Forgive and Forget

The year having passed quicker than either of them could ever have expected, the two siblings found themselves having to pack up all their things as it was time to head back home. Elina’s job at the coffee house was soon going to be over and Simon’s season with the academy had wrapped a couple of days prior, the only things left was a couple of practices and some left over school-work that needed to be completed.

It was yet to be decided if the team wanted to keep him on, having to promote him to the U-18 team as he would be too old for the academy. Or if they wanted to let him go, either back to his home-town club again or keep him on only to loan him to some other club on the British isle.

Simon was obviously nervous about it and Elina wanted her brother to continue getting the education he was getting, he was improving with each practice, she could see that and a number of people from the club had even said so. But in the world of sports, there are never any guarantees.

They could just say no and that would be it, but at the same time they could say yes, the wanted him to come back and play for the U-18 team. That would mean that he would be moving back to Liverpool for at least another year, maybe she would be moving back with him. Maybe he would attempt to live on his own, live with a billet, live with a friend; there were so many things that were still up in the air, that they simple didn't know.

Shaking her head as she continued packing down the surprisingly large amount of things they’d accumulated since they arrived in the city, she stopped and looked up as there was a knock on the door.

Hearing the music coming from her brother’s room, where she knew that he wasn’t packing like he was claiming he was, she abandoned the shirt in her hands and jogged through the apartment, her sock-clad feet slipping slightly on the hardwood floors. Taking a corner a little too quickly, she yelped as she fought to stay on her feet before stumbling towards the door and pulling it open without checking the peep-hole first.

“What are you doing in there?” Nikki questioned with a frown as she looked at her blonde friend who was dressed casually in sweatpants pulled up to the knee and a simple tank top, heart covered ankle socks on her feet.

“I slipped,” Elina blushed sheepishly, shrugging slightly before opening the door wider and letting her friend into the apartment. “What are you doing here?” she asked as Nikki removed her jacket and put down her bag before removing her shoes.

“You're leaving,” Nikki stated frankly, rolling her eyes at the confused look her friend gave her. “You're going home, meaning I don't know when I’ll get to see you next time.”

“Like I told a friend of mine when I was moving out here, it’s not really all that far away,” Elina pointed out as she closed the door behind her friend and lead the way back to her bedroom where she continued folding and packing her things away as the brunette sank down on the edge of the bed, watching instead of helping her.

“But you won't be here,” Nikki sulked stubbornly.

“You knew this day would come from the beginning,” Elina told her with a smile. “I have to get home, I have family that is dying to see me again and I got friends back there who needs to be set straight,” she smirked slightly. “Trust me.”

“But what about me?” Nikki complained. “I mean, who’s going to keep me in line.”

“That one who kept you in line before I came here,” Elina shrugged simply. “Caroline.”

“She’s got Sam and that annoying wedding,” Nikki sighed heavily, reaching up and running her fingers through her dark hair as she fell back against the unmade bed. “And I love Sam and I can’t wait to be a bridesmaid but I just...” she trailed off. “Things are changing without my consent and I hate it.”

“She loves Sam,” Elina pointed out. “Marrying him has been her dream for years, even I know that. And no matter what happens, I will be back for the wedding,” she reminded her friend.

“That’s way too long,” Nikki decided as she moved onto her elbows and watched as her friend moved around the room, folding clothes, placing them in boxes and suitcases along with a number of other things.

“You’ll live,” Elina told her dryly.

“Shut up,” Nikki glared at her. “Change of subject, Caroline told me you were flying out to Austria later in the summer,” she remembered with a pointed look. “Can I take this as a confirmation you finally caved to Fernando and his smouldering brown eyes?”

“No,” Elina replied, the smile vanishing from her face. “We’re friends, and I love football and he asked if I wanted to come out. I’d already planned on going there anyway, with a cousin of mine, possibly even my brothers.”

“So you haven’t caved?” Nikki asked, sounding way too disappointed.

“No, I haven’t caved,” Elina rolled her eyes at the last word.

“You have way too much self-restraint,” Nikki stated frankly.

“No, but I do have enough cautiousness to know when to not jump head-first into something that might ultimately leave me a broken mess,” Elina corrected her before putting away yet another shirt. “And when did she tell you anyway?”

“Just the other day,” Nikki waved off her attempt at changing the subject, or at least altering the subject. “Were you going to tell me?”

“England isn't in the Euro’s,” Elina reminded her, smiling slightly at the way her friend flinched slightly. “I wasn’t going to mention it to you because I know how much it hurts you to know that England will have to wait at least another two years to prove their worth on the big arena.”

“You are so not helping right now,” Nikki mock-glared at her.

“Of course I was going to tell you about it, but I just thought I should do it in passing, so you wouldn't have to talk too much about it,” Elina smiled apologetic. “Caroline practically hates football and so I mentioned it to her.”

“What games are you going to watch?” Nikki asked curiously. Despite England not being in the tournament, it still peaked her interest, it was the best footballing nations on the continent battling it out, claiming you weren't interested meant you weren't a proper football fan, at least in her opinion.

“I really don't know,” Elina said honestly. “Everything is still so up in the air that I'm starting to get a bit stressed about it actually,” she revealed. “I mean, Fernando wants me to obviously stay close to where they are staying and then watch all of their games, but my cousin wants to watch Sweden play and...” she trailed off, licking her lips as she too feel back on the large bed. “I feel like everyone wants to plan this trip for me and no one asks me what I want to do.,” she admitted.

“And what do you want to do?” Nikki turned her head to the side, looking over at her blonde friend.

“I honestly don't know,” Elina sighed softly, turning her head to the left to look back at her. “I really don't.”

“I think that a certain someone needs to do some serious thinking,” Nikki advised her softly. “You should figure out what you want to do, not who you should please or who you don't want to hurt or disappoint.”

“I know,” Elina agreed. “It’s just that I don't know what I want to do,” she pointed out. “I don't even... I just don't know.”