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woso-soso · 1 month

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At Last

Summary: You hadn’t originally planned to be a college athlete. But you would never change the fact that you were, otherwise you would have never met Alessia Russo.

Word Count: 1,992

I would love to talk to you all so please shoot a message my way to let me know what you think! I do have my request open, just know it may take time!

It had happened as a complete accident, your first week at UNC having been spent wandering around campus magically managing to stumble across the teams and club recruitment fair. The women's rowing team having spotted you like a hawk, approaching you before you even have a chance to approach them. Your short stature and small size being exactly what they needed. Sure you weren't the “ideal” build for a rower but you were for a coxswain, something UNC women's rowing team was in desperate need of after their former coxswain transferred. It was something you settled into easily, the comradery you found amongst the women nearly a foot taller than you was special. The way you would spend early morning workouts with them, well more so you sitting in the corner working on homework while they did dry workouts until you were needed on the boat. You would then spend hours on end, huddled into your tiny corner at the front of the boat, yelling direction after direction at them. Everyone following your instructions with ease.

It was on one of the many team bonding nights you were dragged to that you met Alessia, the team had insisted on going to watch one of the women's soccer games bringing you along with them even though you had no idea what was going on. The game had gone relatively well for UNC, with them coming out on top 4-1. You had thought the team would head out as soon as the game was over due to the early morning practice scheduled the next day, but you were quickly proven wrong when some of your teammates dragged you down towards the pitch. Some of the more senior players clearly having friends on the team that you were unaware of. That was when you met her, the taller blond with blue eyes. Her smile twinkling under the field lights. She was younger like you, most likely in her first year as well if the awkwardness in her stance says anything.

“Hi,” you wave towards her as you hover on the edge of your own group. A soft smile gracing your face as you take her in.

“Hi,” she responds, the British accent taking you off guard, having grown comfortable around the more southern accents normally found at your school.

“I’m Y/N,” holding your hand out for her to shake.

“Alessia,” is all she says back, her hand taking yours firmly.

That first meeting was the start of many small meetings, whether it was you going to her games, with the team or without. Or her managing to find her way to one of your meets, tolerating the very early cold mornings. These meet ups quickly turned to small dates at coffee shops near your dorms, or study dates in the library. She had become your best friend, only your best friend. You were sure to keep your growing crush underwraps not wanting to scare her away, her friendship more important to you than anything else.

That was until the year 2019, the two of you were juniors and were at the top of your sports careers. You being named one of the best womens coxswains in college rowing, and Alessia having her best season yet with the Tarheels having come back from a broken leg the season prior. Everything was going well, you had kept your crush hidden and had managed to convince everyone else around you that you in fact did not have a crush on Alessia Russo, or at least you thought you had. Then the pandemic hit, Alessia and you were bunkered down in the small apartment you shared off campus waiting to see what was going to happen. But what you didn’t know is that Alessia had already made up her mind. She wasn’t staying, she was going back to England leaving you behind in the states. Sure she had no real obligation to you, you were nothing more than close friends. But the pain that radiated through you when she sat you down was something you will never forget.

“I’m going home Y/N, I can’t stay here knowing I may not be able to get home if needed, not knowing if I will even have a season to play. I can go pro, I could start making money. I’m sorry.” Alessia's words run through your mind. Panic rushing through you at the thought of losing her, the panicked look in your eye instantly raising concern in Alessia. “Y/N are you okay? I’m sorry….”

“I love you,” You blurt out. Slamming you hand over your mouth in shock at the words that flew from your mouth. Eyes wide as you rush to leave the living room, not daring to look back at Alessia not wanting to see the disgust that was sure to be present in her eyes.

“Y/N, wait.” Alessia rushes out, grabbing your hand before you're able to make an escape. Her longer arms finally coming in handy for something other than getting stuff off the top shelf of your kitchen. Freezing in your place you refuse to look back at the taller blond. The fear settling in your stomach like a brick. “Y/N,” Alessia sighs, pulling gently on your arm trying to turn you around to face her. You comply hesitantly, staring down at your feet. “Y/N, I love you too.” Your eyes shoot up to look at her, a bright red blush spreading across your cheeks as her intensely blue eyes stare back at you.

“You what?” You ask, mentally punching yourself for letting your inside thoughts come out.

“I said I love you too, I have for a long time.” Her free hand coming up to gently brush your hair away from your face. “And I would very much like to kiss you right now, if you will let me.”

