WOSO Imagines

Oh, Canada (Jessie Fleming)

"Ada, remember that interview you did a few days ago with ESPN?" my captain calls across the gym.

I stop stretching to look at her, confused as to why she's bringing it up. "Yeah..."

"Do you mean the one where she drooled over that soccer player?" my best friend, Emma, shouts back, smirking at me.

"Not just any soccer player, Canada women's player of the year," another of my teammates points out.

"That's the one," Emma confirms. "What about her?"

"She's coming to the game this weekend to do the puck drop, it being the Rivalry Series and all," my captain, Blayre, informs us.

"Tell me you're joking," I groan.

"She's not, Coach just sent us all an email about it," Emma says, shoving her phone in my face.

"Do you think she's seen or read the interview?" I ask. "Oh god, it's so embarrassing."

"Maybe she has, and maybe she was flattered by it. Maybe she'll even think you're cute. Or maybe she has no clue who the fuck you are. There's no use stressing yourself out about it, she's just a person."

"She's an Olympian 'and three-time player of the year, not to mention all her honors at Chelsea. And I went and said that I thought she had the cutest freckles ever and wanted to buy her a drink. Ryan should stop letting me do interviews. I always say dumb shit."

"You've also been to the Olympic games, and you both have a gold medal, not to mention you were the second overall pick in the draft. And you didn't say anything offensive or creepy, so just calm down, Ads."

I couldn't calm down. It was way too embarrassing, but it's not like I would have to interact with her much. I wasn't the captain, so I wouldn't be involved in the puck drop. Hopefully, I won't be coming face-to-face with Jessie Fleming at all.

Wishful thinking.

I don't check my email until after our gym session when we're on our way to lunch. I follow Emma slowly down the corridor, reading over it. "Did you get two emails from Coach?" I ask her.

"Nope, just one."

I click on the second email, my eyes scanning quickly. I stop walking. "Oh, shit."

"What?" Emma backtracks, peering at my phone screen. "'Hey Adalynn, I'd like you to join Pou in greeting Ms. Fleming when she arrives. You will need to meet us at the rink an hour before team lunch on Friday. I appreciate your assistance. Sincerely, Coach Ryan.' Oh, shit."

"Why me?" I huff, leaning against the wall. "I'm not leadership."

She shrugs. "Maybe it's because of your welcoming presence and sunny disposition."

I stick my tongue out at her.

"Well, have you ever met?"

"Once, at some fancy dinner for rising stars in Canada during college years. I think we sat at adjacent tables, but I don't really remember."

"This could be the universe giving you your second chance to get to know her."

I give her a pointed look and she just winks at me, disappearing into the canteen. Reluctantly, I follow her. I'm distracted through all of lunch, and it doesn't take long for my teammates to notice, as I'm usually one of the loudest and most talkative.

"What's going on with you, Ada? You're being awfully quiet," my linemate, Ella, asks, nudging my shoulder. "Everything okay?"

"Coach recruited her to the welcoming committee for her crush," Emma teases.