Rivals, allegedly- Aggie Beever-Jones

Summary: Y/n and Aggie are rivals; they're not supposed to like each other, let alone go to school dances, or wake up in each other's bed. But secrets don't stay secrets forever, especially when your neck is very much not hickey-free hehe.

Warnings: mention of closed-door smut and religion

A/n: Yes, the whole context is way more dramatic than what it is in real life haha. This was in my drafts for sooo long. 

..

Y/n was never good at hiding things. Not from her parents, not from her friends, and definitely not from her teammates.

She was the kind of person you couldn't trust with secrets, because she would definitely crack under pressure and spill everything.

And it didn't take much either, just one glare, or one question in a serious tone and she would fold almost instantly.

So yeah, the fact that she was managing to keep this secret was really a miracle, but it was probably because she and Aggie had been a thing for only just a month, so Y/n didn't have many opportunities to spill it yet.

It was eating her alive that she couldn't tell anyone about Aggie. It was like she was hiding this big, dark secret.

It was a weight she had to carry every day,

Was it a bit dramatic? yeah, but Y/n truly felt like she was living in a Juliet and...Juliet kind of situation.

It was just so distressing!

Y/n was an Arsenal player.

She had made her debut when she was sixteen, just around the same time Aggie Beever-Jones broke into Chelsea's first team.

They were rivals. They wore different colours, had different playing styles... they were different in everything.

Even their position was different. Aggie was a forward while Y/n was a defender.

Both clubs had an arrangement with the only school in London that was known for taking in student athletes. It wasn't like a normal school.

The students' athletes had less homework, did online classes during the week, and even had school on Saturdays to make up for the time they missed because of training or matchees. It was flexible and strict at the same time.

Football always came first, whether the clubs wanted to admit it or not, but school was also something that had to be dealt with.

That's how Aggie and Y/n ended up in the same classrom almost two years ago.

And for two years, they hated each other. Like, genuinely hated.

Sarcastic comments were rolling around whenever one of them opened their mouth; their eyes rolled whenever one of them walked into the class; they even elbowed each other on the way to their seats or on the pitch.

They were also each other's first.

First what?

First red card.

Y/n thought Aggie was way too cocky, in the game and in class. She acted like she was the best at everything, while Aggie thought Y/n pretended to be this highly perfect person too good to make any mistakes or do anything bad.

When they both started playing for their clubs, the fans, the media and locker room gossip had practically brainwashed them into thinking there was no worse thing in the world than the rival team and its players.

So it was just natural that Aggia and Y/n weren't very fond of each other.

But now they were eighteen, and something had changed.

They weren't fighting anymore. They were teasing, (and not in a bullying type of way). They were sitting closer in class, and even helping one another with homework!

They weren't swearing at each other during matches anymore. Snacks and water bottles were being shared during PE and after class.

Maybe it was the fact that they were probably the only two lesbian girls in a Catholic school.

Maybe it was the pressure of living 'double lives' and having to deal with football, school, and the media.

Or maybe they just actually liked each other and had been too stubborn to admit it... which was a very strong reason.

One month ago, Aggie confessed during lunch.

Y/n had been washing her hands in the bathroom when Aggie came in and said, super casual, as if she was talking about what she had just learned in history class.

"You know what, Y/n? I think I fancy you."

Y/n had choked. Literally choked on nothing, then stared at her through the reflection in the mirror, being too much of a coward to turn around completely.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Aggie had just shrugged. "I like the smell of your hair."

And then they kissed.

Aggie was the one who initiated. Y/n was still pretty much frozen in place. Aggie had very gently placed her hand on Y/n's hips, turning her around and making their eyes meet before she kissed Y/n on the cheek.

When she didn't pull away, Aggie kissed her other cheek.

And then her mouth.

Y/n kissed her back, and that's when Aggie guided them to the nearest stall.

And of course, a teacher walked in.

They didn't see anything, thank god, but the door was locked, and they were giggling, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening.

Y/n had to admit that her younger self of last month was probably a bit stupid.

The teacher freaked out, gave them both a lecture, and said she was calling the clubs to report them for 'inappropriate behaviour'. Since the club was the one responsible for them, and the one paying the school tuition..

Y/n was terrified.

Her brain immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario. Could they be expelled? Was there some kind of rule about student athletes? Would they be banned from the league?

Aggie, on the other hand, was cool as ever. That grin never left her face, like she didn't care at all.

Like she would do it again. And honestly? Y/n would too. Just... maybe not in the stall next time.

