#mackenzie arnold

The Lead Up

Prequel to The Drunken Confession (⬅️read this first!)

Mackenzie Arnold x Reader 5.0k

Summary: a bit boring of a summary ngl, but this is, like the title suggests, the backstory to how YN and Mackenzie became unfriendly or emenies with eachother

AN: barely proofread so sorry for anything spelling or grammatical errors😭

(Thursday, May 4th) 

Your phone buzzed *ping ping*, you flipped it up to see what it said or who it was from. 

Coach Tony: Hey, YN! I know it's late for you, but to spare you the wait, I'm pleased to inform you that I've selected you for this upcoming Matilda’s Camp! Let me know if you are accepting the invite as soon as possible. Can't wait to see you, kid!

Were you dreaming, or did you actually get picked for camp? You rubbed your eyes and reread the text at least 4 times before responding.

Yn: hey coach!  I'd love to come to the next camp, consider me there already! See you then!

Shortly after the text was sent, although you were excited, you fell asleep after a long day of training.

You wake up the next morning to your alarm. 7:30 am like clockwork, no pun intended. You grab your phone and answer texts from your family and friends back in Australia and scroll on TikTok for a few minutes before rolling out of bed. You head into the bathroom for a quick shower. You play some calming music to start your day while the Tillies group chat pings like crazy. The warm water runs down your body, relaxing and preparing you for what today holds. You walk out of the warm space into the cold air and open Snapchat to see snaps from Alanna and Macca. Seeing their faces in the snaps makes you excited for camp.

You make your way to the kitchen to grab some overnight oatmeal from the fridge. You grab some fresh fruit and take a picture to send back to Lani. As you put stuff away, you get a group FaceTime. 

*incoming call from The Gals* 

You answer the phone and are met with Caitlin, Alanna, and Mackenzie’s faces. “Hey, gals, you alright?” you ask. “More excited knowing we all got called up!” Lani exclaims. “Wait, the official post came out?” you asked, shovelling a spoonful of oatmeal in your mouth. “Yeah, sometime this morning, I think,” Mackenzie says. Some conversation goes by before it gets cut off, “Yn, did Renee say if we needed to bring practice kits for washing today or tomorrow?” Caitlin asked. Caitlin’s question made you think, so you checked your reminders to find out that it is indeed today. “Yeah, Cait its today,” you respond. “Aw, shit, I thought it was tomorrow. I gotta go and find all my shirts, somehow my shorts are all together, but no shirts,” she said, a tad worried. “I think I'm gonna cut my call short as well, I got a separate film meeting with Renee before training this morning,” you say. “Alright, talk to you guys later, if not ill see you all at the airport!” Lani beams. “Bye, guys!” you all say in unison.

You get to your room and throw on your training gear. After taking some snaps in the mirror, you grab the bag of dirty practice gear and sling the bag across your body. You walk to the door, throw on your trainers, grab your actual practice bag and then grab your keys and walk to your car. You throw the somewhat heavy bags into the backseat and prepare yourself for peak rush hour. 

You walk into the Arsenal training facility to see the upcoming schedule: West Ham United @Chigwell Saturday 13:00. West Ham meaning your playing against your Tillies teammates: Katrina and Macca. You walk towards the laundry room and make it known to the one manager, who's already in there, that you dropped your bag off. You turn into the locker room to be met with a bunch of joyful people, clapping and cheering over your senior team call-up. “I should be clapping for half of you, you guys are basically all on your national teams as well!” you commented. After the millions of hugs, you walk towards your locker and drop your bag on your chair before walking to Renee’s office for a film session. 

(Saturday, May 6) 

Every day, at the same time. 7:30 am, your phone said. The bright numbers hitting your eyes first thing in the morning isn't the most pleasant way to wake up, but here we are. You roll over and turn on the lamp. You sit there for a few minutes before finally getting out of bed and walking to your dresser. You open the middle drawer to your team-issued gear and grab the game-day workout gear. You put on the gear and throw your hair up into a bun. You have the same morning every morning. Wake up, grab breakfast, talk to friends and family, then drive to the Sobha. You sit at your tiny kitchen island, shoving a spoonful of oatmeal in your mouth while texting some friends. You text your mom back before there's a FaceTime notification from Mackenzie.

“Hey, yn, ready for me to save every shot today?” Mackenzie asked sarcastically. “Oh, get over yourself, Macca, you know that if we score today, it's gonna be me! You've never been able to save my shots at camp!” you rebut. You both laugh at your statements. “What time are you leaving today?” Macca asked. “I think at like 10:30-11 am, I'm not sure. Depends on when everyone arrives and if Jonas needs to have the whole “inspirational' team talk again,” you say, rolling your eyes. “Ah, gotcha,” she responds. “Well, I figure we talk for a bit because you know it'll be hard until after the game, you know that Katrina and Steph got a dinner set up for us later tonight, right?” “Yeah, Steph told me, Caitlin, and Kyra,” you said. You glance up at your kitchen stove before saying, “Oh shit, Macca, I gotta let you go, peak rush hour is gonna start soon, and I can't be late like last time, Jonas would never let me hear the end of it!” you say. “Yeah, I’ll see you later, YN! Bye!” You click end on the call before you get up and put your dishes in the sink, you think about washing them, but shrug it off and think to yourself, ‘that's a later YN’s problem.’ 

The lights are mainly shut off already, except for the kitchen lights, which you shut off. You grab your keys, sling your gear bag on your shoulder, and you walk out to your car. You leave your house, and immediately hit the big highways. It’s not as bad as you thought it was going to be, but still pretty bad. You made it to Sobha at 10:15, which isn't too early, but early for you. “Holy shit, is YN actually early!” Leah jokes. You roll your eyes and try not to defend yourself because you know you can't, you're chronically late. Kim puts her hand to your forehead and flips it a few times before asking, “You're not too warm, are you sure you aren't sick?” You laugh with the rest of the girls. 10:30 rolls around, and the whole team has arrived, now time for the dreaded Jonas speech. Jonas and Renee walk out of the building, and the numerous eye rolls that you saw were diabolical. “Alright, ladies-” Jonas began, but to be realistic, you stopped listening after that. “Let's load up the bus!” Renee says, clapping her hands together. 

