The Jersey Shop Girl

 ”Hey Talia! Those jerseys don’t unpack themselves!”

“I know! I’m on it!”

Sighing in irritation, Talia stepped into her parents’ jersey-shop at Genesis Stadium. It wasn’t that she didn’t like helping, but unpacking the shirts was one of the lamest jobs at all. Shaking her head, making her blond braid fly, she cut open the first box, faintly listening to the passers-bys.

“Now all people wanna buy, is the jersey you wear on the field.”

Definitely a guy. Talia kept her gaze down at the green uniforms in the box.

“It’s pretty strange to see your own jersey. With the number and everything.”

Another guy. The blonde checked the green shirts for anything that might be wrong with them.

“You think they’ll sell many?”

“Of course! Even if certain ones sell better than yours. Excuse me miss? Does the Snow Kids number 9 jersey sell well?”

Pulling the green jerseys out of the box, the teen girl flashed a quick look over her shoulder.

“D’Jok’s jersey? It’s a half town best-seller. We only have two left.”

She put the new uniforms on the appropriate shelf, before she turned around to look at the two boys in front of the shop. The redhead seemed very pleased, looking at his black haired friend and then back at her.

“And how about number 3?”

Talia cocked her head, her brown eyes locked on the redhead.

“Well,” she said hesitantly. Something about them seemed familiar.

“We’ve got heaps of that one left.”

The guy with the black hair looked unhappy, his head dropped and glaring at the countertop.

“Alright, alright! You win already! You’re the star of the Snow Kids! What else do you expect? You want me to ask you for an autograph?”

That’s when it snapped. She knew where she had seen them before.

“Why not?” the redhead asked, laughing as the black haired boy walked away.

Talia cocked her head to the other side.

“You’re D’Jok, aren’t you?”

As if her question had set off an alarm, people quickly filled up every free spot around the redhead. Talia took her chance to sneak out of the shop.

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“Come on,” Micro-Ice called after his team mate.

“We’re already late for practice.”

“Just go ahead. I think I’m gonna sign some autographs.”

With a sigh and a slight shake of his head, he turned around to walk away.

“Wait.”

The girl from the store ran in front of him, cutting off his track. Micro-Ice raised his eyebrows.

“Um… Could I… have your autograph?”

She cursed the blush lighting up her face to the darkest pits of hell.

“Uh. Yeah, sure.”

With a huge smile, she pulled off her hoodie, revealing the Snow Kids jersey she was wearing under it. Seeing his blue eyes widen a bit, her blush deepened.

“I’m a pretty big fan,” she said with a sheepish smile, too embarrassed to look directly at him.

“I bought it. Though dad probably would have given it to me, if I’d told him I wanted it.”

She handed him the marker and turned her back on him, to let him write.

Spotting the actual number on the jersey made his eyes go wider.

“Uh,” he said, trying to figure out what to do.

“What’s your name?”

“Talia.”

She pulled her braid in front of her shoulder, so it wouldn’t be in the way.

“So, you’re a fan of us Snow Kids?”

Micro-Ice mentally slapped himself. Stupid question! She was wearing his jersey! Of course she was a fan!

“Well, mostly… you actually.”

She was incredibly happy he couldn’t see how her blush darkened again.

“And Ahito. He’s cool. Reminds me of my brother.”

He chuckled. Talia looked at him over her shoulder, the blush almost gone and a happy smile replacing it.

“You seriously have a brother who sleeps all the time.”

“Well, yeah, but he’s mainly sleeping because he’s lazy. If my dad didn’t force him to get up and help out in the shop, he’d probably be sleeping all day.”

“Did he ever fall asleep in the middle of a football match?” Micro-Ice asked, returning the marker.

A soft giggle escaped her and she faced him again.

“It’s the only time he doesn’t sleep.”

She took the pen and slipped it into her pocket.

“Thank you,” she said as her smile grew bigger.

“Well, you just saved my day,” the football player admitted.

He grabbed her hand and shook it, smirking slightly at the blush returning on her cheeks.

“So it’s only fair that I’m the one to say thank you.”

“TALIA?!”

Both teens jerked in surprise, the blonde’s eyes widening.

“Oh shoot!” she exclaimed, releasing her idol’s hand and pulling the hoodie back on.

“He’s gonna KILL me for leaving the shop!”

“Well, it was nice meeting you before you got killed,” Micro-Ice joked, feeling great when she flashed him a smile, before she bolted back to the jersey shop.

----------

Talia’s dad didn’t kill her. He did, however, yell at her for about an hour, before making her unpack the rest of the new uniforms. It didn’t really bother her though.

When she took off the Snow Kids jersey to go to bed, she pinned it up next to her bed, for the first time actually seeing what her idol had written. Smiling wide after reading it, she changed into her pajamas, and crept under her covers. She even kept the smile in her sleep.

To Talia

For being a great fan

For having a great taste in football players

And for bringing my good mood back

I’ll hopefully see you around

Micro-Ice