Getting home after the match is a relief, the late hour making me wish that we went to a day match instead of an evening one. I listen to my dad talk about what Chelsea could've done to get the win as we step into the house. My mum greets us with a smile, "how'd it go?" she asks and my dad sighs, "a draw" he replies before starting what is sure to be a play-by-play. I quietly sneak away to my room, pulling out my phone to tell Em about the bombshell that has been delivered to me by my dad. I send the text and not even minutes later my phone rings, I chuckle but drop onto my bed while accepting my friend's call. "Don't play me like that Clee" she begins making me bring a hand over my eyes, "I'm not, my dad was updating me on the team and talked about these guys that have been really good for them and used the nickname that drunk Mase used, I thought I was gonna faint on the spot" I explain before tugging at my hair.

"Don't go falling for one of them Clee, they're all idiots" she adds making me furrow my brows, "I know not to get involved, after what he did to you I'm steering clear of any guys these days" I murmur, Em sighs, "now that's just stupid, you shouldn't stop dating because some full of himself footballer broke my heart years ago" I shake my head while sitting up, "Em you were a mess, I don't want that to happen to either of us again" she huffs, "I'm over it, we always get over these things" I look over at the Chelsea logo on my wall, "whatever, I can't wait to get back to painting" I say but think about the man that made my heart race when he most likely wasn't even sober enough to remember his antics of that night.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A loud knocking wakes me from my sleep, I open my eyes in panic, sunlight streaming in through my curtains telling me that it's the morning. "CLEO!" my best friend yells through the bedroom door, I groan but before I can stuff my face under a pillow the door opens. "No way babe, today is our day so we're getting out of this house" she adds while going over to open my curtains, I squint at the sudden light in my eyes, "when did it get so bright?" I mumble while covering my eyes, "maybe while you were up at night fantasizing about Chelsea players" I scoff and pick up the nearest pillow, throwing it at Em, "shut up, I slept fine with no Chelsea players on my mind" I lie while she dodges the cushion. "Okay, well get up because we're going to get food" I sigh as she leaves the room to let me get ready for a day devoted to catching up.

When we're seated at our favourite local breakfast spot, I smile while putting on a show of looking at the menu. Already knowing what I'm going to order, "why do you even bother looking?" Em asks, I smile and lower the menu, "for fun" is the reasoning I give her, she rolls her eyes making me laugh quietly, "you truly never change" I shrug not bothered by that fact. Em opens her mouth to add something but is cut off by our usual server greeting us with a smile before asking us for our orders. When she leaves us alone again Em asks about work, moving our conversation towards actually catching up each others lives. My finger traces the rim of the coffee mug in front of me as we talk, liking how comforting it is to catch up with her after being away for longer than anticipated.

We leave the small breakfast place an hour later. Arms linked as we go down the sidewalk, the air not yet too cold to wander around the Main Street of our small hometown. "Sometimes I wish I stayed" I mumble while dropping my head to Em's shoulder, "nah leaving was the best thing we did Clee, you wouldn't be happy staying here" she explains making me sigh. "You're right but I wish you weren't" she squeezes my arm in response, "they're counting on you in London, plus it's too early to have any regrets" I smile and lift my head, "yeah true", we fall into a comfortable silence while walking further through the town. "Promise me something?" I look over at Em curiously, "don't let my heartbreaks hold you back" I lift my eyebrows not expecting her statement, "but that's not-" I start but go silent at the knowing expression on her face, "just promise me Cleo" I smile slightly and nod at my closest friend, "alright I promise" she pulls me into a hug bringing us to a stop on the sidewalk. "I want you to be happy, even if that means only one of us gets to marry a Chelsea footballer" I laugh while pulling away, "that's never gonna happen, let's keep our expectations realistic" Em shrugs then winks before we resume walking. The rest of the day we manage to stay away from the topic of our love lives, or lack thereof , as we go around doing things we used to do when we were younger.