The bus is filled with nothing but the warm and familiar voices laughing and talking during the hour-long trip. You sat with Steph the whole ride, talking about the upcoming camp and some of the rookies. Before you knew it, you girls were outside of Chigwell. One by one, you flowed out of the bus, single file, slowly making a circle. “Alright, girls,” Renee started, “we are going to get in there and eat a bit of lunch, then have a team talk before the game,” she finished. You all walked into the stadium and already familiarized yourself with it, navigating to the guest locker room. After the team drops off their gear, you all make your way to the buffet-style lunch they have prepped. You sat with your Tillie’s teammates and ate while talking about how the game would probably go. 

The locker room is buzzing with singing and different chants. The atmosphere is ecstatic and gives you more energy before the game. You're tying your boots when you feel a body lean against you. It's Leah. Besides your Matilda’s teammates, Leah has been one of your best friends. Leah is singing her lungs out, pretending to hand you an air microphone, signalling you to sing along with her. As if on cue, Jonas walks in. The team huddles around each other, arms on each other’s backs, leaning in to “listen” to the pre-game motivation. You look around to see the faces of disinterest written in everyone's face. You all throw your hands in and out. In a single file line, you all are at the entrance of the stadium, and to your left, West Ham is doing the same thing. Mackenzie is right up front in the captain's spot, same as Kim. Mackenzie turns to you with a smirk, “You mean what you said this morning?” she questions you. “I guess we will just have to see Macca,” you respond, with the same type of smirk painted on your face. Before you know it, both teams are walking onto the pitch.

About midway through the first half, West Ham put up a decent game. It's as if the defenders were on crack that day. Everyone was busting their ass around the pitch, but passes were hard to complete. Somehow, you were up 1-0. You scored the first goal, and that was somehow a miracle within itself. There was a split second where you had a great and open chance until Kristie tackled you from behind, drawing herself a Yellow card. The tackle sent you rolling and grabbing at your ribs. You landed weirdly on your ribs, and the tackle needed to be reviewed. Meanwhile, your team is gathered around you. “Holy fuck, YN, are you ok?” Kim asks. “The tackle is getting reviewed right now, I think it's gonna stand as a yellow,” Leah warns. “Let's just kick their ass,” you say, determined. After a few minutes, the refs called it a red card due to the unnecessary force used against you. With the crowd roaring over the red card, it fuelled you to score. Steph threw the ball, and you touched it, and you just gave it your all. You ran, and you were breathing so hard that your ribs were hurting; they were probably starting to bruise at that point. You passed a few defenders and gave your all into your kick. The ball flew through the air, and you had been holding your breath. Everything was playing in slow motion, making the moment tension-filled. The ball landed in the top right corner. Mackenzie missed it by a few inches. 2-0 going into the second half. 

The end of the game comes around, and you ended the game 2-0. Rough second half for everyone. Your ribs ached so badly. While shaking hands, you had your arm around your ribcage, holding it essentially to relieve some of the pain. Mackenzie was at the end, and she pulled you away, “Are you ok? And don't lie, we both know you're a terrible liar.” You smile knowing she's got you, “I think ill be fine, ill just be bruised and sore for the next few days, that's a given.” You laugh out. Mackenzie gently hugs you to make sure you're alright, “ill see you at our dinner tonight, right?” she asks. “Sure will, Macca,” you say. She releases her grip, and you both turn around to meet up with your team again.

(Saturday, May 6th @6:30) 

You open up your makeup bag on the bathroom counter. The concept is simple because you were aching and didn't want to do anything too extravagant just for dinner. You pull out some bronzer, blush, mascara, and a pencil eyeliner, along with your brow products, of course. You open your main playlist and jam out while starting on your base makeup. Your music goes silent for a moment when you glance down and see a text.

Sofia: Heyyy! Was hoping to see you tomorrow morning? I work tomorrow morning;)

Sofia had been the girl you've been talking to for a few months now. She worked at your favourite coffee shop around your house, and you've slowly grown to develop a little bit of a “crush,” if you will, on her. 

You: heyy! Sure will:)

You smile to yourself at the probably failed attempt at flirting. Trying to get into a romantic relationship since moving to London has been tricky because you play for Arsenal WFC, the most common club in the city. She was the only one that didnt know you, or at least she pretended not to, which made you feel normal. You can't help but smile to yourself at the “plan” for tomorrow morning. You put down your brush and pick up some of your eyeliner. You give yourself a simple waterline and small wing just to make your eyes pop a bit more. You grab the tube of mascara and begin to twist it open when you get a FaceTime from Steph.

“Hey, what time are you leaving because I'm still getting ready, and I was gonna ask if you wanted to carpool there,” she asked, sounding rushed

“I'm almost done with my makeup, but I probably won't be leaving until like 6:30, our reservation isn't even until 7:30, I think, I'd have to ask Mini,” you respond.

“Well, that actually makes me feel a lot better, wanna come round mine when you're done getting ready?” she asked

“Sure, need me to bring anything?”

“I don't think so,” Steph said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Alright then, ill see you in say, 20-ish minutes?”

“Alright, see you then!” Steph ended with a kissy face towards the phone.

You finish up with your mascara and top off your makeup with a bit of lipliner. You stuff your lip products into your purse before shutting off your music and walking to the front door. You opt for a pair of plain little black boots, they for your outfit, which is just a pair of jeans with a black top. It's not exactly “fine dining” but still a smart-casual type of dining. You grab your car keys and turn off the lights before walking out the door. You walk out to your car, you open and shut your door before turning on the engine. The hum of it starts to make you fall asleep, but when you jolt yourself awake, the bruising in your ribs reminds you to stay awake.

You pull into Steph’s driveway before giving your horn 2 quick honks to let her know you're there. 

*ping ping*

It's a text from Steph and one from Mini at the same time.

Stephy: Give me like 10 minutes here, I'm almost ready!

You: Sounds good!

