In Love with The Rival

001

The Game

As Emma walked through the bustling corridors of Arrowhead Stadium, her thoughts were elsewhere. She'd been in these halls a thousand times before, but today felt different, like something was about to happen. Distracted, she didn’t notice the figure approaching from the opposite direction until she collided with him.

“Oof,” she muttered, taking a step back and regaining her balance.

“Sorry about that,” came a deep voice. Emma looked up and saw a tall guy, dressed casually in a hoodie and jeans, with piercing blue eyes that were immediately disarming. He smiled, offering a hand to steady her.

“No worries, my fault,” she replied, brushing off her coat. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

He chuckled. “Big day, huh?”

Emma nodded, still slightly flustered. “Yeah, always is on game days.” She gave him a quick glance, noticing he had a confident but laid-back air about him, someone who wasn’t fazed by the chaos of a stadium pre-game.

“Well, good luck,” he said with a smirk and walked away before she could ask anything more.

Emma watched him go, wondering briefly who he was. He didn’t look like a fan—too calm, too sure of himself. Maybe a player? But she didn’t recognize him. Shaking off the encounter, she continued on her way, thinking it was just one of those random run-ins.

Later that afternoon

The stands were packed, the air electric with anticipation as the Chiefs prepared to face the Bengals. Emma had her usual spot in the family section, cheering on her brothers, Travis and Jason Kelce, as they took the field. The crowd roared as the Chiefs took control early, but Emma’s eyes drifted toward the opposing team, curiosity pulling her in.

As the Cincinnati Bengals lined up for their offensive play, Emma’s eyes widened. Leading the team was the same guy she’d bumped into just hours earlier. He wasn’t in jeans and a hoodie now—he was in full uniform, a bold number 9 across his chest.

It hit her like a ton of bricks. “No way,” she whispered to herself. Joe Burrow. The star quarterback of the Bengals. The man she’d just casually brushed past without a second thought.

She watched him closely as he directed his team with precision, calm under pressure. The same easy confidence she’d noticed earlier was on full display now, as he navigated the game with a kind of cool control.

Emma couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed, but also amused. How did she not recognize one of the NFL’s most talked-about players? As Joe threw a long pass down the field, resulting in a touchdown, the crowd erupted. Emma couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Of all the people to bump into today, it had to be him.

But something about the encounter earlier had been…nice. Joe hadn’t acted like a superstar, just another guy walking through the stadium. She shook her head, settling back into her seat. Maybe this game would be more interesting than she’d thought.