"Have a nice Christmas guys." Beth calls to everyone as we leave the training facility for the last time before winter break begins. It didn't last very long, but it was enough to allow us to celebrate Christmas and New Years before having to go back to training.

"What plans do you have?" I ask Caitlin as we grab our bags together. The team still didn't know we were together. We'd been together for around 3 weeks now and we'd managed to keep it quiet. Everyone just believed we were close friends.

"Mum and Jamie are flying over. They're landing tomorrow morning. What about you?" She glances over at me as she pushes everything into her bag while I do the same beside her.

"Just going to enjoy the empty apartment while Steph's in Australia." I shrug and pick up my bag. As I turn to walk to the mirror, Caitlin wraps her hand around my wrist and pulls me back towards her.

"Come over to mine." She suggests with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"I don't want to intrude on your family's traditions." I say to her, but she only shakes her head.

"You're coming."

"Cait." I whine.

I stood outside Caitlin's apartment with a bag filled with gifts in one and in the other, I nervously clutched a bottle of wine. I could hear the faint sound of Christmas music playing from inside, a comforting reminder that this was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration, but my stomach fluttered with nerves as I lifted my hand to knock on the door.

Before my knuckles could make contact, the door swung open, revealing Caitlin with a wide grin on her face. "You made it!" Caitlin says, hee voice warm and welcoming. She steps aside to let me in and the familiar scent of her perfume mixed with the aromas of a Christmas dinner in progress instantly put me at ease. I did miss celebrating Christmas with my dad.

"Of course." I reply, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I hand the bottle of wine to Caitlin, who takes it with a smile ans sets it on the kitchen counter.

The apartment has a cozy vibe to it, decorated with soft fairy lights, festive garlands and a small but beautifully adorned Christmas tree in the corner. I was guessing that Caitlin decorated the place with her family since none of this was around last time I came around. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and I couldn't help but smile as I took it all in.

"Hey, Elena!" Caitlin's sister, Jamie, calls from the living room, waving enthusiastically. She was perched on the edge of the sofa, wrapping a few last-minute gifts. "Mum's in the kitchen finishing up dinner. Make yourself at home!"

"Thanks," I say, my nerves wavering slightly with the warm greeting. I take off my coat and hand it to Caitlin, our fingers brushing for a breif moment as we exchanged a knowing glance- one filled with the unspoken understanding of our secret.

"Let me take that," She says, her tone casual but her eyes soft. Cautlin hangs up my coat and then leads me further into the apartment.

In the kitchen, Caitlin's mum, Simone, was bustling around the stove, her face lighting up with a warm smile when she sees me. "Elena, darling! It's so good to see you," she says, wiping her hands on a dish towel before pulling me into a brief, affectionate hug. Caitlin's mum seemed like a really loving person and I was happy for her and Jamie for having such a great mum, but it made me think back to what my mum would've been like.

From my dad's stories I knew she was graceful, though she loved football and was the reason I began playing. When I'd heard that she used to play football growing up, I begged my dad to let me play so that I could feel connected to her in some sort of way and when he finally agreed, it felt amazing. I never expected to be able to do it professionally, but I would be forever grateful.

"It's great to be here, Mrs. Foord," I reply, feeling genuinely welcomed.

"Please, call me Simone," she insists. "And I hope you're hungry-we've got enough food to feed an army."

"I'm starving, actually." I laugh.

"Perfect timing, then," Caitlin says, joining us in the kitchen. She grabs an oven mit and peeks into the oven, where a golden-brown roast was almost ready. "Mum's roast is legendary. You're in for a treat."

As the final preparations for dinner were being made, I offered to help, but Simone and Jamie insisted I just relax and enjoy myself. Caitlin, however, pulled me aside to help with setting the table. It was a simple task, but in the small touches-the brush of our hands as we passed plates to each other, the way our eyes met across the table-it was clear that something more was simmering beneath the surface.

When everything was ready, we all sat down together at the small dining table, which was adorned with festive candles and a scattering of holiday decorations. The meal was as delicious as Caitlin had promised, and the conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter, shared stories, and the kind of warmth that only comes from being surrounded by loved ones.

