Something About You

Who are you, Layla

The apartment was dim, the glow of the city lights outside slipping in through the half-drawn curtains. Layla lay on her bed, curled under a thin blanket, staring at the ceiling. Beside her, Sarah tossed and turned on the air mattress they had dragged into the room earlier. It was well past midnight, but neither of them seemed ready to sleep.

"Are you still awake?" Sarah’s voice cut through the quiet, soft but alert.

Layla turned her head slightly, facing Sarah’s shadowy figure on the mattress. "Yeah. Can’t sleep."

Sarah let out a low chuckle, pushing herself up on her elbows. "Me neither. I swear, every time I try to sleep at someone else's place, I end up talking instead."

Layla smiled lazily. "Talk away, then."

Taking that as an invitation, Sarah pulled her blanket over her shoulders and sat cross-legged on the mattress. She rubbed her eyes, her voice light but carrying a hint of nostalgia. "You know... it’s been three years since I started working for the club. And it feels crazy thinking about how fast everything’s gone by."

Layla shifted, propping herself on one elbow. “Really? Three years already?”

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. I remember my first day—I was nervous as hell. Thought I was gonna mess everything up. You should’ve seen me, fumbling with the ice packs, dropping half the medical supplies in front of the players. And you know what’s worse? The first player I ever had to treat on the field was a big deal—like one of the stars."

Layla let out a soft laugh. "No way. What did you do?"

"I panicked, obviously." Sarah grinned, recalling the memory. "He was lying there, clutching his ankle like the world was ending. And I’m just standing over him like an i***t, trying to remember what the hell I was supposed to do. In the end, the head physio had to step in and save me."

Layla couldn’t help but laugh. “Must’ve been rough.”

“It was a nightmare,” Sarah agreed, but her smile didn’t fade. “But I learned a lot from moments like that. You screw up once, you figure out how not to do it next time.” She paused, her gaze distant for a moment as if replaying the highlights of the past three years in her mind.

"You know," Sarah continued, her voice softer now, "Working with athletes is... weirdly personal. You see them at their worst—when they’re in pain, frustrated, and vulnerable. But you also see them at their best—celebrating wins, pushing their limits." She gave a small shrug. "It’s not just about taping ankles or icing knees. It’s about being part of their journey, in a way."

Layla listened quietly, absorbing her friend’s words. Sarah’s passion for the job was evident, even in the way she talked about the hard parts.

“Does it ever get easier?” Layla asked after a moment. "The pressure, I mean."

Sarah tilted her head, considering the question. "Not really. You just... get better at handling it. There are days when everything feels smooth, like you’ve got it all figured out. But then there are days when nothing goes right, and you feel like you’re starting from scratch again."

She leaned back, her arms propping her up. "But you know what? The thing that keeps me going is the connection. With the players, the staff, even with yourself. You learn how to be patient—not just with others, but with yourself too."

Layla let those words sink in, feeling a strange sense of comfort in them. She admired Sarah's resilience—the way she had stuck through the ups and downs for three years.

"What about regrets?" Layla asked softly. “Do you ever feel like... maybe this isn’t where you’re supposed to be?”

Sarah exhaled slowly, thinking. "Sometimes, yeah. I mean, I’ve sacrificed a lot. Missed birthdays, family gatherings, relationships." She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "But then I think—what else would I be doing? This job... it’s exhausting, but it also makes me feel alive. I don’t think I’d trade it for anything else."

Layla felt a pang of envy, though she couldn’t explain why. It wasn’t just about the experience or the passion—there was something admirable about the way Sarah seemed so sure of her place in the world. Meanwhile, Layla still felt like she was wandering, unsure of where she fit or what she really wanted.

“Do you ever think about leaving?” Layla asked quietly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Sarah smiled softly. “Sometimes. But not yet.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the hum of the city outside filling the quiet gaps between their words.

"Hey," Sarah said suddenly, her voice lighter, "I saw the way you were looking at Aaron earlier."

Layla stiffened. "What are you talking about?" she said defensively, though her heart pounded in her chest.

“Oh, please.” Sarah snorted. “You’re not as sneaky as you think, Lay. I saw you stealing glances at him the whole night.”

Layla groaned, burying her face in her pillow. "It’s not like that."

“Sure, sure,” Sarah teased. “But you’re blushing, just so you know.”

Layla peeked out from behind the pillow, her face warm with embarrassment. "Am not."

Sarah grinned mischievously. "I’m just saying. If you’re into him, you should do something about it."

Layla sighed, sinking deeper into the bed. "It’s complicated."

“Isn’t everything?” Sarah replied with a playful shrug. "But hey, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with athletes, it’s that timing matters. Whether it’s on the field or off—sometimes you just have to take your shot."

Layla rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "You sound like a motivational poster."

"Hey, I’ve been through enough to earn that title." Sarah winked, flopping back onto the mattress.

