In which the rookie Ben Gal falls for Cincinnati's number one quarterback.
Now that football season is upon us I thought it would be fun to write a little Joe Burrow story.
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After the game, the locker room buzzed with post-performance excitement. The older cheerleaders laughed and talked about their routines, while I stood in front of my locker, still coming down from the high of being out there for the first time. My thoughts kept circling back to that brief moment when I thought Joe had looked my way. It was probably nothing, just a coincidence, right?
"Hey, rookie!" Harlow called, snapping me out of my thoughts. "A few of us are grabbing drinks later. You should come with!"
I hesitated. Part of me wanted to celebrate and get to know the squad better, but the other part of me felt like retreating into my own bubble after such an overwhelming day. "Thanks, but I think I am just going to head home and crash. It has been.....a lot."
Harlow shrugged, giving me an understanding smile. "Totally get it. First day always feels like a whirlwind. But next time, you are coming. Non-negotiable!"
I laughed. "Deal."
After changing out of my uniform and grabbing my things, I headed toward the players' parking lot to cut through on my way to the car. Most of the team had already left or was still in the locker rooms, but the area was eerily quiet now compared to the chaos just hours earlier. I kept my head down, lost in my thoughts when I heard footsteps approaching from behind.
"Hey, you are one of the new Ben Gals, right?"
I froze for a second before turning around, my heart skipping a beat. There, standing just a few feet away was Joe Burrow. His helmet was tucked under one arm, and his warm, easy-going smile instantly made me feel both excited and completely unprepared for this moment.
"Oh, ummm, yeah!" I stammered, inwardly cringing at how nervous I sounded. "It's my first game day."
Joe nodded, his eyes scanning my face with that quiet intensity he was known for on the field. "Thought I recognized you. You guys did a great job out there today. Must have been nerve wracking for your first time, huh?"
I blinked, trying to process the fact that Joe Burrow had not only noticed me, but was complimenting me. "Yeah, it was....pretty surreal," I said, hoping I sounded cooler than I felt. "But it was fun. I am just glad I didn't trip or drop a pom-pom or something."
He chuckled, the sound rich and genuine. "I get that. First time on a big stage is always a trip. But you handled it well."
I could feel my face heating up, unsure of what to say next. The silence between us felt charged, but not awkward, just....loaded with unspoken things. Before I could think of anything else, Joe tilted his head, looking a little curious.
"What's your name?"
"Oh! Right, sorry." I gave him a small, sheepish smile. "It's Alessandra."
"Alessandra," He repeated, as if testing how it sounded. "Well, Alessandra looks like we will be seeing a lot of each other this season. Hopefully, it's not too overwhelming."
I laughed, a little more relaxed now. "I will try to keep it together."
Joe gave me another easy smile, glancing at the parking lot as if he had somewhere to be but was lingering on purpose. "See you around," He said, his voice softer.
"Yeah, see you." I replied, watching as he walked off toward his car. I stood there for a moment longer, processing what had just happened.
Joe Burrow knows my name.
I headed to my own car, feeling lighter, like I was floating. Maybe it was just a casual conversation to him, but to me, it felt like something more. Something was there. Maybe it was just in my head, or maybe just maybe this was the beginning of something unexpected.
As I drove home, the events of the day kept replaying in my mind: the crowd, the routine, the moment Joe had smiled at me on the field. And now, this conversation in the parking lot. A spark, small but undeniable, had been lit.
