
"Thank u for inviting me out" I said before we walked in
"No problem your apart of the team now you deserve to celebrate" she said taking my hand in hers as we walked
Certain things Leah did reminded me of alexia the way she could be very confident at times but could also go a little shy the way she was also never afraid to speak what she felt and was able to be very encouraging
We walked in immediately spotting are friends even tho the bar was packed we walked over to them to see them staring at us with wide grins
"Got her off the market already have we Leah"
Katie said gesturing to are interlocked hands
We quickly pulled way denying the statement Katie had just made
" no no it's not like that" Leah said laughing nervously
"Yea it was nothing" I said doing the exact same thing
"Yea ok whatever lovebirds" lotte said before taking a sip of her drink
"Yea yea whatever I'm going to get a drink Bella do u want anything" Leah said preparing to walk to the bar
"Uh yea could u please get me a vodka cranberry but ask them if they'd put in a little more vodka then cranberry" I said emphasising on the fact I wanted more vodka
"Um yea sure doubt I'll get to many questionable looks" she jokingly before going to get the drinks
I sat down and was immediately met with questions
"Never took u as a drinker" I heard Beth say
"I'm not a heavy drinker but I do like one every now and again I'm a lightweight so it never really goes to well"
"I'd pay to see that" Katie said laughing
"What me acting like a crazy person because I had two vodka cranberry's" I said laughing too
"Yep it would be hilarious" she said
"Well debating the way the night goes i might be the afternoons amusement"
"We don't want hangovers before the game tomorrow " Leah said before putting the drinks down on the table and sliding to sit down next to me
"Here she is buzz kill Leah ruining the fun" Katie said jokingly
"Yea yea whatever" Leah said smirking
I thanked Leah for the drink before taking a sip of it to make sure Leah got my request right and yep definitely more vodka then cranberry
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An hour and a half later we all ended up on the dance floor , I was positively drunk I was two and half soon to be three into my more vodka then cranberry vodka and cranberry's and people noticed
"Seems as though u weren't lying about the lightweight thing" I heard Katie said laughing as I danced like no on was watching on the dance floor
"Yea I mean I did warn you" I replied slurring but smiling still dancing around to the music
"Don't u think that u should wind down it's getting late and u need all the sleep u can get if ur this drunk already" Katie said worryingly
"That's so boring" I said slowing my dancing down and starting to feel the tiredness
"Ok bell it's time for us to head out yeah I'll drive u home" Leah said taking my hand in hers
"Ok fine bye Katie tell lotte and Beth I said bye as well" I said letting go of Leah's hand and giving Katie a hug
"Bye Bella see you tomorrow yea"
I nodded my head before taking a hold of Leah's hand once again as we walked out the bar and got back into her car
"Well you enjoyed yourself then" I heard Leah say laughing at my drunken state
"Haha very funny" I said slurring putting my head in my hands
"Alright I'll get u home" Leah said starting the car and driving away
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We made it back to my apartment building and Leah got out first making her way over to my side of the car opening the door
"Come on Bella" she said softly
I stepped out of the car my legs shakey so I gripped onto Leah's hand and she put her hand on my back to keep me steady
"This is the last Time I ever get u a 'more vodka cranberry'" Leah said jokingly but also careful that I stayed on two feet
I didn't say anything in return just started walking into my apartment building still holding Leah's hand tightly
We made it luckily to my apartment in one peace but now came the hard part opening the door
"Will u open it for me" I said handing my bag to Leah
"Sure" leah said opening my bag and taking the keys out opening the door
I still held onto Leah's hand as I walked into my apartment before letting go and falling onto my sofa
"Are you going to be ok" Leah said walking a little closer to me
"I think so" I slurred resting my head on my arm
"Ok well if your not ring me or text me"
" ok I promise"
"Ok then bye Bella I'll see you tomorrow" she said
"Bye lex" I said giving her a drunken smile
"Lex? Who's lex" Leah said stopping in her tracks
"Oh you're Leah I meant Leah bye Leah" I said waving
"Um ok bye Bella" she said before leaving my apartment
"Well that was bad" I whispered to myself