The room settled into quiet again, but this time the silence felt lighter, less weighed down by uncertainty. Layla stared at the ceiling, Sarah’s words echoing in her mind. Sometimes you just have to take your shot.

Layla turned on her side, her head resting on her folded arm as Sarah shifted on the mattress, propping herself up against the pillows. "You know," Sarah began, her voice low, as if dipping into memories she hadn't visited in a while, "the first time I ever saw Alaia was about two years ago."

Layla blinked, curious. "Really? How did you meet her?"

"It was at one of those club events. A fancy gala type of thing—sponsors, ambassadors, the whole ordeal," Sarah said, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "I saw her with Aaron that night. She was right by his side, laughing, super comfortable with him. I swear, my first thought was Ah, so that must be Aaron’s girlfriend." Sarah chuckled at the memory, shaking her head.

Layla listened carefully, her heart tightening slightly at the mention of Alaia and Aaron together.

"I mean, come on," Sarah continued, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "They looked like they were close—like really close. I even overheard a couple of staff members gossiping about it, saying Aaron was finally off the market. No one could picture him being with someone, you know?"

Layla tried to swallow the knot forming in her throat, but it clung there stubbornly. "But… they’re not together?"

Sarah shook her head. "Nah. Not even close. I mean, sure, they’re tight. They’ve known each other for years, but the more I saw them together, the more it felt... different."

"Different how?" Layla asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Sarah tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Like they were more like siblings or best friends than anything romantic. You could tell there was no weird tension between them—just ease, the kind you get with someone who’s always been in your life. And Aaron?" She gave a small laugh. "He doesn't look at Alaia the way someone in love would."

Layla tried not to read too much into those words, but hope bloomed in her chest before she could stop it.

"But there was one thing that threw me off at first," Sarah added, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"What?" Layla asked cautiously.

"I saw Aaron’s phone once—totally by accident," Sarah admitted with a little smirk. "Back when I was still new, I happened to glance at his screen, and the wallpaper was this picture of Alaia as a kid. Tiny little thing with these ridiculous bunny teeth." Sarah laughed softly at the memory.

Layla’s heart stuttered at the mention of the child photo. The image from earlier—the one on Aaron's home screen—flashed in her mind.

"Back then, I thought it was adorable and weird. Like, who keeps a photo of someone else's baby picture as their wallpaper?" Sarah said, raising a brow. "It was confusing. But now, after being around them more, I think it’s just Aaron being... Aaron. Sentimental and soft in ways you wouldn’t expect."

Layla let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, her thoughts swirling as Sarah continued.

"But you know what’s been more obvious lately?" Sarah said, a sly grin creeping onto her face.

Layla narrowed her eyes. "What?"

Sarah leaned closer, her tone teasing but laced with sincerity. "That you’re the one who’s fallen for him—hard. No matter how many times you try to deny it."

Layla groaned, pressing her hands against her burning cheeks. "I’m not in love with him."

Sarah burst into laughter, soft but knowing. "Oh please, Lay. You’ve been trying to convince yourself of that for weeks. But trust me, I’ve seen that look before. It’s written all over your face. You care about him, and it’s driving you nuts."

Layla opened her mouth to protest, but the words wouldn’t come. She wanted to deny it, to insist it was all in Sarah’s imagination—but deep down, Layla knew it was true. Every time she saw Aaron, every moment she caught herself thinking about him, she was falling deeper, no matter how hard she tried to fight it.

Sarah smiled, a little softer this time. "It’s okay, Lay. You’re allowed to feel it—even if it’s messy."

Layla sighed, defeated. "You make it sound so simple."

"It never is," Sarah admitted, lying back down with a chuckle. "But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all these years, it’s that life never waits for us to have it all figured out."

Layla lay back against her pillow, staring at the ceiling as Sarah's words echoed in her mind. Maybe it was time to stop pretending. Maybe, just maybe, it was okay to let herself feel everything she'd been running from.

Layla exhaled deeply, her breath shaky as she let the tangled thoughts swirl freely in her mind. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Aaron? she thought, frustration blooming alongside the ache in her chest. A man who never forgot to pray, someone who seemed to carry the world’s weight with grace, and who always managed to show up—whether it was on the pitch or in the small, quiet moments. Aaron was... almost perfect.

And that was the problem.

It was impossible not to notice the way Aaron and Alaia seemed to fit together so effortlessly. They had a bond that felt unbreakable—natural and easy, like two pieces of a puzzle that had been together forever. Alaia was kind, sweet, and beautiful in a way that made it hard for Layla to imagine anyone else beside Aaron. The way she moved, the way she treated others, even how warmly she had welcomed Layla, made it easy to see why Aaron would care about her. They just made sense.

Layla pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, as if that would stop the whirlwind of emotions from consuming her. What was she even doing? Wishing for something that could never be hers? If they were meant to be, maybe she was just... the wrong person standing in the way.

