The replay slowed as he burst through the final gap before delicately chipping the goalkeeper.

The studio reacted again despite it not being live anymore.

Micah Richards laughed loudly from beside Carragher.

"See, this is what I’m talking about!" Micah said. "You can’t coach that. That’s pure instinct. Pure confidence."

"But Pep doesn’t always allow that level of freedom," Carragher replied immediately. "That’s the conversation here. Pep’s positional structure is very strict."

"Yeah," Micah countered, "but Pep also adapts for special players."

Then the discussion shifted toward the Premier League.

Whether the move was too soon.

Whether the physicality would overwhelm him.

Whether Manchester City’s squad was already too crowded.

Whether £77 million for a sixteen-year-old was genius or insanity.

Jane listened to all of it quietly.

Every word.

Every clip.

Every replay.

Almost studying him.

Then footsteps approached from the hallway.

Lexi walked into the living room halfway through another replay of Lukas’ goal against Spain in the Nations League final.

"Mom," she said casually, "you seem awfully interested in football these days."

Jane looked up immediately, almost like she’d been caught doing something suspicious.

"What?" she asked lightly.

Lexi pointed toward the television.

"You’ve been watching football nonstop recently."

Jane tried to brush it off casually.

"Well... it’s summer break. I don’t exactly have much work right now."

Lexi narrowed her eyes slightly but didn’t press.

"Mhm."

She grabbed her bag from near the couch.

"I’m heading out."

Jane looked toward her immediately.

"With who?"

"A friend."

"What time will you be back?"

"Later tonight probably."

Jane nodded slowly.

"Alright. Stay safe."

Lexi waved a hand casually as she headed toward the door.

"I will."

A few moments later, the apartment door closed behind her.

Outside, Manchester buzzed with afternoon movement.

Lexi eventually grabbed a cab toward another district where she planned to meet one of her friends. By the time she arrived, the summer heat had started catching up to her slightly.

She stepped out near a row of shops and immediately decided she needed water first before going anywhere else.

The small convenience store was cool inside compared to the heat outdoors.

Lexi moved toward the back where the refrigerators were lined up against the wall. Another girl was already standing there, crouched slightly while reading through the labels on different drinks.

From behind, Lexi barely paid attention at first.

The girl wore a grey skirt and an oversized dark hoodie despite the weather, her hair loosely tied back while she scanned the nutritional labels carefully.

Then suddenly—

the girl froze.

A sharp inhale.

And immediately crouched lower while grabbing her stomach tightly.

Lexi reacted almost instantly.

"Hey—are you alright?"

The girl turned slightly toward her, visibly uncomfortable.

"I think..." she breathed out slowly, wincing slightly, "I think my period started early."

Almost immediately, she awkwardly tried glancing behind herself toward the back of her skirt.

Lexi checked quickly for her.

"There’s no stain," she said immediately. "You’re okay."

The girl visibly relaxed slightly.

"The bathroom’s over there," Lexi added quickly while pointing toward the back hallway. "Go. I’ll bring you something."

The girl hesitated.

"Really?"

"Just go."

"...Thank you."

Still holding her stomach slightly, the girl hurried toward the bathroom while Lexi immediately turned and walked through the store.

A couple minutes later she returned carrying supplies along with a bottle of water and a small packet of painkillers from the pharmacy section.

She knocked gently on the bathroom stall.

"It’s me."

The stall door cracked open just enough for a hand to reach out awkwardly.

Lexi passed everything over.

"Thank you," the girl said again, sounding genuinely relieved.

"No problem."

Then Lexi stepped back outside the bathroom area and waited.

Around fifteen minutes later, the girl finally emerged looking significantly better than before, though still slightly embarrassed.

"Seriously," she said again, "thank you so much."

Lexi handed her the water bottle and painkillers.

"Take those too."

The girl blinked.

"You didn’t have to do all that."

"It’s fine."

The girl smiled softly then extended her hand slightly.

"I’m Joanna, by the way."

"Lexi."

They shook hands lightly.

And neither of them had the faintest idea who the other actually was.

Joanna held the bottle of water lightly against her stomach while leaning back against the wall outside the bathroom area. The worst of the cramps had passed for now, but the embarrassment still lingered stubbornly on her face.

"I really appreciate what you did today," she said again, looking at Lexi properly this time. "Seriously."

Lexi shrugged casually like it was nothing.

"It’s fine."

"No, really," Joanna continued. "It’s just been a stressful week already. Preparing to come here, traveling, all the football stuff going on around my boyfriend... I guess that’s probably why it came early this month."

Lexi nodded immediately.

"Yeah, stress can mess everything up."

Joanna laughed softly under her breath. "Still not exactly how I imagined my day going."

"I don’t think anybody imagines crouching in pain next to a drinks fridge."

That made Joanna laugh properly this time.

The awkwardness faded almost completely after that.

They slowly drifted toward the front of the convenience store together, still talking casually while Joanna occasionally sipped from the water bottle Lexi had bought for her.

"So," Lexi asked after a while, "are you here on holiday or something?"

Joanna tilted her head slightly. "Sort of. Not really a holiday though."

"How come?"

"My boyfriend got work here," Joanna explained. "So I came with him and his family while he settles in."

Lexi nodded slowly. "That sounds kinda exciting honestly."

"It’s been..." Joanna paused, smiling faintly, "a little chaotic."

"I can imagine."

Joanna laughed quietly. "The last week has barely felt real."

Lexi noticed the way she said that.

Not dramatically.

More like someone still trying to process something huge happening around them.

"So where are you from originally?" Lexi asked.

"Portugal."

"Oh wow."

"But I live in Germany now."

Lexi blinked. "Wait, so you speak Portuguese and German?"

"And English."

"That’s already annoying."

Joanna smiled slightly. "Spanish too."

Lexi stopped walking briefly and stared at her.

"Okay, now you’re just flexing."

Joanna laughed. "I’m learning French too."

"Yeah no, never mind. I officially dislike you."

That got another laugh out of Joanna.

"I’m not fluent in French yet though."

"Still ridiculous."

Joanna smiled warmly at that while brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Languages were always kind of important in my family."

"That’s honestly cool though," Lexi admitted. "I barely survived mandatory Spanish classes."

"You speak English."

"That doesn’t count. I was born here."

Joanna laughed again.

The conversation became easier and easier after that. Surprisingly easy, actually.

Lexi found herself liking Joanna almost immediately. She was pretty, calm, funny without trying too hard, and easy to talk to in a way that didn’t feel forced.

Eventually they exchanged phone numbers.

Then Instagram.

Joanna’s account was private, so Lexi sent the request while they stood there near the entrance of the shop. Joanna accepted it almost immediately.

The profile refreshed.

And Lexi froze.

Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the first picture that appeared on the feed.

A stadium.

Bright lights.

The Europa League trophy resting on the pitch.

And standing beside it—

Lukas.

Joanna stood next to him smiling while Lukas had one arm loosely around her shoulder, both of them still wearing post-match medals around their necks.

Lexi looked up immediately.

"Oh my God."

Joanna blinked. "What?"

Lexi turned the phone around toward her.

"That’s your boyfriend?"

Joanna looked at the picture and smiled slightly.

"Yeah."

"You’re dating Lukas Brandt?"