#for real though I winged it cause I'm a hoe for childhood friends to lovers ok!

[nemolfc]

𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 -

𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐤 𝐬𝐳𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐳𝐥𝐚𝐢

• 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐤 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐱𝐨𝐱𝐨

( 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝑰'𝒎 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔 )

It wasn't that she hated football.

It was quite the opposite actually, she holds a deep appreciation to the level of passion and athleticism that men and women give day in and day out in their matches, she is aware of how difficult it can be to maintain a level of fitness, and how it was even more difficult to overcome an injury due to the injuries they pick up.

It was that the sport in question reminded her of someone she had tried her best not to think of since moving from her home land three years ago, someone who just so happen to be unveiled as the newest player of Liverpool's Football Club, someone she had hoped not to see again yet would now have to sit through an entire match and see him do what he had always wanted.

The root of what had unfortunately been the sole reason for their friendship ending on a not so sweet note. 

Dominik to her was more than the son of her father's close friend, much less a next door neighbor; the pair were only a year apart from one another with Dominik being the oldest yet it was only a miniscule and barely visible difference, the young boy took an instant liking to her at age five when he had seen just how much she, like him loved to kick around his football.

It lead to days where the pair played in the  back yard of her home, or his whilst their mothers would sit and watch them play, often times cracking jokes about how the sport could be the stepping stone to a lovely relationship blossoming between them.

At first they brushed it off, like any two friends would citing that it wouldn't feel right to fall in love with your best and yet, as time went on, naturally her feelings had shifted and while she tried her best to chuck it down to a ludicrous teenage crush, it had only gotten worse with every year; it didn't help that Dominik had manged to charm her into moving with him to Germany, claiming he'd done his research and that there would be schools her, the other reason would be that he wanted his best friend there with him every step of his career.

She should have said no, weaved a ridiculous excuse and moved away; yet how could she when he looked at her the way he did with those damned beautiful eyes - that seemed more than enough for her to uproot her entire life to Germany to study while he pursued his passion on a bigger stage. 

Little did she know, that this move would be the beginning of the end.

Their movie nights that were once a ritual were few and far in between, cooking dinner together became a one woman's job as she would receive one excuse after another from him, even their conversations had lessened as he was either too tired to speak or in his way out to party with his teammates.

She didn't want to appear clingy, or to even demand his attention yet it was clear as the daylight that the boy she once knew had changed entirely to someone she no longer recognized, resulting in what she looks back on as the most difficult decision she could ever make, to walk away before she loses her heart entirely.

Safe to say it didn't end well, an explosive argument erupted with harsh words thrown left and right with the last thing she remembers him saying being, " I never want to see you again " and it was from that moment that she vowed never to think of him ever again.

The match was entertaining with Dominik displaying the skills she had always known he had, Layla had spent most of the match gushing over Trent and how attractive he was making her giggle at how vivacious her best friend was, and once they returned home, she had hoped that it would be a one and done situation.

Unaware that fate had other plans for the both of them. 

____

" Remind me again why we are going out! " She states with a loud tone, a soft breath erupts from her lips once she managed to tie the last strap of her dress.

Against her better judgement, she was roped into accompanying her close friend and roommate, Layla to a new club that had garnered quite the buzz around the city, she searched through her dresses settling on a sophisticated little black dress reaching all the way down and stopping at the middle of her thighs with spaghetti straps covering her back. 

Layla waltzes into her room, dressed in a beautiful baby pink jumpsuit that complemented her fair skintone beautifully. " Because, you have been so stressed out so we need to get drunk and enjoy our time, besides you can sleep off the hangover tomorrow since you're not working " she shrugs nonchalantly, before a smirk adorned her brims. " Or ....? " she trails off with a suggestive look.

" No, absolutely not. I won't cure my heart by having sex with a complete stranger " She said, shuddering at the mere idea.

Unlike Layla, she wasn't as vivacious and wild - she had gone on a few dates since moving here, but they were just that; dates that had either ended with a brief kiss or a slap on the face if they'd crossed the line, as much as she tried to ignore her feelings, her battered heart still beats for him. 

A groan erupts from Layla's brims, " You are such a snooze fest, you gotta liven up a bit. I know you're still hung up on that mysterious guy you told me about but its not like you're ever going to see him again, so the best way to get over someone is to get under someone " 

" I swear if you try anything I'm ditching you in that club " She points a warning finger at Layla. " I don't care what it is, but I'm not hooking up with any weird man "

Layla snickers then raises her hands in mock surrender, " Alright, but think about it! I might not even have to do anything because baby that dress is going to have a lot of guys drooling "

" Can we just go before I change my mind? " She groans.

__

The atmosphere of the club reeked of two distinct scents, alcohol and sex ... bodies close to another, dancing and chatting under the colorful lights and booming music. " Come on let's get shots " Layla practically drags her to the bar, unaware that the both of them had captured the attention of a few piercing gazes that belonged to two well known people, one of which she had been trying to avoid.

" Mate, who's caught your eye there? " Trent asks Dominik as the pair were seated in a private booth at the top floor of the club.

Dominik had noticed a familiar figure entering the semi crowded club almost instantly, he'd thought he was seeing things given the fact that the last time he saw her was two years ago, he kept his gaze on her until she turned around and that's when his eyes widened, it was her. " I ... " He was honestly too stunned to speak.

