Unrivaled - Alessia Russo

"Fuck off," I mutter, pulling the pillow over my head in a desperate attempt to block out the blinding sunlight streaming through the newly opened blinds. It feels like the sun's trying to fry me alive.

"You have to get up, mate. We're getting coffee," Lucy says with a laugh, clearly finding my pain way too funny.

"I don't even like coffee, Luce," I mumble into my pillow, trying to block out the world and fall back asleep.

"I know, but you have to come along anyway," she replies, unfazed, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I end up ignoring her and doze off just slightly before I'm whacked with a pillow. I let out a frustrated huff and sit up, glaring at her.

"You're an asshole," I mutter, rubbing my eyes. She just smiles triumphantly, like she's won some battle.

"All the girls are still in town. They're gonna be there," she says, casually walking to the bathroom as if she hasn't just ruined my perfectly good sleep.

"What girls?" I whisper to myself, still half-dazed, as I stand up and stretch, trying to shake off the grogginess.

*Time Skip*

ALESSIA's POV

"How much did you drink?" I ask Leah with a small laugh, watching as she shields her eyes from the sunlight with her hat.

"I did shots with Izzi," she mutters sleepily, stumbling slightly as she walks beside me. The mention of her name immediately sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach for reasons I can't quite explain. But for some strange reason, I don't mind it at all.

I try to politely hide my laugh, I notice Beth standing on the opposite side of Leah, laughing and teasing her the entire way to the coffee shop. It's not far, just across the street from our hotel, but the constant back-and-forth makes the short walk feel much longer.

Beth walks in, immediately waving at Lucy, who's doing the same back. Izzi, sitting next to Lucy, gives her a playful glare. Wonder what that's about?

Once we make our way over to the table, Leah sits next to Izzi and punches her in the side.

"What's that for?" Izzi says, laughing.

"Looks like they both woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Lucy not-so-quietly whispers, making the others around us laugh.

I glance over at Leah and find her resting her head on Izzi's shoulder.

"Why didn't you stop drinking earlier?" she asks Leah with a slight laugh, yawning as she speaks.

"Dunno," Leah grunts.

I can't help but laugh quietly, and Izzi must have heard me because she lifts her head. Her eyes find mine, and she gives me a soft smile.

"Hey, Alessia," she says gently.

"So you can be nice to her?" Lucy says, laughing as she nudges Izzi.

"She didn't hit me over the head to wake me up," Izzi replies with a grin, leaning back and casually resting her arm along the top of the booth.

I can't help but laugh along with the rest of the girls, the easy energy between them making it impossible not to.

After a few minutes of chatting, our order is announced. Izzi immediately stands up, gently grabbing Leah's head and leaning it against the booth. My heart warms at the effortless way she cares for her best friend.

But then I realize there's no way she can carry eight drinks on her own.

"I'm going to help her with the drinks," I whisper to Beth, rising from my seat and trailing after Izzi.

She looks back over her shoulder, noticing me trailing behind.

"Thought you could use some help," I say, suddenly feeling shy under her gaze.

"Thanks," she says softly, stepping aside to let me take the lead.

Once I reach the counter, I glance over my shoulder and see Izzi just a few steps behind, squatting to pose for a picture with a young fan. A soft smile spreads across my face at the sight.

"You won last night!" the child says excitedly, her eyes wide with admiration.

"I did! Did you watch?" Izzi asks, her tone gentle as she smiles back at the girl.

"Uh-huh," the little girl says, nodding enthusiastically.

"Did I do a good job?" Izzi asks with a curious smile, still crouched to meet the child at eye level.

The girl eagerly agrees, and they talk for a moment more before the child grabs her mom's hand and skips away, a huge grin lighting up her face.

Izzi straightens, watching them leave with a soft expression before turning back toward me.

I quickly turn my head back toward the counter, grabbing a tray with half the drinks. Izzi steps up beside me, picking up the rest and giving me a polite nod.

"That was quite cute, you know?" I say with a smile as we walk back side by side.

"I am, aren't I?" she replies sarcastically, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

"Ha. Ha." I roll my eyes, but the smile on my face betrays me.

"I'm just kidding. It was. I love meeting the next generation," Izzi says with a proud smile, her eyes softening as she looks back toward the spot where the little girl had been.

I can't help but smile, the warmth in her voice making it clear how much those moments mean to her.

We soon make it back to the table a few seconds later, handing out the drinks before settling into our seats. As we change topics, we start catching up, laughing over shared stories and learning more about the footballers I've only just met. The conversation flows easily, and I find myself feeling more at ease with each passing minute.