That girl is notorious for running behind schedule. You open Mini’s text next,

Mini Sr: Just giving you a heads up, everyone is here except for Kyra, she couldn't keep her eyes open. We are just waiting on you and Steph!

You: I'm about to pick her up, she'll be another 10 mins before we leave.

Mini Sr: *thumbs up*

You give the horn another honk, telling her to actually hurry up this time. As you do so, she is walking out the front door. She's wearing some casual dress pants with a slim-fitting long-sleeve shirt, while pairing it with some 2-inch sandals, very basic, but she pulls it off. She looks at you through the windshield, sticking her tongue out at you for making her rush outside. “You know you don't always have to be in a hurry, YN,” she says, shutting the door to your car. Your turn and scoff before saying, “Mini texted me saying that everyone was there, they were waiting on us.” Her eyes widen, not too big, but enough to realize that they were both the reason dinner hadn't started. “Well, don't just sit there, drive!” she laughs out. You throw the car into reverse and start backing out, chatting to Steph about how the dinner is going to go.

❤️

You and Steph walk into the restaurant, and you start scanning the room before Katrina. The hostess grabs Steph’s attention, and before Steph can ask, Katrina shouts, “YN, Steph, over here!” You nudge Steph’s arm, and you both walk towards the back of the group's table. Everyone gets up, and you all greet each other with some hugs. “Where's the pest?” Steph questions. “I didn't tell you?”, you respond. Steph looks at you, even more confused. Katrina cuts in, “If the pest in question is Kyra, she went right home; she said she was too tired.” Steph gives an ‘oh ok’ type of nod. You all finally sit, and the conversation starts flowing. Mackenzie slides a glass of wine that was already preordered for you. You accept and take a sip. 

The ambient lighting and the lively buzzing of chatter make your whole body feel warm and fuzzy. You listen to the two different conversations between Caitlin and Mackenzie, plus Katrina and Steph's little chatter. Katrina ends her discussion with Steph before popping the big question, “Ok, all 4 of you, I'm married, so I can’t say anything, but how's your love lives going?” You all laugh at the question until you turn to look at her face, and she is dead serious. “Well, Katie and I are fine, haven't been doing much. It's just practice, games, and spending time with Coopur.” Caitlin chimes in. “When's the wedding?” Katrina says sarcastically, which makes the table erupt in a shared laugh. Steph puts her hands up, “Don’t look at me, I haven't talked to anyone since the last incident.” “Well,” you start, setting down your wine glass. “There's this girl who works at a coffee shop a few streets from mine and Steph's neighbourhood,” the girls all erupt in the same type of ‘oouuhhhs,’ while leaning into you. “Alright, guys,” you laugh, “Her name is Sophia, and we’ve hung out a few times, but she seems really awesome. She also doesn't treat me like a famous football player, but rather, a person,” you say while hiding your red face. “Oi, let's see a photo there, YN,” Macca shouts. You roll your eyes and pull out your phone. You open Instagram and turn your phone to show the girls. “Damn, YN, you bagged that!?” Caitlin said in a congratulatory tone. Katrina held onto your shoulders and gave you a little shake. 

You turn to look at Mackenzie, who was already looking at you. Her face went from her normal smiley, happy Mackenzie, to a jealous demeanour. You try to ignore the quick change of heart from Macca, but before you could even think about it, the food arrives. You're confused because you never even put in an order. You look at Katrina, confused. “I never ordered anything. Why do I have food here?” you ask. “Well, I basically know what you eat at camp, so I pre-ordered your food. I also pre-ordered yours because you and Steph are always late,” she laughs. You laugh with her before diving into your food. 

30 minutes have passed, and everyone is full from the food and the few glasses of wine you've had. You turn to Steph, who stayed sober so you had a ride home, to whom you had already given your keys. “Ready to go?” she asks you. You nod in return before she stands up, giving the social cue. Everyone follows suit and follows up with hugs. You grab your purse, and Steph stands beside you as you walk away. You turn to give everyone one last quick wave, and you walk out of the restaurant and into your car.

❤️

You slowly open your eyes, and you're in your bed. ‘I don't remember getting home,’ you think to yourself. Your turn to look at your nightstand and see that your phone is plugged in, along with some water and Tylenol if needed. Of course, Steph did that for you. You turn on your phone, and the light hits your eyes. It immediately triggers a slight headache. You quickly turn down the brightness and glance at the time, 10:24 AM. There's a text right at the top of your notification stack from Sophia. You click on it.

Sophia: hey was wondering if you were gonna stop by the shop today? My shift ends at 1!

You think about it for a moment before realizing that your body is gonna need caffeine to get rid of the headache. 

You: for sure, say in 20 mins?

You don't think she's gonna reply right away, but to your surprise, your phone vibrated.

Sophia: see you then;)

You sit up and grab the glass of water left at your table. You take the 2 Tylenol and chug some water in hopes of curing some of the pain in your head. You gave it a few seconds before you opened Instagram. Sophia posted on her story. Without second-guessing, you clicked on it. What the fuck. No cause what the actual fuck. Why did Sophia post a photo of Mackenzie and her at the coffee shop together? 

The story time runs out, and you see Mackenzie's story up next. So you click on it, even though you know that you shouldn't. She reposted it to her own story. What the fuck, Mac!? You stood up and threw your phone on your bed. As you headed to the bathroom, disbelief and betrayal ran through your head. In the split second, you decided you weren't going to the coffee shop anymore. You went back to your room and called Steph. To which she picked up instantly.

You: Steph, are you busy?

Your voice was trembling as you were holding in all your emotions.

Steph: YN, Are you ok? Are you crying? You know what, don't even answer that, I'm on my way right now.

As she said that, you heard her keys hit her hand, and she hung up. You removed your phone from your ear and waddled your way to the couch.

Within 5 minutes, Steph was opening your door. She was met with a bawling mess of a friend sitting on the couch. She almost ran to you, and all you did was fall into her. She grabbed onto you with her hand on your head, giving the top of your head a kiss for comfort. “YN, what's wrong? What happened?” she asks, with sincerity. You kept trying to talk, but the words wouldn't fall out except for, “check Macca’s Instagram story.” Steph looked distraught that Mackenzie would make you cry like that, but she shoved down what she wanted to say and opened Instagram. Mackenzie's story was the first one that popped up. “What the actual fuck!” she shouted. “Isn't that the girl you were showing us literally last night!?” You nodded your head before Steph stood up. “Where are you going?” you ask. “To sort this out myself!” she said, walking out your door.

