Queen

I let out a sigh of relieve. Another Champions League win after a disappointing league game. I still couldn't fathom why Dortmund had this dilemma. I knew Marco would want to talk about the positives of this game and how they could carry over into league games. He’s been saying it for weeks but, for his sake, I hoped that he was right this time.

I slipped through the crowd hoping to make it to my car without any obstacles. We were still working out what we were, and didn’t need the media to narrate. I drove back to Marco’s house but I knew it would be a while before he got home.

I fell asleep on his couch and was woken up by Marco’s characteristic “Yeaaa!” as he was walking through the door. I met him halfway between the kitchen and the living room where he grabbed my around the waist and lifted me up. “That was pretty damn good wasn't it?” he asked.

“You all remembered how to play real football,” I joked.

My joke didn't bother him at all. He put me down and said, "The attack was much better organized and the defense stayed steady without Mats. I think we look good for Sunday."

I knew he was awaiting my input. "You better hope it does, Reus."

He smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "How was it watching me work?"

I laughed, "It's much more impressive in person." He kissed me again and started walking me towards the couch.

“I love having you here,” he said as he pressed his lips against my ear.

I murmured in agreement. “I felt like a WAG,” I accidentally let slip out. I was neither a W nor was I clear if I fell in the G category yet.

Marco pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “A WAG huh?” He sat me down on the couch on sat on the coffee table across from me. My eyes widened. Ahh shit, a serious conversation was coming. “I didn't ask you to come here just to talk football, Cassie,” he said.

The first night I was here, we didn't do anything besides kiss. We still hadn't actually. I was enjoying getting to really know and trust him.

I didn't have a response but I was still curious. “So why did you?” I asked.

He looked me in the eyes, hard, for a few moments. “I want to find a way to make this work.”

I started shaking my leg up and down, a nervous tick. “This?”

He tilted his head to the side and smiled, “A relationship, Cassie.”

“Oh yeah,” I paused.

“Listen,” he started, “I know your club season starts in March but you have tournaments before that then a World Cup...” he trailed off.

“And your season goes till May,” I finished.

“Yeah,” Marco said.

He placed his hand on my knee to stop my leg from shaking. I put my hand on his and started to rub the tattoo on his wrist. I looked down and said, “I don't know, Marco, it feels so complicated.” I was afraid of losing our connection by being away from each other so often. I was also afraid of the media attention. I wanted to be noticed for my talents on the pitch and the growing women’s game, not for who I was dating. I shared this with him.

“Cassie,” he took my face in both in his hands, “I know it’s hard but it’s worth it, right?”
I was torn between this blossoming romance and my passion for growing the women’s game. He saw that I was torn. “We’ll figure it out, okay? You can have both, right?” I nodded and buried my face in his neck.

After a few minutes of this, I joked, “am I a WAG now?” Putting an tone of disgust in the
word WAG.

He laughed softly. “Ja. What would you preferred to be called?”
I peeked up from where I had buried my face in his neck, “I’m a queen.”
He leaned forward, bringing me with him, to lie on the couch. “May I kiss you, your Majesty?”
I pulled his lips towards mine, “You can do more than that.”