I felt myself relaxing more and more as the evening went on, my nerves melting away under the comforting atmosphere. I listened as Caitlin and Jamie bantered back and forth, teasing each other about childhood Christmas memories, and smiled as Simone recounted tales of past holidays. It made me wonder what having a sister growing up would've been like for me and what Christmas' around a small table with my mum and dad could've been like.

Occasionally, I would glance at Caitlin, who always seemed to be looking back at me with a soft smile. It was a quiet acknowledgment of the connection we shared, that we hid beneath the surface of our interactions.

After dinner, we moved to the living room, where Jamie and Caitlin's mum insisted on watching a classic Christmas movie. We settled on Love Actually, a crowd favorite, and soon enough, we were all curled up on the sofa with blankets and mugs of hot chocolate.

I found myself sitting next to Caitlin, our sides pressed together in the cozy space. At one point when I was focused on nothing but the movie, Caitlin discreetly reached over and gave my hand a gentle squeeze under the cover of the blanket. My heart skipped a beat at the subtle but intimate gesture before I squeezed back, a silent promise that I was there, even if we couldn't fully show it.

As the movie played on, I noticed how comfortable I felt in this setting, surrounded by Caitlin's family. Despite the secrecy of our relationship, I felt like I belonged here, like I was part of something special. This is what family felt like.

When the movie ended, Simone announced it was time for bed, and Jamie eagerly agreed, claiming she wanted to be up early to open presents. I realised that this meant the evening was coming to an end and I felt a pang of disappointment in my heart.

"Thanks for having me," I say, sincerely as I gather my things. "It was a wonderful evening."

"You're welcome with us anytime, Elena," Simone says with a kind smile. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I echo, giving Jamie and Simone each a quick hug before they head off to Caitlin's room. I figured she would be sleeping on the sofa for the week since she only had one bedroom.

Finally, it was just Caitlin and I left in the living room. The lights on the tree twinkled softly, casting a warm glow over the room. I turned to Caitlin, who was looking at me with a mixture of affection and something deeper-something that made my heart race.

"Thanks for coming," Caitlin says, her voice low and sincere. "It meant a lot to have you here."

I smile, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "I'm really glad I came. Your family is amazing."

Caitlin takes a step closer, her gaze never leaving mine. "They love you already," she says softly. "But... I love you more."

My breath catches at the words, and before I can even respond, Caitlin leans in and presses a quick, soft kiss to my lips. It's fleeting, gentle, but it sends a surge of warmth through my entire body.

When Caitlin pulls back, I smile, my eyes shining with emotion. "I love you too," I whisper, my voice thick with sincerity.

We stand there for a moment, soaking in the quiet intimacy of the moment, but soon, the reality of our situation set in and we knew we had to keep up the facade for a little while longer.

"I should go," I say reluctantly, though I didn't really want to leave.

"I'll walk you to the door," Caitlin replies, her hand still lingering on mine as we moved toward the exit.

At the door, we shared one last lingering look, our hands slowly parting as I turned to open the door. "I, umm, got you something." I say, quietly, while I pull out the small box from inside my coat pocket. "I don't know if you'll like it, but-"

Caitlin takes the box from my hand and opens it, getting me to shut up before I begin rambling on about nonsense. She looked down at the small gold chain and the small flower that dangled down on it.

"A daisy." She smiles down at it and then up at me. "Like your name."

"I thought it could be like a subsitute for me when we can't be together." I say and Caitlin understands straight away what I mean. "Do you... like it?" I ask, slowly.

"Put it on me." Caitlin turns around, passing me the necklace to put on her. I place the necklace around her neck, my fingers brushing her collar bone. I feel Caitlin shiver slightly at my cold touch as I close the clasp.

She turns back around and we stay there for a moment, just looking into one another's eyes until Caitlin reaches up and pushes some stray hairs away from my face. Her hand lingers there as she leans forward and kisses my cheek.

"Goodnight, Els. Merry Christmas," She whispers, her eyes full of unspoken promises.

"Goodnight, Cait."

I give her her a final smile before turning and heading down the stairs, my heart full as I replay the night I'd just experienced in my mind.

As I reached my car and started the engine, I couldn't help but feel that this Christmas had been the start of something even more special between Caitlin and I-something that, no matter how secret, was undeniably real.