Steph’s POV:

YN’s call sounded worrying. I've never heard her voice barely put out any sound the way it did. I walked into her apartment and found her sitting like a lump on the couch. She looked depressed. I ran over and hugged her, and all she could do was sob. I sat her down and sat beside her. “YN, what's wrong? What happened?” I asked, truly worried about the state she's in. All she could do was weep; her voice wasn't even there. She was able to mutter out one sentence. “Check Macca’s Instagram story.” A little confused, I opened Instagram and clicked on the first bubble. I felt my whole body go hot, as if my blood was about to boil. “What the actual fuck!” I shouted. “Isn't that the girl you showed us last night?” She nodded, and before she could say anything, I turned to her, “I'm going to sort this out myself!” I said it as I walked out. I knew I shouldn't have left her alone, but was Mackenzie that fucking stupid? I jumped into the car, and I drove to Mackenzie's house. I didn't even care if it took almost an hour.

I turned off my car and tried to get myself calm and collected before i walked up there. One deep breath in and then out. Once again, and out. I opened the car door before walking up to her front door. *knock knock knock* I knocked a few times before she came to the door. She opened the door, shocked, but had a smile on her face, “Hey Steph, what's going on?” ‘What's going on, what's going on is you hurt my best friend, that’s all I could think. “Are you alone?” I asked, a little ominously, but oh well. Macca furrowed her brows, confused before slowly replying, “Yeah, do you wanna come in?” I nod my head before she moves out of the way, gesturing for me to walk in. She shuts the door as I make my way to the couch. She follows behind me, and before she sits down, she says, “Do you want any water or iced tea? I got some in the fridge!” she asks. “No thanks, we need to talk,” I said blankly, with no tone. She sits down beside me before I rattle off the first question. “What did you do this morning?” “What?” she asked, half laughing at the dumb question brought upon her. “Answer the question, what did you do this morning?” I repeated. “Well, I went to the coffee shop near yours and YN’s house, I know it's a long drive, but YN said it's really goo-” I cut her off. “Any particular reason, other than coffee, why were you at THAT coffee shop. It's almost an hour across London!”  “Well,” Mac tries to say, “I can't even really think of an excuse. I'm guessing you saw my story?” she says, admittingly. “Why were you with Sophia Mac? YN showed us her last night, and you saw the sparkle in her eyes! She was basically head over heels for her!” I spat out.

Mackenzie just held her head low before letting out a quick “I like her,” “What do you mean you like her? You met the girl just today!” I said, before she interrupted me. “No, no, not Sophia, YN,” she said it, it was out there. I think the world stopped spinning. “What do you mean you like YN? She's your best friend!” I couldn't even think. YN and Mac had been friends forever; what changed in Mac? “It started earlier this year, when she joined Arsenal. The idea of having her so close made me reconsider how I actually felt about her, and if it was just a best friend thing or if I actually liked her.” I sat there, having her words linger in my head. “Well, now I feel like a real dick storming in here,” i muttered out. “Don't be,” Mackenzie started, “I get it. I only went out with Sophia, so then YN wouldn't want to see her anymore because then-” she cut herself off before admitting, “Then maybe she'll wanna date me. I know I sound like a loser and a total dickhead because I don't even know what I was thinking!” she said. She held her hands out and held her head in them. I got up and went over next to her and leaned my head into her. I wrapped my hands around her, to which she reciprocated. She almost started tearing up before saying, “Whatever you do, Steph, you can't tell her.” I pulled my head back, “Mac, what am I supposed to say when I go back to her house? I came over to literally question you because that poor girl was sitting on her couch sibbing when she saw yours and Sophia’s story!” Mackenzie thought about it for a second, “Just say that I couldn't come up with an excuse, I know she'll hate me, but what else can I do? I can't tell her how I feel.” I sighed before apologizing. I basically stormed in here like a tornado. We both stood up and gave each other a huge hug, and before I left, I was told once again, “Steph, I'm trusting you, you can't tell her.” I nodded my head before walking out to my car. I hopped into the driver's side and shut the door. All I could do was lean my head into the wheel and sigh.

Returning to YN’s POV 

All you could do was mope around on the couch all day. You had eaten almost all of the tub of ice cream in your freezer and purposely watched sad TikToks. If crying about Sophia wasn't one reason, you made sure TikTok was gonna give you something to cry about. You finally suck it up and hunch over to the coffee table to grab some Kleenex. You wipe away your tears and blow your nose. As if on cue, Steoh walked in through the door, dejected. “Steph, please tell me some good news.” You stood beside her, almost clasping your hands in hopes of good news. All she did was sigh before saying, “Sorry.” “What do you mean, sorry Steph?” “When I went over there, I questioned her, all she could do was say, “' I don't have an excuse.” You scoffed a little bit at the disrespect and betrayal you've experienced. You walked back to the couch and plopped down. “I can't believe she would do that. I was so excited to finally be fully integrating myself here and get in a relationship, but Macca had to ruin it,” you said to yourself. Steph walked towards you and sat down too. She held her arms out, inviting you in for a hug. You accepted and just sat there. 

Mackenzie Arnold x Arsenal Player!Reader 5.3k

Your typical enemies-to-lovers type of fic. Quick note: Mackenzie still plays for West Ham to make the story work better.

Part 2: On my Masterlist!

Summary: You and Mackenzie Arnold had been sworn enemies since the early days. Any chance you got, the bickering results in arguments. When International duty came around, something in Mackenzie switched. A party happens for all the players on international duty to let loose and enjoy the company before the intense matches. Mackenzie has one too many and admits something to you. Your whole world changes within a short span of time.

