The sun crept through the thin curtains of the hotel room, casting a soft glow across the bed where Alessia and Kyra lay tangled together. It was far too early for any of the players to be awake after the long match the previous day, especially after the emotional whirlwind of sneaking Kyra into Alessia's room. They had stayed up late, sharing quiet whispers and gentle kisses until they both drifted off, with Kyra curling against Alessia's body as if it were the only place she felt truly safe.
But now, in the early morning, Alessia was slowly pulled from her sleep by a soft, insistent knock on the door. She squinted at the clock on the bedside table—7:10 AM.
Who the hell is knocking at this time? she thought, groaning quietly to herself as she carefully untangled herself from Kyra's embrace, doing her best not to wake her fiancée. Alessia slipped out of bed, her bare feet hitting the cool floor as she padded softly toward the door, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Another knock, a bit louder this time.
She twisted the handle and cracked the door open, stepping into the hallway and immediately freezing when she saw who was waiting outside. Leah, Kim, and Steph stood there, arms crossed, their expressions a mix of amusement and authority. Leah had that unmistakable smirk playing on her lips, and Kim looked entirely too serious for this hour of the morning.
Alessia blinked, trying to keep her voice steady as she closed the door behind her. "Uh... good morning? What are you guys doing here?"
Leah was the first to speak, her grin widening. "We came for your fiancée."
Alessia felt her stomach drop. She quickly composed herself, trying to come up with an excuse. "Kim, I... I share a room with Vic. I don't know what you're talking about."
Steph raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Yeah, okay, Less. Leah already told us she caught Kyra and Laia sneaking around in the hotel corridor last night trying to get into your room."
Alessia's face flushed with embarrassment, a nervous laugh slipping out. "Damn, she didn't tell me she got caught."
Kim, still looking entirely too stern, shook her head. "Alessia, the rules are there for a reason. We're not scolding you, but Kyra needs to know there are consequences for breaking them."
Alessia rubbed the back of her neck, trying to figure out how to explain without making things worse for Kyra. "Look, guys, come on, she didn't do anything wrong. She was just worried about me. You know how she is—Kyra would have snuck into my room anyway, even if she hadn't gotten caught. She never listens to the rules, but that's just how she is. You don't need to scold her."
Steph folded her arms across her chest, but there was a hint of sympathy in her eyes. "Less, it's not about that. We get it. But rules are rules. And besides, sneaking around like that? It's not just breaking the rules, it's dangerous. We can't have players acting like love-sick teenagers all the time."
Alessia sighed, her defenses starting to falter as she saw the genuine concern on Steph's face. She knew they were right, but she also knew Kyra. She couldn't exactly tell Kyra to stop doing what came so naturally to her. "Kim, she's only 22, you know? She's just in love. She didn't mean any harm."
Kim's stern expression didn't waver. "She's 22, yes. But she's also a professional footballer. The rules are for everyone, and if we don't follow them, we lose control. At the very least, Kyra needs to have a conversation about this. She can't keep breaking the rules whenever it suits her."
Alessia exhaled, rubbing her tired eyes. "Okay, fine. But go easy on her, yeah? She's not a rule-breaker, she just... she's just Kyra."
Leah, still smirking, decided to jump in now. "We've already come up with a 'separate rule' just for her."