Just as she was about to sink deeper into that train of thought, Sarah’s voice cut through the silence, soft but steady.

"Layla," Sarah murmured, turning her head to look at her. "If Aaron really loved Alaia, then why is he always chasing you?"

Layla’s heart stuttered in response. "He’s not chasing me," she muttered under her breath, as if saying it out loud would make it more believable.

Sarah raised a brow, smirking knowingly. "Really? Then what do you call him pulling all those weird stunts? One moment he’s all quiet like you’re just another staff member, and the next, he’s practically hunting you down like you’re the only person in the world he wants to see."

Layla bit her lip, unable to deny it. Aaron’s behavior had been confusing—so inconsistent it left her mind spinning. Sometimes he acted indifferent, barely acknowledging her presence, but then there were moments when his intensity burned so brightly it felt like he was doing everything he could to be near her.

It was maddening. But it was also undeniable.

"He doesn't act that way with Alaia," Sarah added, her tone softer now, as if she understood the storm raging inside Layla. "With her, it’s familiar, comfortable. But with you... there’s something else. Like he’s figuring things out, and maybe—just maybe—you’re a bigger part of that than you realize."

Layla let out a shaky laugh, covering her face with both hands. "You make it sound so simple again, Sarah."

"It’s not," Sarah admitted with a grin. "But sometimes, the things that aren’t simple are the ones worth figuring out."

Layla dropped her hands and sighed deeply, the weight of Sarah’s words settling heavily on her chest. Maybe... maybe Sarah was right. Maybe Aaron’s strange behavior wasn’t meaningless after all. But what was she supposed to do with that possibility? What did it even mean for them?

All she knew was that, no matter how hard she tried to run from it, her heart was already falling—and there was no way to deny it anymore.

Sarah shifted on the mattress, propping herself up on one elbow as she continued talking, her voice quiet but steady in the dimly lit room. “The first time I saw Aaron... I thought he was impossible to approach. He barely talked, just nodded or gave one-word answers. Not rude, but distant, like he didn’t want to waste words.” She gave a small, amused chuckle. “I swear, I thought he had no personality beyond football. No hobbies, no small talk, nothing.”

She tugged the blanket up over her legs and adjusted her pillow. “He never really posts on social media either. It’s just his matches, training stuff, and nothing else. On the field, though? He’s like a whole other person—strict, intense, always barking at someone. I remember thinking, this guy probably hasn’t smiled in years.”

Sarah shook her head at the memory, a wry smile spreading on her lips. “Then there was Alaia... He smiled around her. Not like a romantic thing exactly, but different—lighter, I guess. He’d talk to her in ways he didn’t talk to anyone else. I mean, they looked great together. I even thought they were dating for sure.”

Her voice grew softer as her thoughts drifted. “But there was always... something missing. Like, even when he was with her, there was still this invisible wall between them. I don’t know how to explain it—he smiled, but it never felt real. Like he was trying but not fully there.”

Sarah fell quiet for a moment, as if piecing together the next part of her story. The room was silent except for the occasional hum of traffic outside. She glanced toward Layla’s sleeping figure, tucked under a blanket, but kept going, as if speaking aloud helped her process things.

“And then, you came along.” There was a knowing hint in her voice, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. “Ever since you showed up, Aaron’s been... weird. Different. And I don’t mean just in a little way. Like, I’ve caught him smiling to himself randomly, as if something—or someone—is stuck in his head.” Sarah smirked at the thought. “And not just that awkward little smile, but, like... the kind of smile people make when they don’t even realize they’re doing it. It’s kind of cute, honestly.”

Her expression shifted, more pensive now. “But then there are other times. Times when I catch him looking completely lost. Like... like he’s thinking too hard about something. His face gets all serious, and sometimes I swear it looks like he’s carrying some heavy guilt or regret. It’s almost like he’s running from something... or someone.”

She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, her gaze softening as she looked over at Layla. “And I swear, it has everything to do with you. I mean, I’ve been around him long enough to notice the change. When you’re near, it’s like he’s nervous—like he doesn’t know whether he wants to stay close or run a mile away.”

Sarah smiled to herself as if the thought amused her. "He’s a mess, Layla. But it’s a different kind of mess. And that makes me think... maybe he doesn’t even understand what he feels yet.”

She rolled onto her side to get a better view of Layla, intending to tease her friend. “You know, for someone who keeps running from her feelings, you really are bad at hiding them.” But when she turned her head, she realized Layla was already fast asleep. Her breathing was soft and steady, her face relaxed in the dim light.

Sarah exhaled a quiet laugh. “Figures.”

She adjusted the edge of the blanket, tucking it a little more securely over Layla’s shoulder. For a moment, she just watched her friend sleep, her expression growing softer with each passing second.

With a small sigh, she whispered, almost to herself, “Who are you, Layla?”