The next morning, YN woke up with a pit in her stomach. Jonas’s message from the night before kept replaying in her mind. Big news regarding the squad? There was only one thing YN could think of: Jordan’s potential move to Arsenal. And after Leah’s confession the previous day, the situation was even more tangled than before.
Katie stirred beside her, still fast asleep. YN lay still, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts swirling. She knew she couldn’t keep what Leah had told her a secret from Katie any longer. The guilt gnawed at her, and if Jordan’s move was about to be announced, it was only a matter of time before it all came out anyway.
By the time Katie woke up, YN had already made coffee and was pacing around the kitchen, trying to figure out how to start the conversation.
Katie walked in, rubbing her eyes and looking a little groggy. "Morning," she mumbled with a sleepy smile. "You’re up early."
YN forced a smile. "Yeah, couldn’t sleep much."
Katie poured herself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, studying YN. "What’s up? You seem... off."
Taking a deep breath, YN decided it was now or never. "We need to talk, Katie. It’s about Leah."
Katie’s smile faded as her expression shifted into something more serious. She set her coffee down. "What about her?"
YN took a seat at the table, motioning for Katie to join her. Once they were sitting face-to-face, YN looked into Katie’s eyes, feeling the weight of what she was about to say.
"Yesterday, after training, Leah pulled me aside to talk," YN began, her voice steady but laced with tension. "She told me something, and I didn’t know how to tell you right away, but I need to be honest."
Katie’s brows furrowed in concern. "What did she say?"
YN hesitated for a moment, then continued. "She admitted that she’s been seeing Jordan again. They’ve been talking, and it’s not just casual. Jordan’s considering a move to Arsenal. Leah didn’t want me to be blindsided if it happens."
Katie’s face darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Wait, Jordan? Leah’s been seeing her again? And she might be coming to Arsenal?"
YN nodded, feeling the tension rise between them. "Yeah. Leah said she didn’t want to keep it from me, but I don’t know how to feel about it. It’s complicated, Katie."
Katie let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "Of course it’s complicated. That’s the last thing we need right now—more drama. And Leah just thought it’d be fine to drop that on you like it’s no big deal?"
YN shook her head. "I don’t think she meant to cause problems. She just... she thought I deserved to know. But if Jordan comes to Arsenal, it’s going to make things awkward. For everyone."
Katie stood up, pacing the room, her frustration clear. "This is ridiculous. I thought we were finally getting back to normal. Now this? And Leah..." Katie trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief. "She’s got some nerve, YN."
YN stayed quiet, knowing that Katie’s anger wasn’t entirely directed at her, but feeling caught in the middle of the whole situation. "I didn’t want to keep it from you, Katie. I’m just as frustrated as you are. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the team now."
Katie stopped pacing and looked at YN, her expression softening. "I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the situation. You didn’t ask for any of this."
She sat back down, reaching out to take YN’s hand. "We’ll deal with it, okay? No matter what happens with Jordan or Leah, we’ll handle it together."
YN nodded, grateful for Katie’s support but still feeling the weight of everything that had been left unsaid. "Thanks, Katie. I just want things to be okay between us."
Katie squeezed her hand. "They are, I promise. But we need to keep our guard up. If Jordan does come to Arsenal, it’s going to get messy. And I’m not letting anything get between us."
Just as YN was about to respond, her phone buzzed with a notification. It was a reminder about the team meeting with Jonas in less than an hour. The pit in YN’s stomach returned as she realized this was it—this could be the moment where everything changed.
They quickly got ready and made their way to the training ground, the tension between them and the rest of the team palpable as everyone filed into Jonas’s office for the meeting. Leah was already there, standing off to the side, her eyes catching YN’s for a brief moment before flicking away.
Jonas wasted no time, getting straight to the point once everyone had gathered. "I know there’s been a lot of speculation about changes in the squad, and I want to clear the air before rumors start spreading."
He glanced around the room, his expression serious. "As some of you may have heard, Jordan Nobbs is in talks with Arsenal about a potential move. Nothing is finalized yet, but I wanted to address it head-on before any distractions arise."
The room went silent. YN felt her heart drop. Leah’s words echoed in her mind—she hadn’t been lying. Jordan really was considering joining the team.
Jonas continued, "If the move goes through, I expect everyone to stay focused and professional. We have a big match coming up, and I don’t want any personal issues getting in the way of our performance."
YN stole a glance at Leah, who stood still, her expression unreadable. She could feel Katie tense beside her, but neither of them said a word.
After the meeting, the team slowly dispersed, everyone processing the news in their own way. YN and Katie lingered for a moment, exchanging a glance that said everything.
"We’ll figure this out," Katie said quietly, her voice full of determination. "No matter what happens."
YN nodded, but as they left the training ground together, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the real test was still to come. Jordan’s potential arrival was just the beginning—and as much as YN wanted to believe things could stay simple between her and Katie, she knew the drama was far from over.
And deep down, she had a nagging feeling that Leah wasn’t done stirring the pot either.
To be continued...
