Chapter Text
“Dougie, how am I famous enough for this?” Andy asked, thumbs hovering over the dating app. “I'm just Andy.”
“As your bestie and also manager I have to strongly disagree. Honey, you're a two-time Olympian and I have sponsors blowing up my inbox. You may feel like, ‘Just Andy’ but you've reached celebrity status ever since the National Team won Gold last year.”
Andy knew this was the truth yet it was a tough pill to swallow for a humble Midwestern gal. Between the sponsorship’s with her National and International soccer career as well as the print and TV ads, she had become famous among athletes. That was never the intention when she had begun to play soccer at the age of 7. Andy had always been a positive and energetic soul from a young age. Soccer had become a healthy outlet and after buying a book about Mia Hamm from the book fair, she had become hooked on the sport.
From a young age she had a natural talent for soccer and earned a D1 Athletic Scholarship to Northwestern University. After college her National and International career skyrocketed. Between the founding of the National Women's Soccer League and winning a spot on the US National team she hadn't been able to focus on anything but soccer. Her aspirations of being a journalist were pushed to the wayside as she made a name for herself as a professional athlete. Her first Olympic debut 5 years ago had brought her a bronze medal with Team USA. While her second had garnered a Gold medal and a new team in New Jersey. Blue Sky FC.
“Do I really have time to date though? I'm on two teams and if I play my cards right I'll make another Olympic debut at 33.”
“Do you plan to wait until after your athletic career is over? You don't plan on stopping anytime soon.” Doug placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a soft reassuring squeeze. “I just want to see you happy. If that's being a single dog Mom then more power to you. But if you're wanting to get back out there after-”
“Oh my god don't even say his name.” Andy interrupted, shrugging his hand from her shoulder. “I don't have the time or energy for another relationship. I've got to focus on training.”
“Who said anything about a relationship? Your last date was well over 6 months ago and a girl has needs.”
“My needs are none of your concern, Dougie, besides I need to build a connection with someone emotionally first before moving to intimacy.”
“Your schedule isn't changing anytime soon so whoever you choose to date or whatever is just going to have to accept that. A celebrity would understand a packed and hectic schedule versus some Barista from Queens. Just keep your battery operated domestic partner fully charged and you won't have to worry about intimacy.”
“Oh, shush it and just help me find the right photos.”
“I already know exactly what we're using.”
“It better not be the bikini one!”
Doug had many wonderful traits that Andy grew to adore over their nearly 15 years of friendship. He was loyal and outspoken, at times to a fault, but he was an absolutely terrible wing-man. It all started with Andrew aka Andy in the 7th grade. She should have known that sharing the same chosen name was a warning sign and not a charming anecdote. Andrew, she refused to call him Andy because that was weird, was her first kiss and to this day she could still taste the excessive breath mints and smell the overwhelming scent of Phoenix Axe body spray. Why he decided to try French kissing as their first ever kiss was beyond her.
The next of Doug's wing-man. offenses was what Andy considered her first real kiss. Sarah, who was a sophomore while Andy was a freshman, was far more experienced in the art of kissing. She was as suave and sensual as she was a backstabbing snake. If it wasn't for her true colors being revealed Andy surely would have lost her virginity to Sarah. It had become a joke among the popular girls that Andy would fall for the first girl who gave her a real chance. After coming out the previous year, Andy hadn't yet had a real girlfriend. Doug, being part of the Cheer squad, heard that Sarah had a crush on Andy and set them up on a date. What he hadn't known was how far Sarah was willing to take the charade. Yes, Sarah was into girls, just not the “frumpy butchy ones”. It had taken years for Andy to get over the feeling of betrayal and self loathing.
Nate, her most recent ex, had worked as a Chef at Doug's favorite fusion restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky which Andy had visited often. By the time she met him she had lived in the area for a year and was established on the local NWSL team. Nate was friendly and made Andy laugh which she had grown to appreciate with her hectic training schedule. After a few dates they had decided to become exclusive but after the emotional highs of a new relationship had worn off, they'd grown to resent little things about one another. They both worked long days and more often than not Andy was away for games across the country or even the world.
Andy was offered a new contract for Blue Sky FC which she accepted without hesitation. Nate had moved to New Jersey with her but struggled to find a job that wasn't a chef de partie. He hadn't earned his place in New York City so he had to settle for a steakhouse in Newark. He had to start from the ground up, unlike Andy who was thriving in her career. Oftentimes she wondered if he had grown jealous of her becoming the breadwinner in their relationship. He ironically couldn't afford the same meals he cooked for others every night yet Andy could cover on their dates with ease.
Nate ended the relationship one night in a drunken hissy fit that both Andy and Doug deemed as, ‘The Incident’. Nate had called her every name in the book. He had blamed her for his career stagnation and how he sacrificed more for their relationship. He even accused her of cheating on him with her teammate and friend Rowan. Where he had pulled that accusation from was one she never understood since Rowan was straight. By the end Andy was oddly relieved the relationship was over. She no longer had to worry about if her career was ruining her relationship nor having to stroke Nate's ego.
Doug was a horrible wingman but he was a loyal friend.
“Am I not the best wingman ever?” Doug asked, scrolling through Andy's new dating profile.
“You are literally the worst wingman but you are the best of friends so there's that.”
