The common room at our Australia camp was buzzing with excitement as the girls settled in for the match. There was a big screen set up at the front, popcorn bowls on the table, and a few bags of snacks being passed around. I sat back on the couch, trying to act calm, but my heart was already racing. It was Australia's first World Cup game, and Caitlin was on the starting line-up.

I could feel the girls watching me more than the game. I glance at the screen and there she was—Caitlin—doing her pre-match stretches, focused and ready. My stomach twists and I try to stay chill, but when you care about someone that much, it's impossible not to feel nervous.

"Oh, look who it is," Millie teases from her spot next to Rachel, pointing at the screen. "How you feeling, El? The girlfriend's about to go live."

I roll my eyes, grinning despite myself. "I'm fine, thanks. Totally calm."

Rachel smirks. "Sure you are. We'll see how long that lasts."

Next to her, Jordan is propped up with her phone in hand, holding it out so that Leah and Beth can join us on FaceTime. Leah's ACL injury had kept her back at England alongside Beth, recovering from her own injury, but they weren't about to miss the game either.

Beth's voice comes through the phone, playful as always. "Hey! Is Elena losing it yet?"

Jordan turns the phone toward me, and I shoot her a mock glare. "Not yet, Mead. But give me time."

Beth laughs, her voice tinny through the phone's speaker. "I give it five minutes. Caitlin'll be on the ball and you'll be holding your breath."

I can't help but smile. Beth and I are close, so she knows exactly how wrapped up I get when Caitlin's playing. Leah joins in, nudging Jordan, "I'll bet she's already got one eye glued to the screen."

I chuckle but ignore them, settling in as the game's about to start. The whistle blows, and I instantly sit up a little straighter, trying not to look too eager. But the second Caitlin gets involved in the action, I'm hyper-focused.

The game's tight from the start, with Ireland giving Australia a proper fight. Every time Caitlin touched the ball, I could feel all eyes in the room snap to me. I pretended not to notice, but I was gripping the edge of the couch so hard my knuckles were white.

"Come on, Cait," I whisper under my breath, even though she's halfway across the country and can't hear me.

Lucy's watching me out of the corner of her eye, and I know she's about to say something, but thankfully, she stays quiet. I catch her glancing at Jordan's phone, where Beth is probably stifling a laugh.

Then, as if on cue, the game gets heated. Katie McCabe and Hayley Raso—two of the fiercest players on the pitch—go at it, shoulder-to-shoulder, neither backing down. I sit up straighter, almost laughing at how typical it is for them to clash. They're both aggressive, determined players, and it's no surprise that they're having a go at each other.

Rachel breaks the silence, snickering. "Look at that! Katie and Hayley squaring up—again."

Millie jumps in, grinning. "I'm surprised it took this long. They're like magnets for drama."

I laugh, shaking my head. "I swear, if they don't sort it out soon, we'll have a full-on boxing match."

Katie shouts something at Hayley now, and Hayley, ever the firecracker, isn't backing down an inch. They both walk away eventually, but not without a few choice words exchanged. The room erupts into giggles, but my attention quickly shifts back to Caitlin. Every pass she makes, every tackle she attempts, I feel it.

And, of course, the girls notice.

"You're so tense, El," Millie says with a smirk. "You're practically playing through the screen."

"Yeah, chill out!" Rachel adds. "It's just football."

I grin at them. "I'm totally chilled. You lot are the ones making a big deal out of it."

They laugh, but the truth is, they're right. I am tense. I want Australia to win. I want Caitlin to do well. I want everything to go perfectly for her because I know how much this means to her.

As half-time camw around, the score was still 0-0, and I finally exhaled, realizing I'd been holding my breath. The room was buzzing with conversation about the first half, but my mind was still on the game.

"Not bad, right?" Jordan says, nudging me. She's still got the phone propped up with Beth and Leah on the other end.

Beth pipes up, "You're doing better than I thought, Elena. I expected you to have a meltdown by now."

I laugh, shaking my head. "I'm good. Just...focused."

Leah raises an eyebrow. "You sure? 'Cause it looks like you're ready to dive through the screen and coach them yourself."

Jordan and Beth laugh, but I just shrug. "You know I want them to do well."

The second half starts, and Australia looks sharper. They've got more energy, pushing forward, and the room goes quiet as we all watch closely. Then, it happens—Hayley drives into the box, and Katie brings her down hard. The ref's whistle blows, and suddenly, everyone's on their feet.

"Penalty!" I shout, louder than I meant to, but no one cares because we're all caught up in the excitement.

"Here we go," Rachel mutters, leaning forward.

Steph steps up to take the penalty. My heart pounds in my chest. Everyone's watching the screen intently as she lines up, takes a deep breath, and shoots.

The ball flies into the back of the net, and the room erupts. But I swear, I'm cheering the loudest.

"Yes, Steph!" I shout, fist pumping the air as the rest of the girls join in.

Beth's voice comes through the phone, laughing, "Elena, you're gonna blow the roof off that place!"

I grin, still buzzing. Steph looks calm on the screen as her teammates surround her, but I know she'll be feeling the rush. I can't wait to text her after the game.

Jordan waves the phone at me, showing Beth and Leah both celebrating on the other end. "We're all cheering over here, too," Jordan says.

As the final whistle blows, Australia wins 1-0, and I can't help but feel a surge of pride. The girls around me are all chatting, laughing, and teasing, but I'm lost in the thought of how proud I am of Caitlin, of Steph, of the whole team.

"You survived!" Millie grins, throwing a piece of popcorn at me. "Barely, but you survived."

I laugh, nodding. "I'm just proud of them, you know?"

Rachel smirks. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're very proud of Caitlin."

Jordan's still got the phone in her hand, and Beth's voice pipes up, teasing as always, "Elena, you should've seen your face every time Caitlin touched the ball. I swear you forgot to breathe."

Leah joins in. "It's a good thing she's a pro. Otherwise, I don't think your heart could take it."

I roll my eyes but smile. "Alright, alright. Can we just celebrate the win?"

Rachel laughs, raising her bowl of popcorn like a trophy. "To Australia. And to Elena, who's probably already planning her next FaceTime with Caitlin."

The girls all laugh, and I can't help but join in. Because despite the distance, despite everything, tonight feels perfect. Australia won, and even though I'm here in camp wirh my England teammates, I feel a little closer to Caitlin.

And that's all that matters.