A few days later , The roar of the crowd still echoed in Yn's ears as she walked off the pitch, her pulse thrumming with adrenaline. Atletico had secured a stunning 3-1 victory over Levante, with Yn netting two goals and Gio scoring one. Their chemistry on the field had been electric, and as they headed to the locker room, Gio threw an arm around Yn’s shoulder.
“Two goals! Not bad for an Arsenal girl,” Gio teased, grinning.
Yn laughed, giving her a playful nudge. “Says the one who just nailed that final goal! You were amazing out there, Gio. I don’t think we’d have won if it wasn’t for you.”
“Hey, teamwork makes the dream work,” Gio replied, winking.
As they changed and packed up, Gio’s phone pinged. She checked it and glanced at Yn, looking slightly hesitant. “So, are you doing anything after this? It’s Friday night—we should celebrate.”
Yn smiled, feeling warmth in her chest. “Actually, Summer was thinking the same thing. She invited you to dinner with us. If you’re up for it?”
“Absolutely. Count me in,” Gio said with a wide grin.
---
Later that evening, Yn and Summer set the small dining table in their apartment, filling it with plates of tapas and a few bottles of wine. When Gio arrived, she was greeted with a warm hug from Summer, who beamed at her.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you properly!” Summer exclaimed as she led Gio inside. “Yn’s told me all about your magical footwork on the pitch.”
Gio laughed, looking slightly bashful. “Oh, I don’t know about magical, but we do make a good team.”
As they sat down, the evening passed quickly with laughter, clinking glasses, and endless stories. After dinner, the three of them moved to the couch with wine in hand, a cozy movie playing in the background. They had settled into the easy rhythm of conversation when Summer leaned forward, curiosity glinting in her eyes.
“So, Gio, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what made you leave Arsenal? Yn mentioned you used to play there.”
Gio’s face softened, a hint of sadness crossing her eyes. “I didn’t really want to leave, to be honest. Arsenal was my dream club. But… things got complicated with Jonas, the former coach. He wasn’t easy to work with, at least not for me.”
Yn nodded, having heard stories from other teammates about Jonas. “He was tough on a lot of players. You weren’t the only one who felt that way, Gio.”
Gio sighed, swirling her wine. “Yeah, but it felt like he had it out for me, you know? I wasn’t getting any game time, and every time I did play, it was like he was waiting for me to mess up. I wanted to prove myself, but eventually, I had to go somewhere I could actually play.”
Summer reached out, giving Gio a sympathetic smile. “That sounds so difficult. But hey, you’re here now, and you’re killing it at Atletico. I mean, that goal today?”
Gio chuckled. “True. It worked out in the end. And now with Renee as the new manager at Arsenal… sometimes I wonder if I’d have stayed if she’d been there sooner.”
Yn’s eyes brightened. “Renee would love to have you back, Gio. She’s completely different from Jonas—more supportive, way more positive. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll get the chance.”
Gio smiled, looking genuinely hopeful. “Yeah, maybe. In the meantime, though, I’m glad I’ve got you as a teammate, Yn. It’s been nice to have that Arsenal connection, even out here.”
They shared a warm look, and for a moment, Yn felt incredibly grateful for this newfound friendship. She’d come to Madrid feeling so out of place, but Gio had become a bridge between her old life and new.
