the actress & the athlete | sam kerr

three

day two of training with "the chels" as margaret now called them rolled around and sheva was more determined than ever to prove a point. passing lauren in the changing rooms and exchanging a quick hello with the young star, she secured her socks around her calves and quickly changed into the new kit she had received yesterday, instantly embodying a wsl champion. she tightened her straight pony tail, took a look in the mirror and smiled. she had just as much of a right to be here as anybody else and she was determined to prove it. she got there early, just so she could be prepared, warm up and actually avoid sam and her fucking mixed signals.

she started with a light jog around the pitch, erin tagging along shortly after.

"this must be insane for you, right?" erin attempts small talk while pacing herself

"I've had some intense roles in my life but nothing quite like this" sheva laughs under her breath, appreciating the scottish midfielder's hospitality.

"you're doing really great, I know footb-, sorry, soccer is new to you, but have you ever played sports before?"

"oh please, call it football, the film is based in england so that'll get me used to it," sheva reassures with a light chuckle while erin mutters a 'thank god.'

"and honestly, I've never been sporty. if I wasn't in a drama club, I was in choir or band, I guess my stint as a cheerleader could count as a sport?"

"wait yeah that's how I know you, I mean I knew you anyway, but you're the main cheerleader in like everything!"

"go team!" sheva and erin laugh together as they pick up the pace, one by one they're joined by the rest of the team.

sheva's enthusiasm comes as a shock to sam, she didn't expect to see her on the pitch so early, training without prompt, nor did she expect her to look so good whilst doing so.

sweat fused on sheva's face, glistening in the warm morning sun and drawing attention to her features. her hair tied in a slick ponytail and her highlights reflecting in the bright, newly autumn day. in that moment, she was reminiscent of all the other blonde, american footballers sam had loved before. fresh out of a break-up, sam hated that about her even more.

sam looked on as millie passed sheva a lucozade sport, explaining the sugary orange liquid to american ears was a task.

"oh like gatorade?"

"sure." millie and sheva naturally chuckled amongst themselves about the culture difference.

she was absolutely adorable and sam couldn't shake it. it was turning her into an immature schoolboy who picks on the girl to show affection.

sheva's face dropped when sam spoke, "come on princess, we haven't got all day. let's see if you can actually score a goal past zećira."

she knew princess was usually used as a term of endearment, but not with sam. never with sam.

a mere 24 hours ago, she would've felt intimidated by sam, unwelcomed. but almost overnight she seemed to remember that she's sheva demsky and took on the challenge. the pitch was set up for her to take a penalty and in an almost out of body experience, sheva curls the ball into the top corner.

"piece of cake. anything else?" sheva says walking past sam and looking her up and down as margaret looked at her with her jaw hanging.

sam went hot, partially angry, partially turned on. the tension that was previously brewing in silence, was becoming more obvious to everyone surrounding them.