IR Day 14 - Karin's choice

These idiots thought they were going to hold the announcement until after dinner. Well, when they saw that nobody was eating because of the suspense, they had to rethink that. You sit with your team, who you had been taking for granted. You don’t want to lose any of them, especially after you all just got done visiting Max.

You sit at the table in the air-conditioned dining hall, surrounded by your team. You are mourning the change that is coming. You are mourning that you weren’t up against Blue Team; you could have beaten them and traded Ingrid onto your team! You mourn the fact that FUTA just torched all the work that coaches like Tiff put into analyzing other teams and the way that they work together. It’s so much.

Annette herself appears in shorts and a white, FUTA top, looking chic and ready for summer with big sunglasses perched on her blonde hair.

“OK, is everyone ready?” she asks for the cameras. Normally they don’t record you eating, but right now they have to do it to get everyone’s reactions. Numb, you listen to the other trades, only paying attention to Blue Team—but Adella did not choose to trade Ingrid. She chose to get rid of Miranda, and you don’t blame her. You have spent your share of time ogling Miranda’s beautiful ass in the black and white leggings that she likes to wear, but you’ve never heard anything good about her. But Adella didn’t take a new goalkeeper; so you aren’t sure what she has in mind.

But now it’s Yellow Team.

“Yellow Team will be trading Lena to Pink Team,” Annette reads cheerily. You knew it. You fucking knew it. “And in return, Riley will be joining Yellow Team!”

You drop your fork with a clatter, and many others react the same way.

Nobody else tried to steal a captain. Did everyone just assume that was against the rules? Only… you turn to look at Karin, who looks smug among her bountiful, golden ringlets. She radiates entitlement. Yeah. Only she would have the audacity to do this.

Your team is in a state of shock. So are you.

But this has to happen, right here for the cameras. You have already watched several other girls switch places.

“Um,” you say, pushing your plate away. “OK.” You stand up, and your team watches you step back from the table. Lena’s on her feet.

You are actually trying really hard not to cry.

“I’ll, uh, see you around, guys,” you say, glancing at Tiff. She’s with the other coaches, watching with a stony look.

You decide to move before any of them say something. You don’t want to be on camera getting choked up. You walk past Lena and take her spot at the Yellow Team’s table.