control - Alexia Putellas

2.20.

hi everyone! the last couple of weeks have been crazy. mostly work wise. i did not write a single word after uploading chapter 2.19., but have around 10 chapters written from before the break. i'll upload those and hopefully i'll find time to focus on writing while uploading them. enjoy. ☕️✍🏼

A few days later, the atmosphere was charged as Erin and Ria found themselves in the stands of a smaller stadium in Madrid, ready to watch the second match of the season:

Madrid CFF vs. FC Barcelona.

The VIP area provided an excellent view over the perfectly mowed, dark green lawn.

While the therapist held her tablet in hand, working on the stats Ria had instructed her to fill in, the head coach, on the other hand, was keenly focused on the athletes warming up on the field.

While dressed in a light grey blouse flattering her tall, slender figure, her mid-length brunette hair casually gathered halfway up while loose strands framed her shoulders, the blonde therapist beside her donned a usual pair of sweatpants and a simple white shirt.

Momentarily glancing up from her tablet, Erin breaks the silence, "Are you... excited to see her?"

There was a playful glint in her eyes, while Ria's forest green gaze was fixed on the pitch, lips involuntarily pressed into a flat line, jaw clenched, as the first players entered the meticulously maintained field.

Best conditions for an interesting, top class match.

"I'd call it nervous", Ria responds, her voice slightly tense, betraying the mixture of anticipation and anxiety she felt.

"Nervous?", the therapist repeats, her tone laced with a playful hint of amusement as she nudges Ria's side.

"Yes", the brunette retorts under her breath, rolling her eyes with a mock glare, before admitting, "Nervous"

A playful smirk tugged at Erin's lips as she teased further, "You're blushing", her gaze oscillating between Ria and the athletes in their pre-game warm-up.

Adjusting her glasses, shifting the attention to the notebook in her hands, the head coach attempted - tried - to maintain her composure, her controlled facade, "And you're rather disturbing your boss than focusing on the tasks you've been given, Erin. How are the statistics going?"

Ria's voice held a hint of gentle reprimand, but it was clear she was struggling to concentrate.

She was struggling to control herself.

"You know... you can't avoid this conversation forever. You need to talk to her", the blonde replies nonchalantly, the words accompanied by a shrug of her shoulders as she redirects her attention to the pitch.

Observing the rest of the players entering the field, her heart skipped a beat when her gaze settled on a very familiar figure.

Alexia.

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner jogged onto the pitch in between a bunch of other athletes, dressed in her warm-up tank top and a pair of shorts, her red Nike soccer boots laced up and socks pulled up to her knees, barely hiding the scar of her surgery.

At the sight of the gorgeous brunette, Erin's heart skipped a beat.

And during the warmup, while gladly doing her work and inspecting the athletes ever move as the players continued their warm-up routines, the therapist couldn't help but notice the unspoken tension that seemed to emanate from Ria.

It was a delicate dance between professionalism and personal feelings, and Erin had a front-row seat to the complexity of it all.

She respected Ria's need for focus and control, but couldn't help prodding her friend further.