More Than a Game

Chapter 38: Same Cycle, Different Day

The Thoughts That Wouldn't Leave

Skye sat alone in her apartment, staring at the golden glow of her Ballon d'Or trophy on the shelf. It should've felt like everything she ever wanted, proof that she'd made it to the top.

But instead, it just looked like... pressure.

She hated feeling this way. She hated overthinking. That wasn't her.

And yet, here she was.

She thought about everything that had happened in the past year.
    •    The World Cup win.
    •    The insane media attention.
    •    The DMs from random footballers—some trying to be her friend, some thinking they had a shot with her (which was hilarious).
    •    The constant Alessia/Nika/Alexia/Lena situation she somehow kept falling back into.
    •    And, of course, the expectation that she would somehow be even better this season.

She wasn't scared of hard work. She wasn't scared of proving people wrong.

But she was starting to wonder if she'd ever feel fully satisfied.

Would she ever stop chasing something she couldn't quite define?

She sighed, grabbed her phone, and did the only thing that ever really helped.

She called Trinity.

⸻

Late-Night Talks with Trin: The Love Problem

Trinity picked up immediately.

Trinity: "Okay, if you're calling me this late, it's either football, drama, or an existential crisis. Which one?"

Skye: "All three, probably."

Trinity laughed.

Trinity: "Alright, hit me."

Skye leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes.

Skye: "Do you ever feel like... I don't know. Like love is the one thing we can't win at?"

Trinity paused.

Trinity: "Damn. You really went straight for the deep stuff, huh?"

Skye: "I just.. I don't get it. I can win a World Cup. I can be the best player in the world. But when it comes to love? I just go in circles."

Trinity: "You mean the 'Alessia-Nika-Alexia-Lena' situation?"

Skye groaned.

Skye: "Yes, that. It's always the same thing. Someone I have history with, someone I have tension with, someone I have chemistry with. But it never fully clicks."

Trinity: "Because you're never all in."

Skye opened her eyes.

Skye: "Excuse me?"

Trinity: "You heard me. You don't let yourself go all in. You get close, you have fun, but the second it gets too real, you pull away."

Skye sat in silence for a second.

Because Trinity was right.

She didn't even know if she did it on purpose, but it was a pattern. The second things got serious, she found a way to make it messy.

Skye: "Okay, psychology major. What's my solution?"

Trinity: "Figure out what you actually want. And then stop running from it."

Skye rolled her eyes.

Skye: "Easier said than done."

Trinity: "Well, until you figure it out, I'm going to enjoy watching you suffer."

Skye: "You're a terrible best friend."

Trinity: "You love me."

Skye laughed. Maybe, just maybe, this was why she never fully fell for someone.

Because at the end of the day, Trinity was the only one who ever truly got her.

⸻

A Call That Felt Like Home

After hanging up with Trinity, Skye saw an incoming call from Paige.

Paige: "Finally. I was about to start feeling abandoned."

Skye smirked.

Skye: "Oh please, I know you've been living your best life at UConn."

Paige: "True. But that doesn't mean I don't miss bullying you."

Skye laughed. No matter how crazy things got, Paige was always Paige.

Skye: "So what's up?"

Paige: "Actually, I was about to ask you the same thing. You've been weird lately."

Skye hesitated. Paige didn't miss much.

Skye: "Just... overthinking life, I guess."

Paige: "Gross. You're not supposed to do that."

Skye chuckled.

Paige: "Alright, here's the deal. You need a break. So, I'm inviting you to my game next week."

Skye: "Paige, I'm literally in the middle of my own season."

Paige: "And?"

Skye sighed.

Paige: "Come on. You can fly in for a day, see me, maybe even make an appearance at UConn and freak everyone out."

Skye smirked.

Skye: "Tempting."

Paige: "And, if nothing else, you can get away from your love triangle or whatever shape it is now."

Skye groaned.

Skye: "It's more like a love disaster."

Paige: "Even better. Come to my game, clear your head, and maybe figure out what the hell you actually want."

Skye leaned back, thinking. Maybe a change of scenery was exactly what she needed.

Skye: "Fine. I'll come."

Paige: "Good. I'll even let you meet my new teammate who has a crush on you."

Skye: "PAIGE."

Paige: "Oops, gotta go! See you soon!"

Paige hung up before Skye could yell at her, and she just sat there, shaking her head.

Because of course Paige was trying to set her up with yet another person.

Same cycle. Different day.

But maybe, just maybe...

This time, something would actually change.

Alessia-Nika-Alexia-Lena?