Falling for you | Sam Kerr

Chapter 1: Matilda's and marmelade cookies

Song for this chapter is "The night we met" by Lord Huron. Enjoy! ⚽️🎶🤍

IVY
She was baking cookies at 3 am. Again.

Every night, since the confirmation call from Tony, Ivy had baked tray after tray of delicious pastries, to the point where every surrounding neighbour had received a bunch, occasionally still warm from the oven.

But this batch was different- it would be given to her brand new teammates. Gosh. Even just thinking the words was shocking! Ivy Valdez, forward for THE Matildas! No wonder she was stress baking.

Her train of thoughts trailed back to adding the correct amount of baking powder, and in those split seconds, everything seemed just a little bit more manageable.

*small time skip*

SAM
Perhaps it was the smoothie run, or the fact that she had slept through her alarm- either way, Sam was abysmally late. Even worse? She was late to meeting her newest teammate. Even worse than that? Running to training meant cardio- at 7 am!

Cursing Macca again for "borrowing" her car, Sam rounded the corner, smoothies shaking in her hand as she rushed to the field.

20-ish small, dot-like figures were already crowded on the pitch, many looking in her direction. She didn't need to get close to feel the disapproval from certain coaches.

Ignoring specific glances (and a sneaky "Did your car break down?" statement and wink from Macca), Sam looked towards her newest teammate.

She was tall- almost Alanna's height, with wavy brown curls, cute little dimples, and a smile that was clearly nervous, yet incredibly contagious at the same time. In her shaking hands she grasped a plate of marmelade cookies, which she extended to Sam with a soft smile.

Since her breakup with Mewis, Sam hadn't even
considered another woman past casual hookups, let alone felt such a pull of attraction towards someone: she wasn't sure how, but this seemed different.

The shock of it all was enough to freeze her where she stood.

IVY
Sam Kerr, her brand new captain, hated her.
It was obvious- the way she stood there, staring at Ivy completely dumbfounded, as though she had expected something infinitesimally better.

How could someone look so attractive whilst judging another person? Ivy thought, still awkwardly holding out her tray of cookies.

Thankfully, Katrina (or Mini, as Ivy had been instructed to call her), gave Sam a shove, snapping her out of this judgemental stupor.

An apologetic grin flashed across her face, and she quickly said "Uh yeah, sorry. I'm Sam. Nice to meet you" before dumping her training bag, and reaching for a marmelade cookie with another smile.

She traded Ivy, passing her a purple smoothie with yet another grin. That smirk would both break and mend hearts- Ivy was sure of it.

"Brought you a smoothie as a welcome. It's a bit shaken, but you can blame Macca for stealing my car and making me run."

Ok. Maybe Sam didn't hate her. Overthinking much?

Ivy heard Macca protest slightly in the background, but she was more focused on the tattoos adorning her captain's hand- a No.20 (clearly a soccer reference) and an infinity band. Had she gotten the infinity for Mewis?

Ivy knew of their breakup: almost everyone in the world did. It had been messy, and very, very public.

But hey, at least Sam was single...

Snapping back to reality, she thanked Sam, attempting a grin of her own before passing the platter of cookies further along the team: thankfully, they had been a success.

"Ivy!" piped up Cooney-Cross, already on her third cookie "You do realise you'll have to make these every day? They're incredible!"

"You definitely have to" responded Sam, and to both Ivy replied "challenge accepted- as long as you keep me on the team of course!"

"With cookies like these", interjected Tony, "and playing like yours, there's no reason for you not to be."

"How about we actually see some playing?" This had come from an assistant coach. He had been lurking in the corner, leering creepily at Ivy and unnerving the other girls, who went stiff in his presence. "We waited long enough for Kerr and new girl as it is."

Ouch.

SAM
Dominic was an asshole. There was no debate around it: his mere appearance was enough to set everyone on edge, as though he were some flat-earther in a room of sane people. Knowing him, he probably was a conspiracy theorist too.

Dominic had been given a position by his Daddy, head of the soccer organisation in Australia, and thus he was basically untouchable. It hadn't bothered Sam too much beforehand, but seeing Ivy now, tense and head drooping, made blood boil in her veins.

"You're completely right Dominic. I'll ask you to leave so we can start then." An ugly, argumentative grimace shadowed his twisted face, but Tony agreed with Sam, and so he stalked off angrily, though not before appraising Ivy one last time.

Sam hated his eyes on her.

853 words! Sorry if this chapter was a bit boring: I promise, it will get very exciting, very soon!