“Come on, YN! Pick up the pace!” Renee shouts from across the pitch. YN, with sweat dripping down her face and the nape of her neck, nodded and shouted, “Yes, coach.” Training had already run over by at least an hour, and everyone was basically dying. You turn to see Kyra and Steph at one side of the pitch, trying to keep upright, and opposite to them, Mariona and Beth, trying not to throw up from the over-excretion on their bodies. You could've sworn that she had seen Leah trying to fake an injury in her knee to get a break. As the whistle blew to signal the end of training, you found yourself next to Steph and Kyra, walking towards the change room. “You girls hear that international call-up emails are coming out today?” Steph said with some anxiety in her voice. “You think we’ll all get called up again?” YN says nervously. “I think we got it, girls! No doubt about it.” Kyra said ecstatically. “Aww, look at how happy the pest gets!” Steph said, laughing. “I'm not a pest!” Kyra said defensively.

The change room was buzzing with the usual warm and comforting conversations and laughs while everyone untied their boots. You turn to your locker neighbor, Caitlin. “You hear what Steph’s been saying about international duty?” Caitlin lets out a big exhale, “Yeah, pretty nervous actually, what about you?” “Terrified would be an understatement,” you chuckle. You continue to untie your left boot when Kyra begins jumping and shouting. “CALL-UP EMAIL IS OUT, GIRLS.” In sync, Caitlin, Steph, and you grab your phones to find out. You read the email, and at the bottom are the players who got called up.

Ellie Carpenter Katrina Gorry Steph Catley Caitlin Foord Kyra Cooney-Cross Alanna Kennedy Sam Kerr Hayley Raso Y/N Y/L/N Tameka Yallop Mackenzie Arnold Chloe Lincoln Teagan Micah Clare Hunt Courtney Nevin Charlize Rule Amy Sayer Kaitlin Torpey

Wait a minute. What the hell. Did your eyes deceive you? Mackenzie Arnold. Just reading her name in an email left a bitter taste on your tongue. You knew she was a good goalkeeper, but you still had some hope that someone could be better than her, just so you wouldn't have to experience the same feeling you're feeling in this moment. To avert the thoughts of Mackenzie being called up, you turn to your fellow Tillies to see them celebrating. Kyra drags you up by the arm to join in on the fun. You comply, against your will, and celebrate being called up. Little do the girls know how seeing Mackenzie’s name made you feel pure hatred.

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A few days had passed since the call-up email. You lie in your bed, procrastinating about packing your bags. Clothes, toiletries, and other stuff you were sure can't go on a plane, scattered across your floor. Your phone trills with the familiar vibrations. *Incoming Call from Stephy* “Hey Steph” “Hey, YN, can I ask you a question?” “I'm assuming I have no choice, so fire away.” “ Well, I guess I have 2 questions.” “Question 1 would be?” “When does your flight leave, and are we on the same one, an secon-” “Steph, that was 2 questions.” “Oh shut it, anyway, I know how you are with Macca but-”

Ugh, how her name sends an unpleasant shiver down your spine.

“- Can you promise to try and get along? The team is important, and you know that, and the last thing we need is an argument between you guys.”

You heard her tone, meaningful and cautious. So you take the high road with your answer.

“Ok, Steph, no fights, I promise.” “Thanks, YN. Also, you never answered my question, When's your flight?” “Tomorrow morning at like 9 am. Why?” ‘THANK GOD! Mine's at the same time. Hopefully, the staff arranged for us to be seat buddies.”

You continue talking with Steph and make plans to share an Uber to the airport, you tell her you need to actually start packing, and you’ll see her tomorrow morning.

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The hum of your phone starts playing the melodic tune of dread. Waking up. You roll over to your phone to hit the first snooze button, but you're quickly interrupted by an incoming FaceTime from Steph. You try and adjust your eyes to the bright screen when you're briefly interrupted by Steph singing.

“(in a songsongy voice) Oh YNNNNN, come on, get your ass up.” “There's no way you're actually that happy a person in the morning,” you said in a grumpy morning voice. “Get your ass up right now, cause I'm about to order the Uber to bring me to your house.” “Ok, see you soon, Steph.”

You fold over the warm covers from your body, which is now freezing, and stumble your way to your lights to turn them on. The room was illuminated with the soft, warm white lighting. You start getting dressed and start pondering to yourself. “I wonder where I'm sitting on the plane,” “I hope I sit beside Steph or Kyra,” “Is Katrina gonna be there?” Then it clicked. Fuck. Not only does Katrina play for West Ham, but someone else does. Mackenzie. You sling your carry-on bag across your shoulders and grab your luggage. As you shut the lights off and make your way through your apartment, Steph texts, telling you she's at the front door. Perfect timing as always. You grab your keys and double-check that the door is locked and that you have everything. The driver insists on helping you with your bags, to which you accept the gesture. You open the backseat door to see Steph’s smile beaming brighter than the sun. The non-existent sun, which has barely come out since it was only 6:30 am.

The drive was quiet since you and Steph both had your AirPods in. You start to drift off back into sleep again before the car stops and arrives at the airport. While you and Steph exit the car, the driver, yet again, insists on helping you with your bags. As you look around, your eyes land on a familiar face. “Hey Katrina, how are you?” you said, walking towards the front doors. “I'm exhausted! Harper couldn't sleep last night, and by the time she fell asleep, it was 2:46 am!” Katrina said with some laughter. “Is Clara, Harper, and Koby coming to any of the games?” Steph asks to continue the conversation. You direct your full attention to the ongoing chatter, but your eyes start to wander to the tall figure coming up behind Katrina. Your eyes shifted from curious to annoyance the second you recognised that signature bun in her hair. You hear an audible scoff leave the brunette's mouth, and before you can try and say something, you feel a hand on your arm. A signal. Something warning you not to retaliate.

