Wearing Number Eight: For Arda

[The Meeting]

The days seemed to blur together. Meeting after meeting, restaurant after restaurant. Candice had been increasingly disappointed that her clients didn't drink. Mikaela wasn't surprised. It wasn't really part of the culture here, as much as it was in the U.S. But while Candice was focused on the lack of drinking, Mikaela could barely focus on that or anything the closer it got to Thursday. Zeki had said the younger players would be joining them, but he hadn't specified if Arda would be there. Her stomach churned at the thought of meeting him face to face. Her anxious mind spiraled through different scenarios and the thought of trying to hold a conversation with him made her feel dizzy.

Luckily, Candice, sick of the lack of alcohol, had booked them at a wine bar for the dinner on Thursday. The one time her boss' alcoholic tendencies would be to her advantage. Mikaela's anxiety of potentially meeting Arda and the other players was already through the roof. Some wine would help cool her off if he happened to show up.

The group was set to meet at the stadium to start off Thursday's series of meetings. Zeki wanted them to see where some of the money they made actually went. Mikaela opted to wear a more casual outfit for the stadium tour, figuring it'd be weird to walk around a stadium in high heels and a tight dress. She'd thrown on a pair of loose fitting jeans, sneakers, and an off the shoulder floral top that still hugged her body, showing off her cleavage. She sighed looking at herself in the mirror before doing a quick power pose. "You can do this." She spoke out loud, hyping herself up one more time before heading out of the hotel.

The stadium, to be honest, wasn't the grandest one she'd ever seen. It was pretty average by stadium standards. Zeki walked them around the perimeter, talking about how they planned to open a few new shops in the corridor. Then, he walked them down to the pitch, where he showed off some new equipment and gear. She looked up across the vast expanse of the field and into the empty stands. She could only imagine how different this place looked when it was filled with people cheering and chanting for their team.

Suddenly, she heard men's voices in the distance behind her. From the direction of the locker rooms. Her heart beat loudly in her chest. She didn't dare to turn around. They wouldn't surprise her like this. They wouldn't just have the players show up.

Zeki turned ahead of her, and smiled broadly to the group of men she could hear getting closer.

"I didn't realize practice was today." She could hear the jest in his voice, as Candice started squealing.

"Oh how exciting! So lovely to get to meet you all!"

Mikaela swallowed the lump in her throat, and slowly turned to face the approaching group.

Her gaze instantly caught on the player standing nearest to her, staring right back at her. His jersey was fitted against his tall, muscular body. The same red color as his shorts that also fit tightly to him, exposing his solid legs. He walked towards her with predatory confidence, his green eyes sweeping up and down her body. His lush lips formed into a small smile. Mikaela desperately wanted to run in the other direction.

"Hi." He extended his hand to her. "I'm Arda." The sound of her heart beating loudly almost muffled his voice.

"Oh I know. I'm a big fan." She could feel her face growing red. "I'm Mikaela."

"You're a fan of the Turkish team?" His hand felt rough against hers.

She nodded, too aggressively. Another smile formed at the corners of his mouth. She shifted on her feet at the intensity of his eye contact. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't bring herself to. Like a moth drawn to a flame. He chewed on his lip, as if debating something. Suddenly, in one smooth motion, he lifted his jersey over his head, and extended it out to her. "Here. For you." She tried her best to not focus on his tan chest on display for her. Or how his shorts hung right above the V of his torso leading down to where she didn't dare look.

"Thanks." She stuttered, reaching out to take the jersey. But as he passed it to her, it accidentally slipped through her fingers. She froze. And he looked at her, a smile still on his face, as he went to pick up the jersey. She had the strangest urge to run her fingers through his hair as he bent down infront her. When he stood, he stepped closer to her, taking her hand and placing the jersey in it. She gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry – I mean thank you. For the jersey. It's nice." It felt like the temperature outside had suddenly increased by ten degrees, as sweat formed on her brow. She knew her face was probably the color of a tomato at this point.

"Of course." He still stood close to her, looking down at her with a strange look she couldn't quite decipher. All of the sudden a whistle blew, causing her to jump. He didn't so much as wince.

"See you later tonight." Arda smiled before jogging back to join the rest of the players as they warmed up for practice.

Mikaela let out a stifled sigh. The cringe interaction kept replaying in her head throughout the rest of the stadium tour. She didn't know if she could bring herself to go out tonight. Not when he would be there. But when Candice continued to excitedly talked to them about how much fun they'd have at the wine bar and club tonight she knew she didn't have much of a choice. She needed to push past her nerves. Her career counted on it.

...

She ran her palms over the smooth fabric of the red dress. She'd been saving it for tonight.

The red was the same bright shade of red as the Turkish flag. But, dare she say, she looked better in the color than most of the national team players, even Arda. The spaghetti straps laid softly on her shoulders, adorned with small sparkling diamonds that stopped once they reached her neckline. The bodice was tight, shaped like a corset, causing her breasts to push up, and almost spill over the front. Once the fabric hit her waist, however, it flowed out over her hips in light draping shapes, falling just past her knees. She wore a deep brown smokey eye that made the blue in her eyes pop in stark contrast. Nervous energy prickled over her body. She ran her hands over her dress again, but this time, she closed her eyes. She imagined her hands were not her own, but instead they were Arda's, moving over the fabric in light motions.

Her eyes snapped open. No. You need to focus.

Despite their week of meetings, Zeki and Candice had yet to agree to anything that would actually prove valuable for the firm. If they left empty handed. The trip would have been for nothing. In the corner of the mirror, she spotted the red jersey he'd given her, neatly folded on her bedside table. She needed to leave the thoughts of him here, with the jersey. Tonight was her game time. She did a power pose in the mirror, the movement causing her breasts to jiggle. A smile formed on her face at the sheer insanity of where she was, who she was going to meet, and how she was dressed. In a last feeble attempt to surmount the anxiety, she did another, sarcastic power pose, grabbed her purse, and headed out into the night. 

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