The First Goal

Distractions and Decisions

It's barely been three weeks since Baris and I met, but already, he feels like a central part of my life. 

I keep trying to keep myself grounded, reminding myself that it's all so new, but I couldn't resist a little search about his past—specifically, that girl, Ceren. 

She was already vaguely familiar to me from my initial research for the interviews, but I hadn't looked beyond one or two articles at the time. Now, I wanted to understand more.

The search results were... intense. Paparazzi snapshots of her, looking flawless and composed, arm-in-arm with Baris on summer trips to Bodrum. Headlines like, "Baris and Ceren: Making Love Official" and "Meet Turkey's New It Couple" flooded my screen. 

Even though Baris had dismissed it as a stupid mistake, the photos made me question everything. She was gorgeous—a total Turkish Barbie, with the press eating up her charm. But after that icy interaction in the store, I knew her beauty was only skin-deep.

Enough. I closed my laptop, pushing the thought of her out of my mind. I needed to focus on tomorrow's work, especially with the meeting scheduled with Umut. Burak would be joining me later to head to the practice, so I prepped as much as I could.

The Next Morning

I slipped on my favorite business-casual look, a pair of tailored high-waisted trousers, a crisp white blouse with subtle ruffles at the sleeves, and a structured blazer draped over my shoulders. Paired with ankle boots and a soft leather bag, I felt both confident and professional as I headed out.

Checking my phone, I saw a text from Baris: "If you need anything or a ride, let me know, guzelim." Smiling, I replied, reassuring him I'd see him later, adding a heart emoji. A moment later, he liked it, which made me smile.

The meeting with Umut went smoothly—he loved the video we'd produced and decided to share it across all channels, tailoring the length and content for each platform. It took off immediately, with comments and shares piling up. 

The girls especially loved Baris, and I couldn't help but send him a screenshot with a playful, "Look at you, going viral" message, sprinkled with sarcastic emojis.

Surprisingly, Baris was thrilled with the response, even noting how quickly his follower count was skyrocketing. This seemed like the perfect moment to pitch an idea I'd been brewing.

"Umut," I began, "I think there's an opportunity with the Madrid match. If we could capture some of the behind-the-scenes moments, especially if they win, we could spotlight the players' personalities, and it would create a real emotional connection with fans." I outlined a social campaign idea, including interviews, snapshots, and even candid moments to make fans feel closer to the team.

After a few questions, Umut nodded, seeming intrigued. "Alright, I'll discuss it with the others to arrange accommodations and transportation. I'll try to get you on the team's flight."

I could barely contain my excitement as I stepped out of the meeting, immediately calling Baris.

"Baris, guess what? I'm coming to Madrid with you!"

His response was instant, his voice warm. "Guzelim, that's amazing! Now I'm even more convinced we'll win—knowing you'll be there is all the luck I need." I could practically hear the smile in his voice. "I'll see you in an hour, baby. Bye... öptüm."

Burak and I entered the facility, and soon the coach gathered all the players into the conference room. As we began presenting the success of our campaign and the media attention it had sparked, the team seemed genuinely interested.