The lot of you guys make it through the airport smoothly. Except for the fact that Steph packed a little heavily and ended up paying the ridiculous fees to get her stuff to Melbourne. You, Katrina, and Mackenzie laughed at her for actually paying the fee. Weird, you are Mackenzie, actually got along for a slight minute. Other than the slight hiccup, everything was perfect. You made it to your gate and sat down for at least 2 seconds before you realised that you never got any coffee. You were basically dying. You perk right up at the thought. You stood up and asked if anyone else wanted coffee since you were going. Of course, everyone was hesitant until you said the magical words, “I'll cover it.” The orders came in: 4 oat flat whites, and you made your way to the coffee shop, which was quite a few feet away from your gate. You placed your order right quick. That’s a slight perk to getting to the airport early; the businesses are dead. As you’re waiting for your drinks to be made, you feel a taller figure behind you, smelling faintly of her clean-smelling soap. It was a little recognisable. You turn to see Macca standing right behind you.

“Couldn't leave me alone, could ya?” you said teasingly. “You wish,” Mackenzie spits back. “I figure since you’re only one person, carrying 4 cups of coffee across the airport doesn't seem too easy.” “Awww, Macca, you do have a heart in there!” you said sarcastically before restoring your face to its natural resting state. She scoffs at your statement, slightly hiding a smirk, which she removes by pressing her tongue to her cheek. You saw the small smirk. But you don’t say anything, Steph’s words still lingering. “Can you promise to try and get along?” You just wipe the thought away, and as if on cue, the coffees were made and waiting to be drunk. You grab 2 cups, and Mackenzie follows suit. You guys walk side-by-side, in complete silence, through the airport until you reach your gate.

You guys are about halfway done your drinks when Steph’s question came back to you from yesterday. “Hey Steph, where are you sitting?” “Ummm….” Steph mutters while digging in the front pocket of her backpack. “36A,” she says after scanning the information on her boarding pass. “How about you guys, where are you?” “36B!” Katrina says with some anticipation. “Seriously!? I'm in 36C!” Kyra says enthusiastically. After hearing the girls say their seats, you began to fidget a bit nervously. You had hoped that you and Steph would sit together, or at the very least next to Kyra. You're in 36D. Before you could even try to avert the answer out of Mackenzie’s mouth, she interrupts your thoughts. “36E,” she says monotonously. Are you fucking kidding me? Out of the entire plane, you had to sit next to the one person you hated most. Mackenzie found that small smirk from earlier and wiped it again faster this time. To avoid having to make conversation with Mackenzie, you thought about Caitlin. Where the hell was Caitlin?

“Uh, Steph? You live near Cait, right?” you said, trying not to panic. “Yeah, what’s up?” she fired back. “Is she on our flight? I know the odds aren't very high, but 3 of us, Arsenal players, are here, and don't you find it strange that Cait isn't here?” The look of content wiped straight clean off of Steph and Kyra’s faces when they realised that Caitlin wasn’t there. Before someone could, you were the first one calling her. You glance at the time to see that it's 8 am. The flight would start boarding soon. She picked up almost immediately. “Hey, YN, what's going on?” she says, calm and collected. “Cait, did you know about your flight today? Like, where the hell are you? Steph told me you'd be here?” you asked with worry. “Look to your right.” Caitlin chuckled through the phone. You hung up and sighed with relief. You see Caitlin walking towards the group of you, calm and laughing. Steph immediately grabbed her in for a hug. As she was releasing Caitlin from her death-grip, she asked, “He,y where are you sitting?” “Uhh, 37A,” she responds. Shit, not only would there not be a sworn enemy sitting beside you, but you could’ve had some hope that the Tillies staff could sit Caitlin next to you, instead of being behind Steph, Katrina, and the pest. 23 hours worth of flying, and it has to be next to your enemy. Why are long ass direct flights a thing?

Your thoughts get cut off. “We will now begin boarding Flight 368, London to Melbourne, within the next 5 minutes.” You girls are all in Zone A, so you get up and start queuing for boarding.

Making it through was as smooth as it could get. You guys are beginning to walk down the tunnel, buzzing about going back to camp and being back home in Australia. As you get closer to the plane door, you slowly form a line. Katrina, Caitlin, Kyra, Steph, you, and of course, Mackenzie, right behind you. The other girls find their seats and settle. You, on the other hand, sat down filled with tension in your shoulders. Minutes pass by, and the seatbelt sign flicks on, and the intro message begins over the intercom. Macca throws her AirPods in almost immediately to drown out the boring and repetitive safety instructions. You wait until the messages are done before doing the same thing. You soon started to doze off, hoping to sleep due to the long flight ahead.

You woke up from your nap a little distraught, your headphones still playing the music still playing through your ears. You turn on your phone to check the time. You'd only slept for a good 3 hours. It wasn't until you felt something weighted fall on you. Not figuratively, literally. Mackenzie’s hand was found on your thigh, just resting. You turn to her to see her dead asleep. You pick up her hand slowly, trying not to disturb her. She woke up to your hand moving hers. She turns around, her face twisted with anger and confusion. “Hey!” she said, upset. “Why are you touching me?” “Why am I touching you?” you scoff back, “Your hand was literally on me first.” Mackenzie flinches her hand back, as if she had been offended. You just brushed off her repulsive attitude and continued to be bored throughout the flight.

The flight could not have felt longer. To a repetitive pattern of sleep, bathroom, try and talk with the other girls, fail, and repeat. All you could think about was that within the next 2 hours, you'd be far away from Mackenzie.

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After landing, you and the girls make it through baggage claim. As you're waiting for the carousel to start, you talk to the girls. “Kyra, are your parents flying in before training?” you ask. “Yeah, they're coming on the day we have off we have, so I'm picking them up.” As Kyra continues discussing her plans with her parents, you can't help but have your eyes wander to Mackenzie. She was already staring from afar. Staring intently, as if watching your every move. She watches with a smug grin. She looks away when your eyes meet. Ok, what the actual hell is going on? First, she helps with coffee in London. But she was being helpful. Secondly, her hand somehow made its way to your leg, but she got mad at that. Now, she's staring at you. Not in a weird way, but in a way that indicates that there is no hatred behind her eyes. Her actions and facial expression have left you in complete confusion all day.

You grab your bags and take a look around to find the 2 arranged cars to take you to the team hotel. You luckily end up with Steph and Caitlin. While Katrina, Kyra, and Mackenzie are all in another car following you. The trip could not have been any longer. Hitting peak traffic hour while trying to get out of the airport was literal nightmare fuel.