An empty classroom would probably be safer.

When they got called to the headmistress's office, Y/n had begged the headmistress not to say who she had kissed when she called the club. She said it would mess everything up. Said it could ruin her whole season and career.

And honestly, she still didn't have the time to process what had happened between her and Aggie. Was it just a spur-of-the-moment thing? Was Aggie acting on a whim? Was it real...?

A few hours later, Leah showed up with the biggest grin she had ever seen, like she already knew everything.

Well...she sort of did. But not the most important part.

She threw an arm around Y/n's shoulder as they were walking out of the school and said.

"Kissing at school? Are you a rebel now?"

Y/n nearly passed out on the spot from embarrassment.

She tried to deny it, she really did, but her face went red immediately, and she started stuttering so badly that Leah looked genuinely concerned.

Eventually, Leah just laughed and let it go, muttering something about 'teenagers' and 'hormones' under her breath.

Y/n was pretty sure Leah's reaction would be very different if she knew that the girl Y/n had kissed wore blue in her jersey.

Now, with prom just a week away, Y/n was buzzing.

Every time she remembered it, she would start dancing around her room, clenching her fists in excitement like she was about to explode.

Just for one night, she would get to be a normal girl with her normal... girlfriend.

She and Aggie were going together, obviously.

Although no one could know. Not their teammates. Not their clubs. And definitely, absolutely not the media.

It wasn't safe yet. And yeah, Y/n sucked at secrets, historically bad at them, but this one? This one she was willing to protect with her life.

She had to. At least for now.

..

They were in the locker room, trying to freshen up after a really hard training session.

Y/n sat slouched against her locker, scrolling through her phone, as she tugged her lower lip between her teeth.

She was looking for some inspiration for prom outfits on Pinterest, but nothing seemed to catch her eye.

It didn't help that she wasn't really friends with any other kid at school who was also coming to prom, so she had to figure things out on her own...well, not completely on her own.

Y/n didn't mean to ask out loud, but it slipped out. It sounded casual and cool (at leats, she hoped so).

"Hey, random question." She said, without taking her eyes from the phone. "What colour do you think looks good on me?"

A few heads turned in her direction, but Leah was the first one who replied.

"Red," Leah said quickly, smugness on her face. "The best colour."

"I'm serious, Leah." Y/n rolled her eyes, still glued to her phone

"I am serious," Leah insisted, taking off her boots "Arsenal red suits you...it's very flattering, plus it brings out your loyalty."

Y/n just glanced over at Leah.

Loyalty.

Y/n felt everything but loyalty while she picked a dress to go out with her rival.

"I think blue," Alessia said across the room. "It matches your hair."

"Thank you, Lessie," she said sweetly as she threw a pointed side-eye in Leah's direction. "At least somebody here wanted to help me."

"Wow," Leah raised her hands. "I'm not even allowed to have an opinion."

But then, Leah's tone changed, "Why the sudden interest? Got plans?"

It wasn't a teasing question, though; but Y/n still felt her cheeks flush.

Y/n's gaze dropped to her open locker. She fiddled with a water bottle cap for a second before replying.

"Prom coming up.... I didn't get to go the last two years. Always had games," she said, quieter this time. "Figure it's my last chance, you know?"

That earned a proper pause. It wasn't like Y/n to talk about school stuff. Or social stuff. Or anything that didn't involve football... her teammates always had to pry information about her private life from her.

"Oh, that's so cool!" Alessia smiled. "I remember my prom–" Her face softened with dreamy nostalgia "-it was magical."

"And I remember mine, it was cool." Leah grinned, with the kind of mischief that made Y/n assume her prom had been anything but "sweet"

"So who's going with you?" She turned back to Y/n, curious.

Y/n slammed her locker shut with more force than necessary. "Don't know," she lied. "It's next Friday, still have time to think about that."

"Oh, next Friday?' Leah said. "You remember that we have a game the next day, right? Saturday, against Chelsea."

Y/n blinked and mechanically turned to face Leah.

"Yeah, yeah, of course I remember."

She did not remember. She hasn't looked at the club's agenda since their last game.

She was too caught up in the whole prom thing.

Fuck.

Why hasn't Aggie said anything to her? They were really going to the prom and then play against each other the next day?

Y/n was pulled out of her thoughts with Leah waving a hand in front of her face. "Oi? Kid? Hey?!"

"Oh, sorry," she said, putting a hand on her locker, leaning into it while trying her hardest to sound cool. 'What is it, Leah?"