“I beg your finest pardon. I am the best friend. Don't you forget it.” He booped her nose before standing from the couch. “Don't stay up too late, someone has a game tomorrow.”
“Good night, Doug!” Andy tossed a throw pillow, beaming him in the head with a solid thud.
Andy's aforementioned teammate and friend Rowan had sent the invite link to the dating app and after her and Doug's insistence, she created a profile. She had used specific keywords in her About Me section and skipped the usual “hobbies” others posted. There was no way that so many people actually liked hiking and we're over 6 feet tall. Many of the profiles she rejected for a number of reasons. Quite a few were looking strictly for hook-ups while others were a bit too Republican for her lifestyle.
Doug's hobby was photography so the photos on her profile had caught plenty of attention. She had expected a few people to like her profile but what she hadn't anticipated was the multitude of interested people. Most of them were men which Andy often attracted more of, though there were a decent number of women as well. She had selected both men and women along with an age range limited to 30-55. After her last relationship she wasn't planning on dating anyone younger than her. She needed a mature partner.
The ding from Andy's phone startled her back to the moment. Clicking the new message notification she was routed to the dating app. Lizzy M, the name read along the top. Age 32. She had very similar interests to Andy and honestly wasn't too bad on the eyes either. Her bright green eyes contrasted her deep brown hair which was cut into a stylish side-swept shoulder length bob. Her first photo was a head shot in an asymmetrical neon pink dress and the next was with a Bichon Frisé dog. She was a model who enjoyed playing retro games much to Andy's surprise.
4/12 8:27pm
Lizzy M:
Hey, how was your weekend?
Andy S:
Hey, it's gone well so far. I spent my morning at the gym.
Lizzy M:
Oh, are you an athlete?
If you count e-sports then I totally am as well!
Over the next hour and a half Andy had spoken with Lizzy about their lives and hobbies. Lizzy was a model by day and a retro gamer by night. When she wasn't modeling she was live streaming video games to her audience. After a few minutes with no reply Andy settled into her nighttime routine. The steam rolled from her shower as she slipped inside. The scent of cheap floral shampoo and her body butter wisped in the steamy air as the tension slowly left her shoulders. Her phone buzzed on the countertop twice as she finished drying her hair. Flipping the mess of fuzzy locks into the towel, she wiped away the condensation from her screen and opened the notification.
“No…no…absolutely not.” She swiped away the profile with a unicorn emoji in their username and a photo of a couple.
Doug had warned her about couples who used dating apps as a way to get a third in their relationship. There was nothing wrong with open relationships or being Polyamorous, they just weren't Andy's cup of tea. She had tried dating multiple women at once during college but that had grown far too complicated and dramatic thus she ended the relationships. Maybe it was her Midwestern upbringing but she preferred to take things slow and build a connection with an individual. Hook-ups never felt right and she typically wasn't one to be intimate until after a few dates with someone. A genuine and lasting connection was always on her radar but after so many failed relationships it felt impossible to find.
“What is a Platinum Profile?” Andy clicked the unlock icon beside the blurred profile.
Even with the app being exclusive to only celebrities and famous individuals there was still a hierarchy. The lower your celebrity status the more restricted the app was. Though you had the option to unlock other profiles if the higher ranked individual had swiped on your profile first. Honestly, Andy disliked this feature but part of her understood it. Maybe they were some oil tycoon or heiress to a multi-billion dollar company or perhaps even an A list celebrity? Andy had come across someone who she had seen in a movie a few years back an hour or so before.
“Oh wow, she's…stunning.” Andy drew in a breath, calming her suddenly fluttering heart.
Miranda P had that timeless beauty about her. Silver coiffed hair framed high cheekbones and a sculpted Roman nose. To some her features would be too sharp, too jarring yet to Andy it was as if she was carved from the finest marble. Her expression in every photo was stoic yet the faded laugh lines told a lifetime of stories. Steel blue eyes bored into Andy's soul and suddenly she wished to know this woman.
“53? She's fifty-three? That's…” Andy mulled the numbers over. “23 years difference?”
Andy wasn't opposed to dating someone who was older. She had plenty of crushes in high school on older actors and actresses. More often than not Andy herself was called an old soul. While others wanted to spend their evenings out at the club, Andy preferred a more laid back environment. By no means had she skipped out of her club days with her friend back home, Lily, but she learned quickly how socially exhausting those nights could be. When she wasn't busy with soccer she was typically curled up on the couch with a book or exploring a museum.
“Okay, Miranda, tell me about yourself. Interested in: Men and Women. About me: ‘A confident, well-established woman with a creative spirit and a love for the arts who values meaningful conversations over a glass of Whiskey.
I am seeking a connection with one who can appreciate my unique perspective and enjoy exploring new experiences together.’
Well, you do sound interesting Miranda.” Andy sipped on her glass of box red wine before continuing. “Hobbies and Interests: Art. No shocker there. Family time. Alright, good sign. Fashion and style. We've got someone who can dress well. Points to you ma'am. She's a Feminist. That's either really good or really bad. Traveling. All pretty generic. But, who knows, maybe we could hit it off.” Andy tapped the little heart by her photo.
New Match, Miranda P!
You've got a message!
4/12 9:45pm
Miranda P:
Good evening.