hey lover - c.g.

61.

7/5/24 - tuesday
london,uk

"I FEEL SO WEIRD," Chandler commented, giving herself a once-over in the mirror. The sleek black dress clung to her curves, and her hair, usually a wild mess, was now pinned back in an elegant style.

Tonight was the club's annual award night, and uncharacteristic nerves fluttered in her stomach. Fancy events weren't exactly her forte, but a thrill of anticipation bubbled beneath the anxiety. Seeing everyone dressed to the nines would be a change, and she enjoyed catching up with staff and other club members beyond her teammates.

A knock on the door startled her. Straightening her posture, she called out, "Come in!"

The door swung open, revealing Conor leaning against the doorway. His jaw dropped slightly as he took in her full transformation.

"Chandler," he finally breathed, a wide smile spreading across his face. "You look incredible."

He took a step closer, his hands brushing down her arms before gently intertwining their fingers. The unfamiliar weight of makeup felt strange on her face, a far cry from her usual routine of mascara and a touch of blush—anything more risked melting off during grueling training sessions and games. Tonight, however, shimmering eyeshadow and a matching lip color complemented her dress perfectly.

"You look handsome too, Con." She giggled, wiping the shoulders of his suit jacket to get rid of any wrinkles. He wrapped his arms around her waist delicately, his hand resting flat on her hips.

"You ready to win?" He asked with a teasing smirk on his face.

"What?" She laughed with a confused look on her face. "I'm not winning anything."

"I voted for you for Player's Player," he confessed, a proud smile dancing on his lips. Chandler pulled back slightly, chuckling to herself.

"Conor, why'd you do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he countered, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion.

"You should have voted for someone else more deserving," she explained, pulling her purse onto her shoulder. Conor shook his head, placing a hand on his hip.

"You are more deserving; don't be silly," he said, shaking his head.

"Con-"

"Chan, your contributions this year were incredible. You've had nearly as many goals and assists as Cole," Conor argued, grabbing his car keys.

"Then why not vote Cole?" she argued, following Conor out the door.

"Well, I'm not dating Cole, am I?" Conor joked.

"I just don't want your vote to go to waste," she said. Conor stopped and turned around, with Chandler stopping quickly before she ran into him.

"Chandler, you need to start backing yourself," he said.

"Hundred pounds, you're wrong," he challenged, folding his arms across his chest. She paused and rolled her eyes.

"You're wrong," she said, walking past him and to the car. It wasn't like she was pessimistic about her skills, but she knew many other players on the squad had had such an amazing season. She just wanted to be realistic.

"No, I'm not," he said, following after her.

"Fine, you're on," she chuckled, finally accepting his bet.

The two climbed into Conor's car, making their way to the stadium. The drive was relatively short, considering that the girl lived closer to Stamford Bridge than she did to Cobham. When they finally arrived, they walked into the locker room and saw majority of the team waiting.