I grab a towel and head into the empty stall to clean myself off. The hot water feels good, washing away the sweat and grime from the game. Once I’m done, I realize I left my clothes in the locker room. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I carry mygear and uniform out, finding Millie still snapping pictures. She quickly averts her eyes when she sees me.

“Do you need privacy?” she asks, her voice a bit shaky.

“Not at all,” I reply, but she turns away anyways as I dress. Once I’m in my boxers, jeans and a T-shirt, I speak up. “You can look now.”

She turns back around, a small smile on her face. “Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot,” I say, pulling on my sneakers.

“How do players survive being traded off? I mean, you’re clearly like a family.”

I take a moment, considering her question. “It’s tough. It’s always hard saying goodbye, but it’s part of the game. We get used to it. We have to.”

She nods, looking thoughtful. “It’s sad.”

“Yeah, it is,” I agree. “But like I said, it’s part of the job.”

She smiles softly. “I guess so.”

She takes a picture of me in the locker room, then looks at me, her eyes a bit mischievous. “Can I say something a little inappropriate?”

I smirk, curious. “What?”

She hesitates, then blurts out, “I still can’t believe you have pierced nipples.”

I laugh, the sound echoing in the empty room. “That came out of nowhere.”

“Sorry,” she says, looking a bit embarrassed.

“I’m into piercings,” I tell her, shrugging.

“Do you have more piercings?” she asks, sounding fascinated.

“Not where you can see them,” I reply, watching as a blush creeps up her cheeks. The color makes her look even more attractive and I find myself wondering what it would be like to kiss her.

We fall into a comfortable silence, the air between us charged with unspoken words. Millie breaks it by asking, “What’s next for you guys?”

“Coach wants us to focus on the next game,” I say, leaning back against the bench. “It’s against a tough team, so we’ll need to bring our A-game.”

She nods, still looking a bit distracted. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Thanks,” I say, genuinely appreciating her support.

We spend a few more minutes chatting, her taking occasional photos. I feel a growing attraction to her, something I know that could complicate things. But right now, in this quiet moment, I don’t care. I’m just enjoying her company, her smile and the way she makes me feel.

“Ready to head out?” I ask eventually.

“Yeah,” she says, packing up her camera. “Thanks for letting me do this.”

“Anytime,” I reply, meaning it. “Let’s go.”

As we leave the locker room, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s changed between us. Something significant. And as much as I try to focus on the game and the team, I can’t help but wonder what’s next for us.

I lead Millie to the car and she stops suddenly. “Crap, I forgot something,” she says, looking flustered.

“What did you forget?” I ask.

“My microphone. I think I left it on the bench,” she replies, already turning back toward the locker room.