Steph's POV

I stood on the sidelines after training, watching Elena and Caitlin walk off the pitch separately again. My eyes followed Elena as she quickly disappeared into the changing room, not even bothering to wait for Caitlin like she used to. Something was off, something bigger than I first thought.

I still remembered the night that Elena came crying in my arms. She wouldn't tell me what was up and I respected that, but I think now I had an idea it was about Caitlin.

I turn to Beth, who had noticed it too since she was so close with Els. Beth had a way of reading people, always in tune with the little things, and now it was clear I'm not the only one who had picked up on the shift.

"They've been like that for weeks," Beth mutters, glancing between Caitlin and Elena's retreating figures. "You noticed it too, right?"

Steph sighs, nodding. "Yeah, something's up. I don't know what happened, but they're not okay. Not even close."

Beth raises an eyebrow. "Do you think they had a fight?"

I shrug, but my mind's already racing. It wasn't just the way they avoid each other— it was everything. How Elena's laughter didn't reach her eyes like it used to, how Caitlin seemed quieter around her, more reserved. Training sessions that used to be filled with easy banter between them now felt strained, like there was an invisible wall that neither was willing to break through.

"It's not just a fight," I mutter. "It's deeper than that. They're too... distant. And it wasn't like this before."

As Beth walked off to catch up with the others, I felt a pit growing in my stomach. Over the past few months, I had seen a side of Elena that most of the team didn't get to see. The late-night talks in our shared apartment, her playing the guitar in her room while singing soft songs with her melodic voice, the way her face would light up when she got a text from Caitlin, how she'd quietly hum after a good day.

But that had changed. And now, even during games, Elena played like she had something weighing her down, something she didn't want to talk about. It was affecting her performance, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could just watch without stepping in.

After our match against Brighton, I saw my opportunity. Elena had been subbed off early, and while the rest of the team was still winding down, I found her in the changing room, sitting on the bench, staring at the floor. Her usual fire was gone, replaced by a heaviness that made my chest ache.

I sit down beside her, nudging her shoulder gently. "You alright?"

Elena doesn't look up, but there'a a slight hesitation in her answer. "Yeah, just tired."

I'm not convinced. "You sure? Because even Beth's starting to ask questions. And you're not the type to let things get in your head like this."

Elena gave a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Steph."

I'm not one to push, especially not to Elena, but something told me she needed to talk. "Look, I don't know what's going on between you and Caitlin... but whatever it is, it's messing with you. I see it, the others see it, and I think you need to figure it out."

That got Elena's attention. She looked up, her eyes tired but guarded. "There's nothing to figure out. It's just... complicated."

I raise an eyebrow, leaning back against the bench. "Complicated how? You two used to be so close. Now it's like you can't even be in the same room."

For a moment, Elena doesn't answer. Her hands fidgeting with the edge of her jersey, her brow furrowed. Then, finally, she speaks up, her voice low. "We were close. Too close."

My heart sinks a little. I had suspected something more, but hearing it confirmed hit differently. "And now?"

"Now we're not," Elena says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I don't know how to fix it."

I let the words hang in the air for a moment, trying to process what it meant. I wasn't going to pry—Elena would tell her in her own time—but I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever had happened between her and Caitlin was bigger than either of them wanted to admit.

"Elena, I know it's hard to deal with whatever's going on, but you don't have to do it alone," I say, gently. "And you don't have to pretend like it doesn't matter. You care about her, that much is obvious. You just need to figure out what to do next."

Elena sighs, her hands still gripping her jersey tightly. "I don't know if I can. After everything that's happened... I'm not sure if I even want to."

I don't push. I know Elena well enough to know that I'm not ready to open up fully, but it's a start. "Just promise me you'll talk to someone. Whether it's me or someone else. Don't keep it bottled up, okay?"

Elena gives a small nod, her eyes betraying just how much she was holding inside. "I'll think about it."

I pat her shoulder before standing up. "Good. Now, get dressed. We've got a team dinner tonight, and I'm not letting you mope around all evening."

Elena manages a weak smile as I walk away, butI can't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much bigger. Whatever was happening between Elena and Caitlin... it wasn't over yet.

Back at our apartment, I didn't expect Elena to open up further. The car ride home had been filled with silence, Elena gazing out the window, lost in her thoughts. But when we finally walked through the door, something shifted.

I was in the kitchen, making tea, when I heard Elena softly call out my name from the living room. I found her curled up on the couch, knees pulled to her chest, staring blankly at the TV that wasn't even on.

"Steph..." Elena's voice wavers.

I sit down next to her without saying a word, just waiting.

Elena swallows hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Caitlin and I... we were together."

I blink in disbelief, my breath catching in my throat. "Wait, together-together?"

Elena nods, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and regret. "We were keeping it a secret. It just... it felt like the right thing to do. But then, things got... complicated."

I let out a slow breath. I hadn't seen that coming, but it explained so much—the tension, the way they avoided each other. "What happened?"

Elena's voice breaks as she speaks. "Lia kissed her. And Caitlin didn't stop her. I saw it, Steph. I saw the whole thing."

My heart clenches as I reach out, pulling Elena into my arms. "I'm so sorry, Els."

Elena buries her face in my shoulder, her body trembling with the weight of everything she'd been holding in. "I thought we had something real. I trusted her, and she... she broke that."

I hold her tighter, my hand gently running through Elena's hair. "You don't deserve that, not after everything."

"I keep thinking... maybe I'm not made for love," Elena says, her voice cracking. "On- My ex didn't work out, and now Caitlin... maybe it's me."

I pull back, looking Elena straight in the eyes. "Don't ever say that. You are worth so much more than how they treated you. Don't let this make you doubt yourself."

Elena wipes at her eyes, sniffling. "It just hurts, Steph. I really thought she cared about me."

I nod, my voice soft but firm. "I know. And she probably does. But that doesn't excuse what happened. You have every right to feel hurt."

We sit in silence for a few moments, the weight of Elena's confession hanging in the air.
I want to say something to make it better, but I know there's no quick fix for a broken heart.

"Do you still love her?" I finally ask.

Elena hesitates, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I don't know. I want to hate her, but... it's hard."

I squeeze her hand. "That's okay. It's okay to be confused. Just take it one day at a time, alright?"

Elena nods, her shoulders still slumped but a little less tense than before. "Thanks, Steph. For everything."

"Always, Els. You know I've got your back, no matter what."

And as we sit there, the faint hum of the city outside our window, I make a silent promise to herself. Whatever happened next, I'd be there for Elena. No matter how messy things got.