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ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

Chloe Lincoln & Carlize Rule Katrina Gorry & Mackenzie Arnold YN YLN & Steph Catley Alanna Kennedy & Caitlin Foord Hayley Raso & Teagan Micah Sam Kerr & Hayley Raso Tameka Yallop & Kaitlin Torpey Ellie Carpenter & Courtney Nevin Amy Sayer & Clare Hunt

You drag your finger down the list, and your finger stops at your name. It wasn't unusual for Steph to be your roommate, so seeing her name brought a smile to your face. With roommates being established, everyone grabs their bags and crowds the elevators to make it to their rooms. The minute you and Steph make it to your room, you both collapse on your own bed. You unpack and start getting ready for bed. You both end up in your PJs and relax for maybe 4 minutes max before you both fall asleep. There is no doubt that if there were a competition for how fast someone went to bed, you and Steph would win first place.

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The bright Aussie sun beams in through the window. Reminding you that you're back home. Steph is already up and just about to get dressed when she sees you half awake. “Oi, let's go. We gotta be at breakfast in 10 minutes. Joe says he has another type of announcement, so he said the faster we make it, the better,” she says with urgency. With that being said, you roll out of bed and are dressed within 5 minutes. Both of you walk out of your room, meeting up with Kyra at the end of the hall. The journey to the hotel conference rooms was fairly quick, considering how big the hotel was. You walk through the lineup of food, grabbing little bits, assembling what you'd consider the perfect plate. You gather around the rectangular table, plopping yourself down next to Alanna and Caitlin, with Steph across from you. Joe comes into the room as everyone is finally settling down. “Good Morning, Ladies. I hope you're well. I texted everyone this morning about an additional announcement.” You basically zone out when announcements happen because half of them end up being irrelevant. You were brought back out of your daydream when Joe said, “And for the final additional announcement,” you were locked in. “The organisation for this tournament has decided to host a 'party' for the players. So you'll have the opportunity to dress up and meet the other players as a way to defeat any tension between players. Also, a way to wind down and enjoy the time here in Melbourne.” Everyone starts clapping and cheering at the idea. With your first day being in Melbourne, a day off, you immediately start talking to Steph and Kyra. You convinced them to go shopping to pick out an outfit for the party that night.

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You're walking down to the closest mall with Steph and Kyra. You enter the building, being met with AC. The sighs of relief were audible, earning a few crazy looking stares from people. The three of you wander around finding shops that carry outfits to execute your wants. You end up finding this little boutique-like shop down the main strip. You walk in, being met with a mix of everything: elegant, formal, casual, and mixes of elegant, formal, and casual into one outfit. You didn't even know that was possible. The three of you went your separate ways, down different aisles of clothing. Your hand swipes the hangers on the rack until you find something that fits your wants. You spot this black, glittery mid-length dress that makes your jaw drop. Steph comes around the corner, watching you hold the dress. “Oh. My. God. YN if you don't buy that dress, you're out of your mind.” Kyra hears the conversation and pokes her head in. “Holy shit, if you wear that, we are going to have to drag you out of the party. You'd be the biggest piece of eye candy there is,” she says. Your turn to the girls, and they give a nod of approval. The dress sits in your arms as the other two are waiting to find their perfect outfits. Steph eventually finds a matching baby blue coloured pantsuit. And Kyra settles on some nice dress pants with a simple t-shirt.

You three make it back to the hotel, carrying your shopping bags with smiles plastered across your faces. You walk through the lobby when Mackenzie and Alanna pop out from the corner, giving everyone a bit of a scare. Alanna grabs her chest after the scare and pans down to your shopping bags. “What did you girls get up to?” she says as she points to your bags. “We decided that a bit of retail therapy would help, plus we wanted to find a good outfit for the party tonight,” you say, holding up the bag. Alanna asks Steph and Kyra what they bought, and they proceed to show her. You're fully immersed in the mini haul going on in front of you when you turn your head to the left slightly. There she is again, staring. But not at the pantsuit Steph bought, she's staring at you. Her eyes widen when she realises she's been caught staring, but instead of saying anything, you put a smile on your face so she can see. For someone who somehow ‘hates’ her, she copies your exact move, puts a smile on her face and looks at what Kyra bought.

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You're standing in front of the bathroom mirror, adding the finishing touches to your hair and makeup. Steph barges in, in desperate need to use the bathroom. “Holy shit!” she shouts, “You look fucking amazing!” You laugh at her and continue curling your hair. You opt for a simple look: hair down, curled, with a touch of light makeup and lashes. You step out of the bathroom, searching for your phone and bag. While Steph washes her hands, you shout, “Hey, by the way, Alanna, Cait, and Macca are coming to our room before we head down to the party.” You slightly scoff at the fact that Mackenzie is coming, but you take a breath and tell yourself, *It's only going to be for at least 5-6 minutes, then it's over*. You start taking some mirror pictures and selfies when Steph joins in. The knock at the door takes you out of your element. The door opens. Steph greets the 3 girls as they walk in. Alanna is the first to see you and pulls you into a hug. “Oh. My. God. You look amazing,” Caitlin said with shock. Mackenzie turns around from shutting the door. She looks fully taken aback. She has this smile spread across her face, and this time she couldn't hide it. She pulled out her phone as a distraction, which eventually worked. You were dumbfounded that how you dressed up the way you did could literally make Macca lose this tough-person exterior. Alanna opens her purse and holds up a bottle. “Pregame shots, anyone?” she asks with a smile plastered across her face. You all turn to each other and shrug your shoulders with the why not attitude. Cait reaches for the plastic shot glasses out of her bag. Lani fills them up as everyone impatiently waits. You all hold up the little cup and say a little chant. You all down the alcohol. The liquid runs down your throat, and the burn comes up. You suppress the burn and shake your head. After the alcohol settles, you all grab your bags, take some photos and walk out the door.