'I asked if it's not best if you skip prom," Leah said, suggesting. "Since we have the game? It'll be at nine am, it's gonna be early."

Y/n gulped and then looked down, disappointment already setting in. "I was going to leave early to make sure I could have a good night of sleep..."

"...but if you think I should skip it, then..."

Then, a voice came from the other side of the locker room. Kim.

"What? No kid," Kim said, nudging Leah to the side. "Don't listen to Leah, she's obsessed with football and only football."

"Hey! I'm not that obsessed!"

"Yes, you are! Telling the kid she shouldn't go to prom, one of her last chances to enjoy being a teenager."

"–I'm technically not a teenager anymore, though. I just turned 18, I'm an adult!" Y/n said proudly.

"Do you want support or not?" Kim asked deadpan.

"Sorry," Y/n murmured.

"I just think she will be tired the next day!" Leah said, defending herself. "If she wants to go, I'm all for it, I'll even drive her if she wants."

"I just...really wanna go", Y/n said in a low voice.

"Then it's settled," Kim said. "You will, don't worry about it."

Y/n gave them a small smile before grabbing her bag and throwing it over her shoulder, walking out of the changing room.

..

"A red dress, really?" Y/n asked, a grin already forming on her face as she watched Aggie leaning on the car.

Aggie rolled her eyes, but smiled too. "Thought it was going to be bold, you know? Break expectations?"

Y/n stepped close, putting a hand on Aggie's waist and bringing her closer. "I really liked it, very pretty."

"You also look very, very pretty," Aggie said. "That's a very Chelsea blue colour on your dress."

"Picked it just for you," Y/n said against Aggie's mouth.

"Yeah?"

Y/n nodded. "Thought you might like it."

"I do, I like it a lot."

"Now let's go, we need to get to the prom earlier, so we can actually enjoy ourselves."

"Oh, I will enjoy myself very much, I'm sure."

..

The prom was happening at a hotel, and it looked cool. For once, the students didn't have to wear their usual navy skirts and blazers...no! Everyone was dressed in either pretty dresses or suits.

If Y/n hadn't attended two Ballon d'Or ceremonies, she would say it looked like a red carpet event...or well, the closest to the red carpet a few British kids were getting to.

The venue had been decorated with sparkling fairy lights along the walls and a few banners boasting the school's colours, blue, white and...brown, yeah, very boring.

And because it was a catholic school, of course, they had a prayer on them as well, as well as some saint, very much not a teenager party at all.

But there was still a lively buzz in the air as students danced and talked with each other. The music was nice as well, filling the room.

As things got more carried away, it changed to some popular pop songs, indie hits, and even a few nostalgic songs. Even the teachers were enjoying themselves.

The nuns? Not so much.

Students were dancing in groups, some laughing, and others sitting in the corner, sipping on their drinks while chatting.

There was a feeling of freedom in the air that didn't really existed in between the walls of their school or their club. Y/n and Aggie weren't used to these feelings.

It was a freedom to be themselves...away from the pressure of rival teams, school, and the watchful eyes of managers and teammates.

At their school, there were only Y/n and Aggie, and for once, they weren't rivals. No tension, no rushed conversatios, just them.

And being them... Well, things escalated quickly.

They had been dancing close, caught up in the music, the energy, the feeling of being out on the damce floor together, finally able to relax and enjoy the night without fear of being caught.

They shared small, stolen kisses between songs, moments of quiet affection.

It felt like the night, for once, was just theirs.

..

After dancing to a few songs, their bodies pressed together, Y/n and Aggie found themselves closer and closer to each other.

The feeling running through their body couldn't be ignored anymore. The music continued around them, but in that moment, it felt like the world had completely stopped just for them.

It was like they didn't have a public life, like they didn't have a game to attend in less than 12 hours from now.

Then Aggie, without a word, leaned in, her lips capturing Y/n's in a kiss, soft but needy. They pulled back for a moment. Breathless, and without hesitation, Aggie grabbed Y/n's hand, leading her off the dance floor.

They snuck behind the stage where one of the students' older brother's band was playing, their sounds muffled by the curtains of the backstage area.

As they stood there, catching their breath, the music still playing, they shared another kiss.

But this time, it was more urgent and desperate.

Then, without warning, Aggie pulled away and nodded toward the bathroom. Her voice was soft, but a little mischievous.

"Come on, we're not going to get caught there."

