Page 76 of Couple Goals

Maeve looks at Kira now, through her lightly blurred vision, passing the ball only after she’s looked back.

‘When I met you I suddenly had something else I cared about. Something else I was scared of messing up. I hadn’t felt like that about someone before.I… haven’t, felt like this about someone before.’

She laughs to herself, kicking the ball faster now, trying to seem more casual as if she’s not expecting Kira to respond to the feelings she’s admitting to having.

‘I know we hardly even know each other, not really. I don’t want this to sound cheesy but when I’m around you… I feel like I’m lit up. And not just because I fancy you. Though I think that’s obvious by now.’ She swallows. ‘But when we kissed, I… it felt like more than just a kiss to me. And whenever we were together, in the locker room, or in the shower, or in the–’

Kira’s eyebrow raises as she puts her foot on the ball before passing it back, as if to force Maeve to continue along this line.

‘Hey,’ Maeve blushes again, gesturing for Kira to continue. Kira smiles a little before passing it back, but Maeve still doesn’t know what the hell she’s thinking. Is she just embarrassing herself by confessing all this to someone who literally doesn’t care about her?

Oh well. If she’s going to be able to be on the same team as Kira, and maybe even hopefully friends at some point in the future, she needs to be honest and take Adriana’s advice to make amends.

‘I’m sure you’re way more experienced than me and probably hook up with people in every team you’re in or whatever,’ Maeve shrugs, ‘but for me, that was a big deal, not just because it felt good but because I liked– I– I like you as a person. Not that it wasn’t also good, you know, umm, physically, I– well, it– itobviouslywas. It was the best sex of my life.’ She blurts out.

Maeve is far more sweaty and breathless than she should be from a gentle kickabout. But when the ball doesn’t come back to her she glances at Kira, who is close now, Maeve can feel the heat from her body.

‘It was a big deal for me too, Murphy,’ Kira tells her.

‘Really?’ Maeve asks, helplessly.

Kira nods, picking up the ball and tucking it under her arm to study Maeve.

‘Murphy, I think you are not a very good judge of how you come across yourself.Iam a mess aroundyou.Iwant to impressyou.Iwas intimidated byyou!’ She laughs, shaking her head.

‘W-what? But you’re like… unintimidateable.’

‘I put on a pretty strong front, I know,’ Kira admits, holding her hands up. ‘And I’m not saying it’sallan act. But the times I am the most like – “unintimidateable” are when I’m trying hard to prove myself, right? It’s not a very helpful personality trait of mine, it must be said. The more I want someone to like me, the more unlikeable I become. I go too hard.’

‘You’re not unlikeable, Choksi. Not in the slightest.’ Maeve swallows. ‘In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite. You’re hard to stay away from.’

They stand looking at each other. Kira drops the ball gently, and steps instead towards Maeve, winding her hand slowly to the softness of Maeve’s side. Heart in her mouth, Maeve gently mirrors the gesture, her hand around Kira’s waist, until they’re stood so close Maeve can feel Kira’s rapid breath against her own body.

Kira strokes Maeve’s side and they stand like that for a moment, Maeve aching to kiss her, but not daring to yet.

Noticing Maeve’s ankle is tired, Kira guides Maeve towards the bench at the side, and they sit, side-by-side, looking at the empty pitch. They still hold hands, like they can’t bear to not be touching any longer.

‘On that first day, I met you, here like this, I was… immediately intimidated by you,’ Kira confides, looking down at the pitch to avoid meeting her eye. ‘I saw you play in training, and you were like this, conscientious, dependable, strong player. Everyone clearly respected you. It was like whenever a decision was made, yours was the voice they’d listen to. You and Addy. You two were so clearly like the heart of the team. I was jealous, I think. Jealous of your closeness, and the way everyone admired you both. And clearly adored you both. And then of course I was watching your form–’

Maeve blushes a little again at the thought of Kira checking her out. Kira laughs, nudging against her. ‘In a professional capacity, of course! And… I think you’ll laugh at this, because it’s going to make me sound very arrogant, but it’s rare for me to meet a player I really think I can learn from.’

Maeve snorts, a sound she’s sure is very unattractive but she can’t help it. Kira grins broadly, pulling her into her.

‘It’s not that other people aren’t really great, legit,’ she pauses, ‘it’s not just about talent or skill. It’s just sometimes you meet someone and – bam.’ Kira makes an explosion with her hands. ‘Some kind of chemistry happens. And you think oh shit, this person is about to change my life. I have a lesson I need to learn here. That’s what I thought when I met you.’

Maeve’s heart swells. She knows what she means, because she felt that too. But it’s wonderful – crazy and wonderful – to hear it was mutual.

‘Well, I thought that,’ says Kira, and winks, ‘and, shit, she’s hot.’

Maeve buries her face in her hands, then moves across to lean on Kira’s shoulder. Kira puts a hand gently on her head, stroking her hair. The sensation seems to soothe them both.

‘I’ve had to be completely independent, my whole life. Self-sufficient,’ Kira explains. ‘My family were moving around all the time, and so was I, back and forth between them. I’d be staying in bedrooms I never felt were mine, often sharing with my step-siblings who never liked me ‘cos I was just this random kid suddenly stealing their hand me downs and second-best toys.’ She sighs. ‘Football was the only place I felt like a normal kid, ‘cos everyone used to just kickabout with random people, so it didn’t matter that I was a stranger. And I was lucky, I was good quite naturally, so I started getting attention from it early, and that was pretty addictive.’

‘I know what you mean,’ Maeve reassures her. ‘It opened up a whole new world for me, being good at football. I never fitted in apart from on the pitch.’

Kira nods. ‘I got used to chasing the high of like, arriving in a new place, finding a pitch, and running in and just like – wow, amazing everyone. Everyone being like who the hell is this incredible kid? Arrive, score, disappear again. That was my life.

‘Then I got scouted, when I was at this school in Germany which meant moving again when I finally felt like I was settling. Now I’m working with Serena, I never know how long I’m going to be somewhere, never have a chance to put down roots, or make friends, or do anything really except focus on my own skill on the pitch. When you said it feels like football is the only constant you’ve had in your life. I get that. Honestly, I really feel that too. And I thought for a long time that was a strength of mine. Single-minded. Go-getting. Just know that all I’m chasing is the next goal.’

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