USWNT: A New Era

Chapter 9: Rekindled Flames and Media Crisis

I sat at the small table in my hotel room, the dim light of the early morning casting shadows across the screen of my phone. Article after article lit up my feed.

"USWNT Coach Too Intense?"

"'No Mercy' Mentality Sparks Controversy"

"Cut-Throat Gesture to Sophia Smith: Too Harsh?"

It seemed like every major outlet had picked up on my sideline antics. They painted a picture of me as someone ruthless and unsympathetic, a tyrant on the sidelines. I knew I'd always been tough, but this? They made it seem like I was some kind of monster. The cut-throat gesture I made toward Sophia after her missed shot was now being analyzed from every possible angle, with pundits and former players calling it "unnecessary" and "borderline abusive."

I clenched my jaw, scrolling through the endless comments. People who'd never set foot on a pitch, never felt the weight of pressure in a final, were criticizing me for demanding greatness. They had no idea what it took. But still, the backlash was heavier than I expected.

"Am I like that? Am I too harsh?" I thought for a moment. No. I'd been this way since I was a player—relentless, no-nonsense, always focused on winning. That's how I earned my spot at the top, and it's how I was going to lead the USWNT. But the media didn't understand that. They didn't get me. They never did.

As I scrolled through the flood of articles, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from Sakina.

"Hey, I'm in Chicago now. Wondering when you'll be back?"

I paused, staring at the message. Sakina. It had been years since we'd spoken, and now here she was, in the same city I called home. My mind raced. Why was she reaching out now? Was she trying to rekindle something? Did she miss me, or was this just a casual message?

I couldn't shake the thoughts of her—Sakina, with her sharp wit and infectious laugh. The years between us hadn't erased how I felt. I knew deep down, I hadn't moved on from her. But now? Now, she was in Chicago. My city.

I exhaled slowly, my thumb hovering over the reply button.

"I'll be back next week. We'll catch up then."

I couldn't pursue anything with her until she retired. Dating a player—especially one I'd be competing against on the international stage—was a boundary I wasn't willing to cross. But her retirement wasn't far off. And now, with her moving to Chicago to join the Red Stars, it felt like the universe was pushing us back together.

As I sent the message, a flood of emotions hit me. Could we really pick things up after all these years? Did she still feel the same way? And more importantly, could I balance whatever was happening between us with this storm of media criticism?

Sakina's POV:

I wandered through the high-rise apartment in downtown Chicago, glancing out of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the sprawling city below. It felt strange being here—this wasn't Paris, and it certainly wasn't the life I'd imagined. But something about the city felt right. Maybe it was the fresh start, or maybe it was the fact that she was here.

My thoughts drifted to Y/N. It had been years since we'd last spoken, but she'd never really left my mind. I'd watched her career explode, following her every move, from her time with England to her new role as the head coach of the USWNT. She was larger than life now, a legend. But to me, she was still the same person—the one I'd fallen for, the one who was always so confident and sure of herself.

As I toured the apartment, a part of me wondered if I should reach out. Did she even care anymore? She probably moved on a long time ago. But then again, the fact that we never ended on bad terms made me think that maybe—just maybe—there was something still there.

I pulled out my phone and sent her a message before I could second-guess myself.

"Hey, I'm in Chicago now. Wondering when you'll be back?"

My heart raced as I sent it. I felt like a schoolgirl with a crush again, but I couldn't help it. I was curious. I wanted to see her, to know if she still felt the same. Part of me worried she had moved on, especially with the life she led now. But another part of me hoped that she hadn't, that maybe there was still something between us.

As I walked back through the apartment, my mind wandered to what it would be like, living in Chicago. Playing for the Red Stars, being so close to her again. Maybe it was fate. Maybe this was a sign.

My phone buzzed.

"I'll be back next week. We'll catch up then."

I smiled. Maybe things hadn't changed as much as I thought.

Y/N's POV:

Later that afternoon, I sat in the hotel conference room, staring at the crowd of journalists gathered for my press conference. Their eyes were sharp, waiting for me to slip up, eager to pounce on any misstep I made.

The questions started almost immediately.

"Your behavior on the sidelines?" another journalist pressed. "The cut-throat gesture, the aggressive comments—how do you respond to that?"

I straightened up, meeting the reporter's gaze. "I'm here to win. I demand the best from my players because I know they're capable of it. What you saw on the sidelines wasn't me punishing mistakes—it was me pushing my team to be their best. I don't settle for less than perfection."

The press conference wrapped up, but the air in the room remained thick with tension. As I headed back to my hotel room, my mind kept drifting back to Sakina. She was in Chicago now. Things were going to get complicated.

I needed to focus on the team. But how could I, when the person I'd never really gotten over was suddenly so close?

Back in my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, the weight of everything settling in. I couldn't pursue her—not while she was still a player. But the idea of her being so near... it was all I could think about.

I glanced at my phone, wondering what the next week would bring.