Y/n was a bit surprised by how fast she agreed. The bathroom was tucked away, just a single-stall space.

The soft hum of the music outside felt too far away now. They could still hear the music, could still hear the other students, but they didn't matter. Not one bit.

"Why do we always find our way back to a bathroom, huh?"Aggie asked, her voice playful but laced with an underlying need.

Y/n's breath hitched as Aggie's hand slid to her waist and pulled her closer.

She kissed Y/n's jaw softly, her lips lingering as her hands moved lower, under Y/n's dress, making Y/n shiver under the touch.

"It's private," Y/n tried to say, her voice trembling as she met Aggie's eyes.

But then she felt those fingers close to her thigh. She gasped slightly, trying to steady herself. "We-we like private, right?"

Aggie's grin widened, her hands never leaving the curve of Y/n's body, bringing her even closer. There was a heat between them that made everything else fade somehow. It felt good to forget about the real world for a little while.

This was their moment. And, maybe, just maybe, it was the most private moment they had ever had.

And yeah, it was in a bathroom, but they didnt mind at all

..

Waking up in Aggie's bed the next day wasn't as awkward as Y/n thought it would be.

It was nice to wake up by her side.

They laughed as they searched for their discarded clothing scattered around Aggie's room.

It was nice to make pancakes together for the first time, even though Y/n quickly learned that, yeah, she liked Aggie a lot, but she absolutely hated sharing a kitchen.

Nonetheless, it was good to get ready for the day, brushing her teeth with Aggie by her side, wiping her face from yesterday's makeup while Aggie did the same...It felt like they were in sync.

What absolutely didn't feel good was when Y/n was getting ready to pull her hair into a ponytail.

She had to be at the Emirates with the rest of the team in exactly 30 minutes, and Aggie saw it.

"Fuck," was the only thing Aggie said, staring at the back of Y/n's neck.

"Agnes?" Y/n asked. "What is it?"

Silence.

Y/n mechanically turned around. "What?"

"You're scary," Aggie said.

"Tell me."

And Aggie hesitated before saying, "There might be a hickey."

"A hickey?"

"A hickey... on you."

"Where?"

"Your neck."

Y/n's eyes widened. "I'm gonna kill you."

"I'm sorry! I-I didn't realise," Aggie said, her hand raised in defeat.

"How?" Y/n said, trying to see the back of her head in the mirror. "How do you not realize you're sucking someone's neck?"

"I was busy thinking of other things!"

"Oh god," Y/n said, the realisation sinking in.

"I have a game in, like, half an hour...we have a game in half an hour! How am I gonna play with this... gigantic thing on my neck?!"

"We could... try makeup?" Aggie suggested nervously.

"I wanna die," Y/n groaned, face-palming.

"Don't be dramatic."

..

"Hi guys!" Y/n said as she walked into the changing room, most of them already in her Arsenal kit–shirt, white shorts, boots, all set to go to the pitch.

"Hey!" The girls greeted her. Some were sitting on the bench, others were finishing getting ready.

"How was it?" Alessia asked, seeming more excited than Y/n herself. "I wanted to text you yesterday and ask, but I didn't wanna ruin the moment."

Y/n threw her bag into her cubby, and dug around for her protein bars and water (coffee and pancakes weren't a good pre-game food).

"Oh, come on, you woud never ruin anything, Less. But it was okay," she said, not looking at her teammate as she rummaged through her things.

"Just... okay?" Kim raised an eyebrow, walking over.

"Yeah, like, okay....normal," Y/n shrugged, trying her best to sound casual.

Her lying skills were getting better each day.

She was not going to tell them the prom had been amazing, that she had had her first time with Aggie in the bathroom, or that she had stayed over at Aggie's house, where Aggie had left her a hickey right on the back of her neck, thankfully hidden by her hair.

"That sounds boring," Leah said, deadpan. "You kids don't know how to have fun. At my prom, I got drunk."

Yn turned to her, deadpan. "I bet you didn't have a game to attend at your prom."

Leah paused for a second, finger on her chin. "Yeah...you're right."

Yn rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Y/n continued, trying to shift the conversation before anyone noticed how nervous she was getting. "You know how it is. Lots of music, dancing, all that usual stuff."

"Did you dance with anyone?" Alessia asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Y/n froze for a second. "Uhhh... well, I..." She caught herself just in time, plastering a smile on her face. "No, not really."

"Oh, okay," Alessia said, looking disappointed.

