THE HEADLINES ARE OUT QUICKLY the following days, and what is possibly the worst case scenario for AFC Richmond's already failing season is confirmed. Jamie Tartt is back at Manchester City, which makes my chest hurt to even think.

When the news breaks to the general public, my grandpa gets me on the phone and uses a series of curses only a British soccer fan could.

"We're completely and utterly fucked, Rina," he sighed, his voices edges filled with fatigue. Whether it was his concern over the team he'd been a lifelong fan of, and raised two generations of fans of, having such a shit season or just his growing age, I wasn't sure. Either way he concerned me. "Relegation is in our future."

"It's alright," I reassured, though I was still completely unsure myself. "Their new player, Dani Rojas, is just as good as Tartt. Hopefully he'll slide right into place."

In the sea of uncertainties that this player transfer caused, that was one thing I was sure of; Rojas was good. I had read through his stats enough times to have them memorized, watched enough highlight clips that his goal celebration would be forever burned in my memory. Even Trent, ever the realist about players abilities, had agreed that Rojas was definitely a stand out.

The possibility of having Tartt and Rojas on the same team was too good to be true, though. God forbid there be more than one Ace up AFC Richmond's sleeve.

I shook the positive thought of Tartt out of my head. Maybe a part of me was still reeling from the car ride the other night.

"Humph," Grandpa said doubtfully. A silence fell over the two of us and I knew what was coming next. I sighed in anticipation as he began to speak again, "You know, we miss you over here."

I leaned back in my chair, grateful that James was off working on convincing some other reporters to help him with a video. No one needed to know how awful I was.

"I know, Grandpa," I said. And God did I know how long it had been since I last visited America. I told myself I was busy. And so were they. Maybe part of that was correct. "There's just been... a lot recently."

I could hear his disappointment, his frown practically screaming through the phone. "I promise when everything calms down, I'll visit."

I doubt he really believed me, and I couldn't blame him since I hardly believed myself. "Well, good. Your mother's going crazy over her without either of her kids in the house."

My heart was about ready to explode at that. "Well, Liam's there," I said softly, though what did I really know about Liam? For all I knew, he never called.

A beat of silence passed again before either of us spoke. "Right, well I'll let you get back to work. This old man needs his sleep."

I did him the courtesy of laughing a little harder than I normally would at his joke. "Night, Grandpa."

"Night, Rina."

As the line disconnected, I ran my hand over my face. Worst Daughter, Granddaughter, AND Sister of The Year Award should arrive any day now.

"Sabrina," Trent's voice cut my internal scolding off. I glanced up and saw him just barely inside the doorway to the interns shared office space. "Thank you for that research you sent over."

"Yeah, of course."

"Look over that draft I just emailed you. Tweak or add to it whatever. If I like it, I'll give you co-writer credit when it gets printed."

I sat up straighter in my seat. This would be a big deal. It would look fantastic to The Independents editors when I apply full time after my internship is over. And my year long internship was growing closer and closer to its ending point. Having two published pieces, especially one of them being with my master of a mentor, would only increase my hiring chances.

"I'll do that right away," I said, logging onto my computer. A smile built on my face as I looked back up to Trent. "Thank you, seriously."

Faintly, a grin played on Trent's lips as well. "Yes, well, you're a perfectly capable writer and I need to go pick my daughter up, so."

'Perfectly capable' might as well be as close to a pat on the back an 'good job' that Trent would give me. I bit my lip to suppress my smile. "Of course. Tell Meg I say hi."

Meg was Trent's completely adorable daughter who'd I'd watched a few times when she had to stay in the office. I adored her and she loved me, which only earned me points with Trent.

Trent smiled faintly at me and then turned around. While he was off to continue his life outside of The Independent's walls, I was settling in for what I imagined would be a long night.

☕︎︎☕︎︎☕︎︎

I got back to my apartment at around midnight, completely exhausted but still riding that adrenaline buzz that only finishing an article could give me. It was the high I'd risen through high school and college, the high I'd used to get through those dark times in the early days of my stay in England.

I was proud of myself. I'd added a few paragraphs discussing Rojas game on his former teams before coming to AFC Richmond. Also, I added some more information about Tartt's expired loan period and some brief speculation on why it had come to an end.

Trent and mine's writing flowed together naturally, I concluded. I could only hope he would agree when he looked over it (probably the next morning, Trent was most definitely not looking at his work email at that hour).

"Sab!" Lily's voice suddenly said, startling me.

"Jesus, Lily," my hand clutched my heart in an attempt to drive home the dramatics. Ignoring this, she nearly barreled over the couch as I took off my jacket and kicked off my shoes.

"Okay, listen, and you need to hear my out a bit on this, okay?" Lily launched into one of her panic-rambles and I knew I was in for it. "Isaac and I were texting and doing that flirty, half-serious-half-not thing where we talk about going on dates."

She described this like I would relate even remotely to what she was describing. I didn't interrupt her, but my mind lingered on the fact that I hadn't had a long term relationship since college for a beat longer than I would've liked.

"And he brought up Colin, and I brought up you..." she gestured with her hands in a rolling motion and I suddenly realized I would not like where this is going. "And maybe I suggested we should do a double date."

"Lily!" I exclaimed, my words coming out as a groan as I spoke them. "Colin and I are friends. Like, genuinely. End of story!"

Lily bounced up and down slightly as I moved around her to walk to my bedroom. She followed shortly behind me, continuing her pitch. "I know! And that's why I think this will work so well! The four of us can go out to eat, I get to talk to Isaac in person with you to fall back on and you have someone to keep you entertained! And Isaac and Colin are best mates, so it all works!"

I slid my laptop out of my work bag and plugged it in at my desk as I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, it all works for you. All I get stuck with is awkwardly third wheeling a first date."

Lily placed her hands on my laptop to get my attention. I tried to maneuver her hands off of it as she continued her begging. "It's not third wheeling if Colin's with you!"

"No. It's just third wheeling with an audience."

Lily sighed and let go of my laptop. "Consider it, please. I really want this... thing to work with Isaac." She flashed her biggest puppy dog eyes, the ones that silently guilt tripped you.

I kept my face neutral, trying my hardest to not give her what she wanted. When she noticed this, her face leveled back out and she leaned against my bedroom wall. "Alright, fine. I'll take your dinner nights for two weeks and buy you those shitty American crisps you love."

That got a smile out of me, and Lily knew she'd won. Two weeks of no cooking dinner and Sour Cream and Onion Pringles. "I'll think about it," I promised, slightly shoving her out of my room. "Now go to sleep."

Lily grinned at me. "Sab, I love you! You are an angel!"

I gave her a short lipped smile and closed my door, running a hand through my hair. Jesus, I need to grow a spine.

A/N:
Okay, I know I've said this every other chapter but school has actually been kicking my ass these past few months and I really just needed to lock in. So sorry, enjoy this chapter though.