Sentimental offside

zed under Mil

Djamal from the sideline, clipboard in hand

tepped back

is

he stands, tears glistening in her eyes. Mila barely heard them. The pounding in her

, she'd

eadband, defiant, like her. Around her, teammates crowded for hugs and selfies, but Mila s

said. Too ambitious, others mumbled.

ce interrupte

l approached, his eyes sharp but

ch." She fo

dy for B

ing her towel. "I'm

i

untry she barely understood, to join a team she'd only seen on YouTube. Red Star Belgrade.

xactly wha

e. "They'll come at you hard. Different culture. D

She nodded, words ja

, and goodbyes. Mila peeled off her jersey like she was s

amp towel at her. "Don't forget us wh

survive winter over ther

er faded when Lina added, "They don'

halfway to her fac

red vaguely at her skin,

rk. "Good. I like

, somethin

de? Fear?

very passing train. Mila sat on the floor, surrounded by half-

screen, an

– Paris (CDG) t

ure: 1

us:

turn

itchen with a bowl of mafé. Mila

side her. "Y

t answer r

finally. "I've never played at that lev

Belgrade to be liked. You're going to be seen. Le

t if I m

rise again. That's

raised her alone, juggling cleaning jobs, night

as the

f neon lights, goodbye h

o tightly Mila cou

?" she asked. "And th

, ma

nch, hein. And if an

st, talk lat

ghed. Th

duffel heavy on her shoulder, she he

remember

dn't lo

she might

ded in Belgra

y s

d w

led and cracked in

tepped into the terminal,

man in a red tracksu

dn't

lcome. I am Gor

lish with a

ded. "H

. Just a mot

city looked like it hadn't laughed in years. Buildings with bullet holes,

, Goran sa

Belgrade passed by

window, her reflec

made a

ge of the city-steel, brick, and frost. Inside, the rece

14. Ups

bed, desk, tiny window. A team t

ress. Her breath mis

sket. No flow

sil

She tried to call Lina, then hung u

she never traveled without a

silent-until the creak of

emale voic

tur

thletic, all in matching gear. One le

, Mila

like she was a bu

girl?" Lana asked i

d. "Yeah.

. "We'll see how

hers c

This isn't Paris. No

her pride and

r

g, she fina

o Vu

ac

le

ll, broad-shouldered, with eyes like crack

Sharp," he said, voice low b

eyes land

ht p

smi

ands

one

ou

traighter.

se. He blin

you play as lo

e walk

slammed b

, Mila cou

was colder than outside. And her

the tracksuit jacket

hadows. Strange lights. Distant sirens.

was

the nerves, the doubt, th

hem s

hem d

me to Belgrad

me to

f Chap

_______