Trent followed his gaze and smirked, " Ok! they're quite pretty but which one are you really looking at? "

" I wasn't looking " Dominik shrugs, " I just .. thought I saw someone familiar "

" Oh ... " Trent mutters then smiles, " You mean your childhood friend "

Since his arrival to Liverpool, Dominik was able to fit in with his teammates quite well, specifically Trent, hence why they'd decided to step out together and celebrate their impressive win over City.

" More like former friend " Dominik mutters before taking a sip of his glass. " I messed up and really hurt her "

" Did you try reaching out? " Trent wonders.

" Everytime I try, I end up chickening out and honestly, I don't think she wants to hear from me " Dominik shrugs, " It's fine " 

_

" Holy shit! Talia look " Layla gasps.

" What? " She said loudly. 

Instead of responding verbally, Layla gestures with her head to look up and she follows her gaze to see what she meant, and that was when her eyes widened, and all the color draines from her face. " Fuck " 

" Yes, that's Trent Alexander Arnold and Liverpool's new player Dominik Szoboszlai " Layla squeals. " They're staring at us "

" Layla, I need to go " She whispers.

Layla frowns in confusion " What? " she states before asking. " Why? " 

" I just ... " She began, feeling her chest contract in a way that made it difficult for her to breathe, " I just need to leave, you stay and have fun ok "

Before Layla could respond, the young brunette storms out of the club to try and get some fresh air, she walks across the street to a small dinee that was still open at this time, in an attempt to calm her racing her heart.

She orders a cup of tea and a sandwich, and while she waits; she covers her face with her hands, inhaling and exhaling in an attempt to even out her breath - it seemed to work for a brief moment until she hears the all too familiar voice.

" Talia! " 

_

He didn't mean to follow her like a creep, yet when he had seen her face; and the way she had instantly recognized him, it shattered his heart to see the broken look in her eyes, even more so when he saw her storming out of the club causing him to follow her all the way out to the diner she walked into, he takes a deep breath before walking into the diner.

" Talia ", Her name effortlessly flows past his brims in the smoothest way possible.

Her head shot up to meet his gaze that was a combination of longing and sadness, her gaze however was that of agony. " Dominik " she said.

He gestures to the empty chair, " Can I sit down? " he asks.

She remains silent for a moment before a ghost of a smile appears on her lips, " No, you may not. In fact, you can have the table all for yourself and the food as well " she stands up then walks past him to leave.

He runs out after her, " Talia ... Talia, wait up. Please! "

" Go away Dominik " She yells, refusing to look behind her.

He finally caught up to her, grabbing her arm. " No, I'm not going away " he said.

" Dominik let go of my arm! " She exclaims.

" Can we please just go and talk? " He pleads, " Please? "

" Fine, you better have a good explanation " She mutters, stomping her way back to the diner with Dominik following her.

_

They spent the first fifteen minutes in silence before he breaks it by uttering the nickname he used for her, " Tali " 

" Dom, get to the point. I don't want an apology " She mutters, crossing her arms over her chest.

" I know that I was a shitty best friend, I let football consume my life so much that I ended up leaving you on the side as if you didn't matter " He began then adds on, " and I know I hurt you by not wanting to be a part of all the activities we used to do "

" I understood the importance of football to you Dom, believe me I did " She said, " But you just ... you basically left me alone on more than one occasion, to the point where I firmly believed that I lost you for good "

" Oh Tali " He sighs, " I know I was being unfair "

" I didn't want that argument to happen, but what you said keeps echoing in the back of my mind " She reminds him, " You said you never wanted to see me again "

" And I hate myself every single day for it " He assurss her, " All my success couldn't have been possible had it not been for God's blesisng, for my family and most of all, for you "

She blinks away the tears threatening to fall, " Dom " she whispers.

" I remembered you every day, every time I went out there on the pitch to play, I would look for your face in the crowd " He said. " I never stopped asking your parents about you, and when they told me you were here, I actually .. " he chuckles, " I prayed that we would run into each other "

" And here I was, praying that I would avoid you " She giggles.

Dominik smiles carefully reaching for her hand to squeeze it, " I missed you so much, édes pillangó " 

" I missed you too " She mutters softly.

" Can we " He asks with a small voice, " can we start over? properly this time " 

" What do you mean? " She raised a brow.

" There's a reason why I drifted apart from you " He begins slowly, " The truth is ... I " he swallows the lump in his throat, " I love you "

" What? " She whispers in complete disbelief.

Dominik nods, his gaze softening up to display his emotions. " I loved you since the first day I saw you kicking around the ball ... I loved you because you would literally be there for me, even before I can seek you out, I love you because you always know what to say to help me cheer up after a loss, or inspire me to keep pushing day in and day out ... " He smiles widely, " I love you for you, all of you "

" why didn't you tell me? " she asks him.

" I was scared, I mean ... have you seen yourself? " He states with chuckle, " It killed me how all my teammates were so fascinated by you that on more than one occasion, I wanted to kiss you senseless and show them that you belong to me, that you're mine " he adds on, " So, will you be mine? "

" Dom, I've always been yours " She shakes her head with a smile before leaning closer to peck his lips.

" Good, because I plan on making up for every moment I wasted being apart from you " He grins.

He remembers her.

She remembers him.

And love never forgot them.