Cait, Alanna and Steph walk in front, and you and Mackenzie follow behind the others. The 3 girls in front of you start laughing about some weird adverts you'd seen at the mall. Mackenzie turns her head towards you, “For the record, you look good, but I still hate you. Don't forget that,” she whispers, just low enough for only you to hear. You turn to look at her with a twisted, confused face. You never know what could've come out of Macca’s mouth, but that was totally unexpected. You look at her and whisper back, “I'm glad the feeling is still mutual.”

You make it to the giant rented-out convention room just across the road from the hotel. You’re met with greeters welcoming you and telling you where to head. You all walk over to the bar to see Kyra, Ellie, and Sam sitting side by side. Kyra nods her head with respect at your outfit. Ellie’s jaw was basically on the floor. “Jesus, YN, you may as well head to Australia’s Next Top Model! You look amazing!” she exclaims while spinning you around to get the full picture. Everyone orders a drink, mostly something fruity to start. Almost everyone got a simple mojito. Sam and Macca get a beer. You turn around to see the other teams in their own circle and starting to blend. Spain in one corner and England's Lionesses starting conversations with some of Wales’ players and Ireland’s players.

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A few hours have passed, and the only thing you've done is sit and talk with Ellie and talk with some of the Spanish players. You and Mapi Leon had probably talked for at least an hour. You exchange socials and become good friends. You move through the room, eyes wandering and looking at everyone in their formal attire. You end up hitting it off with Alexia Putellas. The conversations between you two flowed extremely naturally. “So,” you say, brushing your arm up hers, in hopes that she'll get the message. “You've played with Barcelona your entire career? Do you ever intend on moving clubs?” you ask. Alexia chuckles, “Yeah, I have. But no, I never intend to move, Barca is my home.” You continue making subtle but intentional gestures towards each other. You exchange numbers to keep in contact throughout the tournament. Mackenzie, who is a few drinks in, stares across the room. Her eyes are burning into your skin. She probably had at least 4 or 5, not like you were counting (you totally were). You walk away from Alexia, saying goodbye and good luck within the tournament. You make your way back to your circle of teammates. The look of jealousy is painted across Macca’s face, clear as day. You meddle between Macca and Steph, to which the move and squeeze you in. Everyone is already engrossed in their own conversations except for you and Mackenzie. You pull out your phone, and you start scrolling through your phone to avoid any and all chatter with Macca.

As you scroll, you feel all the consumed alcohol fill your brain. Your brain feels a bit fuzzy. You grab a water bottle and start drinking from it when you feel something snake around your waist. “What the hell,” you thought to yourself. You look down to see the familiar goalkeeper looking at you with those eager eyes. You pull her hand off of you and look at her, “What the hell, Macca, what do you think you're doing?” you whisper, trying not to cause a scene. She pulls your arm down to bring you down to her level, “Y’know, YN, everything I said earlier, about you looking good, I meant it whole heartily,” she says, eyeing you up and down. ‘We need to talk,” you say, forcing her to get up. The two of you start walking out to the entrance door to get some air and go somewhere quieter. Steph catches your eye, looking confused. She knew you well enough that all you had to throw was a quick look of ‘don't ask, I'll say later’. She nods, catching on to your signal.

The two of you get outside and make it to a bench beside the building. You sit down and take a deep breath. “What the fuck do you mean whole heartily, Macca?” you said, puzzled. “YN, I know you're not gonna believe me, but-” “Oh my god,” you cut her off, “what could you possibly mean, you've been acting weird this entire time.” “What do you mean weird?” Mackenzie said, cutting herself off from the previous thought. “Mac, at the airport, you helped me carry coffee, you would've never done that, like ever! Then on the plan, your hand ended up on my thigh, which you followed with the biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen!” you blurt out. Mackenzie looks at you with the face of someone who had been caught putting their hand in a cookie jar. “Then,” you continue your rant, “at baggage claim, you were staring at me with another grin plastered across your fa-” You got cut off by the feeling of a pair of lips on yours. You couldn't help but reciprocate. It was slow and delicate, but filled with so much feeling and emotion. Your brain finally caught up to you, and you pulled away. “What the hell!” you said, shocked. “I’ve been wanting to do that for the longest time,” Mackenzie says, mumbling. You caught on to her mumbled words, “Wait, what?” “Before you cut me off, I wanted to say that you weren't gonna believe me when I say...” she paused, debating whether or not she was gonna regret what she was gonna say. “YN, I've had feelings for you for the past 4 years.” You just stared at her, dumbfounded. You couldn't even make out words to respond.

“What do you mean, you’ve had feelings for me?” You questioned. “Ever since your first call-up for Australia, 4 years ago, I have had this crush on you. I told Lani, Cait and Steph about it. The only reason I never said anything was because I was scared that you'd reject me. So I suppressed it and channelled it into something that started as banter but developed into an enemy situation.” You listened to the girl, confessing her feelings to you. “Mac,” you said without missing a beat. “I’ve honestly felt the same way,” she darts her head back at you, her face twisted with shock. “But, what the hell do you mean, Steph know?” you asked. “I told Steph because she saw that something was bothering me a few years back, and I told her not to tell you because I thought it would ruin the team dynamic.” You couldn't be mad at Mackenzie after the heartfelt confession; all you could think of is why Steph would keep that from you. You and Mackenzie stared at each other for a brief moment before both leaning in for a kiss. This time, more passionate and both of your kisses were with intention.

Her hand slowly moves up the cup to the side of your face. She pulls away, still holding your face. You put your hand on top of hers, “Well then, we have to go back in there, what are we gonna do?” you inquire. She moves her hand down to yours before saying, “Absolutely nothing, well, let everyone try and figure it out for themselves.” You grab her hand, interlocking your fingers before getting up and walking back into the convention room.

Steph turns to see the two of you walking back, hands intertwined. “FUCKING FINALLY!” she shouts. The rest of the tillies started cheering and had relieved looks drawn on. You look around, confused, before Kyra jumps on you, holding your shoulders. “It was about time Macca confessed to you,” she said, laughing. “Wait, did everyone know about Mackenzie’s feelings for me?” You looked at everyone, almost feeling betrayed because no one told you. Most of the girls started whistling and looking around, while the others started laughing and taking sips of their drinks. It was like a comedy scene from a movie. You laughed it off and continued talking with your team.