"You went to a prom, you didn't get drunk, you didn't dance... what did you do?" Leah asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I–hm..." Y/n mentally panicked. I kissed the girl from the locker room next door. "Just ate, hung out, talked with some friends, didn't wanna do too much because of the game and all that."

Y/n didn't wait for any other player to ask about the prom.

"Ok, I'm ready, can we go? The game starts soon." Y/n said nervously, already heading for the door.

"Wait, you're ready?" Leah asked. "What about your hair?"

"What about it?" Y/n asked defensively, already feeling anxiety growing on her chest.

"It's down," Leah replied, looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"And...?"

"Don't be dense," Leah grumbled as she rummaged through her bag. "Come here, I'll tie it for you."

"NO!" Y/n shouted, her voice so loud that the entire locker room stopped in its tracks.

There was a brief moment of silence, and everyone stared at her. Y/n's face burned as she looked around, realising just how loud she had been.

"I just don't–uh, I–don't want it up, okay?"

"How are you going to see the ball?" Kim asked. "Maybe do a bun instead of a ponytail?"

"No, cap, it's fine."

"I'm not asking. Get your hair done, now," Kim's voice was firm now.

Y/n wasn't used to Kim using that tone on her, usually, she was the more laid-back one of the group.

Then came the familiar knock on the door. Renée walked in and told them it was time to head to the tunnel. Y/n breathed out, feeling like she got away with it.

But as the girls started to leave the locker room, Leah grabbed her elbow, holding her in place.

"Sit," Leah said, her voice quiet but commanding.

"What?" Y/n said, looking first at the door, then back at Leah. "But the game—"

"Sit," Leah repeated, tone leaving no room for argument.

Y/n rolled her eyes but reluctantly sat down on one of the benches. Leah knelt in front of her, locking eyes with her. "Tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened!" Y/n protested, trying to look casual, but her heart was racing.

"You're not stupid. You know you can't play with your hair down, it'll get in the way. So, it's better to have a good reason for you to want it down." Leah's voice dropped, the tone changed into that no-nonsense mode that always made Y/n crack under pressure.

Y/n hesitated, then finally blurted it out. "I have a hickey." Her face turned bright red as she quickly hid her face in her hands.

"Last night, I was with this... hm, girl, and well, we got carried away, and now I have a hickey right at the back of my neck, and I can't let people see!"

There was a long pause. Leah didn't move.

Y/n squirmed in her seat, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

"So...?" Leah finally asked, raising an eyebrow. "This 'girl'...?"

Y/n groaned and buried her face even further into her hands. "Please don't make me explain any more. I'm already about to die from embarrassment."

"Okay, yeah, let's focus on the problems at hand," Leah said, glancing at the clock on the locker room wall. "We have just a few minutes."

"I want to retire from football," Y/n muttered.

"No, you don't. You're eighteen," Leah murmured, rummaging through her bag before pulling out a hair tie. "Here's what we're gonna do."

Leah took a handful of Y/n's hair and lifted it from the top of her head.

"We're gonna get this part up," she said, holding the hair tie around it. "And then, we'll leave a little bit down, just enough to cover your neck... like this"

Y/n waited, as Leah worked on her hair, and teh tension in her chest eased just a little, maybe things weren't ruined yet.

"Look at that... problem solved," Leah said, stepping back and admiring her work. "Now go out there and kick ass. But, seriously... next time, maybe keep the hickey away from the neck area, yeah?"

Y/n rolled her eyes but felt a flicker of gratitude. "Thanks, Leah."

Leah gave her a smirk. "Anytime. Now, let's go win this thing."

..

Y/n didn't have the courage to look at Chelsea's lineup in the tunnel. She knew if she did, she wouldn't be able to hide whatever feelings were running on her face.

So, she kept her head down, focusing on the ground beneath her boots, trying to ignore the heat of the moment.

But even with her head down, she could still feel them. The heavy blue eyes piercing through her. She ignored this feeling, focusing on the game ahead.

..

The game was brutal, as any London derby was. Every tackle, every sprint, every pass felt a little too hard. Both teams were pushing, pulling, and giving it their all. But in the end, it ended in a 2-2, a tie.

Y/n gritted her teeth, she was frustrated. A tie was better than a loss, sure, but it wasn't the victory she had wanted.

She was drinking water while the other players were still talking, chatting with each other, cooling off on the pitch, when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, so she quickly turned around.

It was Aggie.

Y/n's eyes widened, her heart racing. "What are you doing here?" she asked, quickly covering her mouth so their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

Aggie grinned, completely drenched in sweat. Her shirt was tucked into her hand, and she was only wearing her blue shorts and a training bra.