All you can do is nod your head yes, words refusing to fully form in your mind. Without hesitation her much taller form leans down to kiss you, her pink lips soft against yours. Letting go of her hand you wrap your arms around her neck, pulling yourself up onto your tippy toes to give her neck a break.

“Why did it take us so long to admit that?” You ask as you pull away, locking eyes with her.

“No idea, but I’m happy we finally did.” Alessia whispers, resting her forehead against yours.

Admitting your feelings for one another didn’t change your dynamics too much, just add in more kissing and you were pretty set. But it did make the day Alessia left even harder. She had signed with Manchester United in the WSL and with the borders rapidly closing the clock was ticking on her ability to leave. So with a tearful goodbye she went on her way, your daily conversations going from soft whispers in bed to shotty reception and interrupted FaceTime calls.

You continued on into your senior year, finishing out your degree pretty much solely online. You never get another full season before graduating, but you did get a call from USA Rowing inviting you into their Women’s eights camp. The only discipline in Olympic rowing that still used a cox’s. You knew your chances of ever landing that Olympic spot was slim but you had to try, and with the support from Alessia across the pond you had ventured into the unknown. Learning and growing from some of the best you could. That's when one of the more seasoned coxswains approached you, sharing about their experience in the United Kingdom working alongside the men's rowing team at the University of Manchester and how they conveniently needed someone for their women's program. You had shared that your partner lived in Manchester but you hadn’t expected them to remember let alone to try and help you find a way across the ocean.

You kept that information close to you, not even sharing it with Alessia right away. Not wanting to get her hopes up. So when the talks with the program director became more and more serious, and the work visa process had started you finally cracked and shared with her. The look of joy across her face making a massive smile grow on your own.

“Are you serious, here? Like soon?” Alessai asks as she tries to find a quiet corner in the Manchester United training facility.

“Yeah, real soon. I should be heading your way in just a few weeks, my love.” You respond, the excitement present in your voice.

“Oi who ya talkin to Russo,” You hear from the other end of the line, Alessia quickly dropping her phone into her lap. The footsteps of the interrupter coming closer by the second, a small struggle begins as the phone gets shaken back and forward before the face of Ella Toone appears in front of you. Her face lighting up at seeing you, “Lessie why are ya trying to hide your girl huh? Want to keep your rower all to yourself.”

“Hi Ella,” You laugh out at your girlfriend's best friend.

“Hi Y/N, just came to check in on your girl here. Training starts again in a minute you might want to head back to Lessie.” With a quick wave Ella is gone, the screen returning to an exhausted looking Alessia.

“You heard the woman, you’ve got to get back. I love you, call later?” You ask.

“Of course, I love you too.” Alessia says quickly a small grin spreading on her face as she hangs up the call. Only a few more weeks, then you would be cuddling in bed together again.

The time between you telling Alessia to now felt like it drug on and flew by at the same time. Watching out the small plane window you slowly see Manchester come into view as the plane descends into the city. You had thankfully packed light, having shipped most of your stuff over in boxes seeing as you now were going to have to navigate Manchester alone, with Alessia hung up in training. What she hadn’t known was that with the help of Ella you had managed to snag a day pass to the Manchester United training facility with full plans to use it as soon as you arrived.

By the time you had managed to clear customs you knew you were cutting it close to actually surprise Alessia. Quickly ordering an uber you made your way to the training grounds, getting dropped at the entrance you showed your badge to security. The weird looks they send you due to your luggage trailing behind you getting brushed off as you were buzzed in. You manage your way through the maze of hallways, slowly making your way closer to the training pitch, you could hear the girls yelling and screaming at one another as they scrimmaged, the otherwise empty training ground being perfect to amplify the noise.

You step into the outdoor air, watching the girls scrimmage from the sideline not daring to interfere with the training they were engaged in. Or you had hoped to not interfere, but as soon as Alessia saw you she froze. The other girls turning towards you in confusion as she stared on, but all it took was for you to send a small wave her direction to break her trance. The taller girl running towards you at full speed, colliding with you with a force you hadn’t experienced from her before.

“Oh my god you're here?” She says more as a question than a statement.

“I’m here my love, I'm here.” You whisper into her neck.

“Oi, your girl is mighty short to be a rower,” you hear shouted towards the two of you. All you could do was roll your eyes as you laughed at their statement, more and more of the girls coming over to welcome you into the group.

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