Chapter Text
For the first time in 5 years, Lucy would be missing out on an England squad. Not because she wasn't good enough, but simply because she had managed to pick up an injury. She hated the idea that she wouldn't be a part of it. She had even wanted to push through and go anyway, but it had been Alex who had reasoned with her. Alex may have been slightly younger than Lucy, but she had an authority about her that made Lucy take notice.
Calling Phil and having to, in Lucy's eyes, admit defeat and decline the call up was so difficult. She'd FaceTimed Keira that evening and just cried. Keira had comforted her the best she could from a different county, but it didn't succeed in making Lucy feel any better. She knew deep down that she was making the best decision - attempting to train, or even play whilst injured was stupid. She knew that. She was used to playing through the discomfort her knee provided her from time to time, but she knew that as she got older, she had to take more care of herself than she had as a teenager and young adult.
As she tried to look at the positives that this could bring, it was Keira who pointed out that it would proper open up the door for a young hopefully to show their skills. Lucy remembered her first senior call up and how exciting that had felt for her and she'd never looked back since. She hoped that whoever got their chance at a call up would be half as excited as she was all those years ago.
The next day when she'd spoken to Keira, she'd told her it was a young striker playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, that had been given a call up in her place. Lucy's attention had prickled at the name of her old college - this girl must be young. Lucy felt an odd sense of satisfaction that Phil had chosen to replace her with a striker, and not another defender. She couldn't explain that fully but it did lift her spirits. As she packed her bag to leave for her physio appointment, she thought maybe she'd found the silver lining Jordan had been banging on about over FaceTime to her earlier.
24 hours earlier, Alessia had been sat in the campus library, going through a current census, when her phone started vibrating, signalling an incoming call. Not recognising the number, she excused herself from her dorm mates and headed outside to take the call.
5 minutes later when she stepped back into the library, she was wearing a huge grin on her face and feeling on top of the world. An England call up, she just couldn't believe it. Phil hadn't said much, but she knew someone must have been withdrawn as the squad was announced a while ago, but this was it - this was her chance and she intended to grab it with both hands!!
As she sat back down at her computer, she reluctantly closed the browser on the census she'd been going through and opened her emails to search of the itinerary Phil was going to send across. Sure enough, it was already there. She sent it to print and as she retuned to her computer, itinerary in hand, instead of closing her computer down and leaving, reluctantly she opened Google again. Her hands hovered over the keyboard for several seconds, as she went back to the previous page she had been looking at. As she scrolled through the list of names, she was brought out of her thoughts by Lotte placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Still looking?" her friend asked her gently.
Alessia nodded, not trusting herself to speak at that moment. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes. When she looked back on todays date in the coming years, she would possibly remember it with fonder memories - her first senior call up was a big deal and considering only just over a year ago she was wondering if she'd ever be able to play again, it felt huge. But today also signified something else for Alessia. She'd never discussed it with her brothers since and she wasn't sure if the date held the same significance for them to, but today was the anniversary of when they had last seen their little sister.
"Come on, let's get out of here. We'll grab a coffee and head back to your dorm - we can talk about it there if you want" said her friend quietly, as she squeezed Alessia's shoulders supportively.
She and Alessia had been friends for a long time and had played on for the Tar Heels together for 3 years. They'd gone through youth England camps together for many years and Alessia knew she'd be thrilled to hear about her England call up.
"Okay" Alessia nodded, gathering her things and they quietly made their way out of the library together and across the quad, towards the campus coffee shop.
Neither of them spoke, aside from their coffee orders, until they were back inside Alessia's room and comfortable on her bed. Maybe that was one of the things she loved the most about her friend, that they were able to just coexist quietly together. Small nods and looks enough to communicate a large amount between them. Something she realised she was incredibly great full for.
When they'd been sat on the bed for several minutes and almost finished their drinks, Alessia finally spoke.
"I had a phone call today...they called me up for the Shebelieves cup" she said rather rushed, suddenly feeling a little more nervous now that she said it aloud.
Lotte's eyes widened, she clearly hadn't been expecting that from her friend's somber mood.
"Less that's incredible! I'm so happy and proud of you!!" She exclaimed, pulling Alessia into a big hug.
Alessia laughed into her shoulder, returning the hug gratefully. As they drew back Lotte took a sip of her drink and said, "That's really good news, for someone who looks so down"
Alessia sighed, finished the last of her coffee and stood up, throwing the cup in the bin.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lotte asked gently. "I know you were looking through records again, so I'm guessing it's something to do with your sister?".
Alessia nodded, and perched herself on the edge of her desk. She had confided in Lotte about her sister a long time ago. The defender had been a shoulder to cry on and someone to talk to when things got too much for her. But still Alessia debated where to start her story.
"Today marks 10 years since I last saw her. I can remember it so clearly...we used to visit when she was a baby, our Aunt used to insist that we went all the time, but when Elena was actually adopted, her family made it difficult for us to see her". Less paused and took a deep breath.
"She was 3 years old, a few weeks after my birthday we went to visit her. She had this mop of blonde hair and she had a lovely dress on my aunt had given her the Christmas before. She sat on my lap for so much of our visit. That's when the photo that's in my purse was taken. We had a lovely few hours there and just as we were getting back to the car, Laura realised he'd left his jumper there. My Aunt sent him back for it, and when he got back to the house, he said he could hear shouting and arguing and Elena crying. He banged on the door and when he confronted her foster dad, he threw his jumper at him and slammed the door in his face. When Luca got back he was scared and he wanted my Aunt to call the police...she didn't, she spoke to the adoption agency instead. They said they would look into it, but when they went to check that week, they were gone. We found out they'd legally adopted Elena and the agency had no clue they were even planning to leave."
"...and that was when they came to California?" Asked Lotte gently.
Alessia blinked back the tears her eyes threatened to shed and nodded.
"They are shutting boarders down. Flights are being cancelled everywhere....what if I go and then they won't let me back? I finish in a few months anyways, what if they don't let me come back?"
Lotte looked at her for a while, before getting to her feet and walking over to her friend. She placed her hands on her shoulders.
"That photo of a little girl in your wallet, has the biggest smile and if she's anything like you, the biggest heart. She wouldn't want you to miss your chance at playing for England"
Alessia sighed and looked down at the floor, the tears now dangerously close to falling.
"What if she's still being hurt? She's going to think we don't love her if we don't find her"
"She will know you love her" said Lotte firmly, shaking her friend slightly. "That little girl that sat on your lap, idolised you - she would never think badly of you! You will find her Less, I know it, but you can't let life pass you by whilst you look. You know deep down that a part of me is right too"
"I just want to know she's safe" said Alessia exasperatedly. " I just can't take the not knowing!"
"Your sister would be, what, 10 now? I know 7 years is a long time Lessi, but she'll have grown up and if she's anything like you, she's hellish strong. They said you might never play again after you broke your leg, but you did. And you're the highest scorer in the league! If she's half as strong as you, she's one hell of a tough cookie" said Lotte, moving to stand next to Alessia and putting her arm around her.
Alessia nodded and then turned to hug her friend, who engulfed her in a tight hug. She told herself she wouldn't cry, but as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, she could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. As the seconds ticked by she relaxed into her friend. Maybe things weren't so bad? She didn't know what to do next, but she did know that she had a plane to catch and a point to prove!