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The arrivals gate was bustling with people, but Saka had his eyes fixed on the crowd, looking for any sign of Jadon and Imani. His heart raced with a mix of excitement and nerves.
Finally, Jadon emerged, waving energetically, his grin wide despite the long flight. Beside him, Imani looked exhausted but relieved, her eyes lighting up when she saw Saka.
"Saka!" Jadon called out, dragging their bags behind him.
"Jadon! Imani!" Saka replied, closing the distance between them quickly. He enveloped Imani in a hug first, feeling her tense shoulders relax slightly. "It's so good to see you. We've missed you so much."
Imani smiled, though it was tinged with weariness. "I've missed you guys too, Saks."
Jadon gave Saka a quick bro hug before they all headed towards the parking lot. "Thanks for picking us up,man."
"Of course," Saka said. "We can't wait to catch up properly. And by the way, you're both coming to the team dinner tonight. No arguments."
Imani hesitated, looking between Jadon and Saka. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Saka nodded firmly. "Absolutely. Everyone's been dying to see you. It'll be good for you to be around friends."
As they drove towards the hotel where Jadon and Imani would freshen up, they chatted about trivial things—Jadon's antics in Germany, the latest training sessions, and upcoming matches. It was a way to keep things light, but the underlying tension was still there. They all knew the dinner tonight wasn't just about catching up; it was about healing old wounds and maybe, just maybe, rekindling something special.
By the time they reached the hotel, Imani seemed a bit more at ease. "Alright, I'll see you guys tonight then," she said, giving them a small wave before heading inside her room.
Jadon and Saka watched her go, a silent understanding passing between them. "Do you think this will work?" Jadon asked quietly.
Saka shrugged, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "It's worth a shot. They both deserve a chance to make things right."
Later that evening, the team gathered at a different restaurant, one that wasn't the one they told Jobe and Imani to meet them at. The plan was set. They had convinced the two that it was a team dinner, but really, it was just the two of them. They even paid a waiter at their restaurant to set up a discreet camera and microphone so they could watch and listen to their conversation from their location.
"Everything's in place," Trent said, checking his phone. "The waiter just confirmed the camera's working. Now, we wait."
The screen in the private dining room flickered on, showing Jobe and Imani sitting across from each other at a candle-lit table. The team quieted down, eyes glued to the screen.
---
Jobe's nerves were noticeable even through the screen. He kept fiddling with his napkin, stealing glances at Imani. Finally, he spoke. "Imani, I'm really glad you came tonight. We need to talk."
Imani sighed, her expression guarded. "What is there to talk about, Jobe?"
Jobe took a deep breath. "About us. About what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me most. I should've been there to protect you from Gio."
Imani's eyes flashed with anger. "Protect me? You don't get to play the hero now, Jobe. Where were you when things got bad? You were too busy telling Jadon about Gio instead of helping me."
Jobe's face fell. "I know I messed up, but I still care about you. I never stopped."
Imani scoffed, her frustration bubbling over. "You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone about Gio! And then you went and told Jadon. It's not your secret to share, Jobe."
Jobe's expression hardened. "I told Jadon because I was worried about you. I thought he could help. Gio hurt you, Imani. How can you still defend him?"
Imani shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You don't understand. You never did. Gio has problems, but I love him. You can't just waltz back into my life and expect everything to be the way it was."
Jobe's voice softened, his eyes pleading. "I don't want things to go back to how they were. I want to be there for you now, to make things right."
Imani looked away, the tears finally spilling over. "I don't need you to fix things, Jobe. I need you to understand that I've made my choice. I'm with Gio."
The team watched in silence, the gravity of the situation sinking in. This was more complicated than they had anticipated.
Back in their private room, Rashford sighed. "We might have pushed too hard."
Saka nodded, feeling a knot of guilt in his stomach. "Maybe, but at least now everything's out in the open. They needed to have this conversation."
On the screen, Jobe stood up, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I just want you to be happy, Imani. Even if it's not with me."
Imani didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the table. She stood up, her voice steady but cold. "Bye, Jobe. I never want to see you again. Don't ever try to contact me." She walked out of the restaurant, leaving Jobe sitting there, alone and heartbroken.
As the screen went dark, the room fell silent.
"Well," Trent said finally, breaking the tension, "that didn't go as planned."
Sterling nodded. "But maybe it was what they both needed to hear."
As they sat in contemplative silence, it became clear that sometimes, the path to healing wasn't straightforward. It was messy and painful, but it was necessary. And maybe, just maybe, this was the first step towards something better for both of them.
A/N: couldn't let them get back together that easily. Or will they even get back together? Imani is defo giving "I can't see I'm blind blinddd" vibes
