Caitlin's POV

I woke up to the soft sound of the wind in the
trees outside, the early Australian sunlight filtering through the thin curtains of my room at camp. The familiar ache of missing Elena is the first thing I feel, the kind that comes from being so far away for so long. I stretch out in bed, reaching for my phone on the bedside table, and glance at the time—7 a.m. here, which means it's already 4 p.m. in England. She's probably in the middle of training right now.

The thought brings a small smile to my face as I picture her, focused and fierce, running through drills with the girls. It's comforting, in a way, knowing that even though we're on opposite sides of the world, we're both doing what we love—what brought us together in the first place. I tell myself that today, I'll push myself hard at training. Make her proud.

Rolling out of bed, I glance at my phone again and see a message from Elena. The smile on my face turns into a soft chuckle as I read it.

𝙀𝙡𝙨 💗
𝙎𝙤, 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄'𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖.

I can't help but laugh, shaking my head at how something so small—so silly—can make me feel this much for her. How can someone make a ridiculous message about food feel so... heartwarming? My heart swells with love as I type out a quick response, teasing her for her lack of bagel-making skills before putting the phone down.

I stand up, pulling my hair into a loose bun and stretching my arms. "Alright," I mutter to myself. "Time to train. Time to make Elena proud."

Later, as I sit on the sidelines, lacing up my boots, my mind drifts. I stare out at the field, watching the girls warming up, but my thoughts are scattered. The World Cup is looming—an exciting but nerve-wracking thought. There's so much to prove, both on the field and to myself.

I wonder how Elena's feeling, getting ready with England. It's her second world cup and after winning the euros I know the Lionesses have been on a high, I also know how much it means to her. I smile to myself, thinking about the look on her face when she got called up.

Just as I'm tightening the last lace, someone nudges me lightly. I glance up to see Sam plopping down beside me, a smirk already on her face.

"Kristie's been talking about you two love birds again," Sam says, teasing me in that typical Kerr way. "She's going on and on about how you guys are surviving long distance. Says she's got bets on you two outlasting everyone else."

I roll my eyes but can't help the smile that creeps up. "Yeah, well, when you love someone that much, you make it work, right?"

Sam nods, a knowing look crossing her face. "Long distance isn't easy, though. Kristie and I, we've had our moments. But trust me, if it's worth it, you'll find a way."

Her words settle into me, reassuring. Before I can respond, Alanna and Mackenzie jog over, already catching on to the conversation.

"Talking about Caitlin's long-distance love saga, are we?" Alanna says, dropping down on my other side. Mackenzie follows, grinning.

I groan, but it's all in good fun. These girls—they're my family.

Mackenzie leans in. "You've got the patience of a saint, I swear. I don't know how you two do it."

"It's not that bad," I shrug, trying to sound nonchalant. "You get used to it, I guess. We just talk whenever we can, and we always make time for each other."

"Yeah, but it's more than that," Sam adds, her tone turning serious. "You're in different time zones, different countries. It's tough. But if you keep communicating the way you have been, you'll be fine. Just don't let the distance mess with your head."

Alanna nods. "And remember, you've got us. You ever need to talk or, you know, cry into a pint of ice cream—"

"Or scream into a pillow," Mackenzie adds with a grin.

"Exactly," Alanna finishes, laughing. "We've got your back."

I smile at the girls, appreciating their support. It's moments like these that remind me I'm not alone in this, even if Elena and I are miles apart. "Thanks, guys. I mean it."

After training and dinner, I find myself driving to my sister, Jamie's, apartment, eager for some familiar comfort. It's been months since we've had the chance to catch up in person, and I miss her. There's nothing like having your sister around when you need to talk.

When I finally arrive and let myself in, Jamie is already curled up on the couch, a blanket thrown haphazardly over her legs. She grins when she sees me, sitting up to make room.

"Well, look who it is," she says, her voice full of warmth. "Come on, get in here."

I flop down beside her, immediately tugging the blanket over my legs as she pulls me into a side hug. We sit like that for a minute, just enjoying the silence and each other's company. No need for words.

Eventually, Jamie glances over at me. "So... how's training? Getting excited for the World Cup?"

"Yeah," I nod. "Excited. Nervous. All the usual feelings."

She watches me for a second before nudging me gently. "And how's Elena? You've been apart for what, five months now?"

The mention of Elena stirs something deep in my chest, and I can't help but smile. "She's good. We're good. It's tough, but... I love her, Jamie. I'm completely, utterly in love with her. Like, I don't think I've ever felt this strongly about anyone before."

Jamie's expression softens, and she pulls me closer under the blanket. "You guys are going to make it through this. You're stronger than you think."

I nod, resting my head on her shoulder. "I hope so. Sometimes I worry, you know? The distance, the pressure of everything. But then I think about her, and all that doubt kind of just... fades."

Jamie smiles knowingly. "That's how you know it's real."

We sit in comfortable silence for a while before Jamie breaks it, a hint of mischief in her voice. "Who knows... maybe after the World Cup..."

"Maybe what?" I ask, turning to face her fully.

She shrugs, her smile widening. "Maybe things will change. Maybe you two won't have to do long distance anymore. Maybe..."

I raise an eyebrow, but Jamie just laughs, patting my knee. "You'll see. Just keep doing what you're doing. It'll all work out."

I don't know what Jamie's hinting at, but the thought of not being separated from Elena for much longer fills me with hope. Maybe she's right. Maybe things will change after the World Cup.