She looked absolutely... delicious.

Aggie extended her hand toward Y/n, offering it to her. "Let's exchange?"

Y/n looked between Aggie's outstretched hand and her own face, confused.

"What? What do you mean by, exchange? People don't know about... us."

Aggie shrugged, her grin never faltering. "We're just two players exchanging shirts. It's normal."

"It's not normal," Y/n argued. "Look around, we're the only Arsenal and Chelsea players who are talking to each other!!"

"Baby," Aggie said, her smile growing wider, "have you heard about being the change you want to see in the world?"

Y/n's heart skipped a beat at the word baby.

She had never heard Aggie call her that before, not even the night before, when they had shared a bed.

The word felt so intimate, so... real. Y/n could feel her cheeks flush, her pulse pounding in her ears.

She was going to die from this, for sure. From love, embarrassment, or both. Probably both.

"O-okay, fine," Y/n stammered. She quickly pulled her shirt off, not ignoring the way Aggie's eyes lingered on her torso.

"Here," she said, handing over her shirt to Aggie while taking the one from her as well.

"Good," Aggie said with a sly grin. "Gotta go now, the bus is waiting."

"Okay, bye," Y/n replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'll call you later, yeah?"

"I'll be waiting by the phone," Aggie teased, her smile never fading as she turned to leave, following the other players.

..

As soon as Y/n was ready to turn around and head for the locker room, she noticed Leah standing by the entrance, her arms crossed and a knowing expression on her face.

Y/n's stomach dropped. She tried to dodge her and walkthrough the other players, but Leah was faster.

Before she knew it, she was cornered in one of the hallways.

"Aggie Beever-Jones?" Leah's voice was laced with both disbelief and something else...amusement, maybe?. "Really?"

Y/n tried to play it cool, but the nervous sweat was already starting to form on her forehead.

"Hm...what about her?"

Leah raised an eyebrow, her voice filled with sarcasm. "Damn, have you always played dumb like that?"

Y/n's throat went dry as she shifted uncomfortably under Leah's stare. Y/n didn't answer.

She couldn't. Her mouth opened like she was going to say something, but nothing came out. So Leah kept going, calm but sharp.

"She goes to your school, right?" she said, tilting her head just a little. "A couple of years ago you told me she was in some of your classes. Said she was annoying, that she was Loud and full of herself?"

Y/n swallowed hard, heart thumping against her ribs. Her gaze darted to the tunnel, but there was no escape now.

"Funny how things change," Leah said, eyes narrowed just slightly. "Or maybe they don't. Maybe she's still loud, just in different contexts."

"Leah," Y/n warned, cheeks burning.

Leah raised her hands in surrender, but she didn't stop smirking.

"Hey, I'm not judging–well, maybe a little. Just saying that you're not as subtle as you think."

Y/n crossed her arms. "Well... what do you want me to say?"

"I don't want you to say anything," Leah replied, her voice calm but serious. "And I'm not trying to judge you either, well, maybe just a littl, but it's your life, and I just hope you know this might not be the best decision."

"Why not?" Y/n shot back. "Why is it such a bad decision? She's just another player. The only difference is that she wears blue and I wear red. You play against your Lionesses teammates all the time!"

"Don't need to be angry," Leah said, a bit more gently now. "I'm just telling you that going for Chelsea's striker is not smart."

Y/n scowled. "So what? I'm just supposed to not like her because of her club?"

Leah sighed, looking around before stepping a little closer, lowering her voice.

"It's not just the shirt, and you know it. Arsenal and Chelsea, there's real pressure there. If people find out, it won't just be gossip, it'll be headlines. People'll question your focus, your loyalty. It's not fair, but it's what happens. it can create instability in future contracts."

Y/n chewed the inside of her cheek. She knew Leah wasn't wrong. But she also knew how Aggie made her feel. That didn't go away just because of a rivalry.

"I like her," Y/n said finally, her voice quiet. "Like, really like her."

Leah's expression softened. "I figured that much."

There was a pause, then Leah nudged Y/n lightly in the shoulder.

"Just... be careful, alright? With your heart, and your career. You don't have to choose between them, but you do need to think ahead."

Y/n nodded, eyes down. "Yeah. I know."

"You've got talent, kid. Don't let anything, or anyone, distract you from that."

Y/n stayed behind for a second longer, still gripping the shirt that didn't belong to her team.

..

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