The Boy Making Moves

Lisbon glowed golden under the winter sun.

The day after the Braga game felt like a dream.

Sporting sat first in the league — a single point ahead of Benfica and Porto, who were set to clash the next day. Sporting players anticipated that match and had a dream result for it: Draw.

Everything felt wide open.

Everything felt possible.

Kai woke late, soreness in his muscles but a smile still on his face.

He grabbed his phone — hundreds of unread messages from people he knew and also total strangers, new followers, reposts of his screamer goal from every major sports page.

But one message stood out.

Sarah Morgan: Need to talk. Big news.

Curious, he pulled on a hoodie, went to the kitchen and made a light breakfast. Kai quickly grabbed his laptop from his bag, he still hasn't unpacked most of the stuff. He found Skype and made a call to Sarah.

Sarah was in France already waiting for him in apartment lounge. As soon as the call connected Kai saw his agent still in her pyjamas with a coffee in her hand.

Next to her — thick folders stamped with logos Kai recognized instantly.

Gucci.

Yves Saint Laurent.

Kai blinked when he saw those files next to Sarah and just starred at her.

"Uhhh… what's going on?"

Sarah grinned, bringing one folder toward the camera for him to see it clearly.

"You're officially famous, kiddo."

It turned out both Gucci and YSL had reached out within hours of the Braga game.

His fresh face, his wild curls, the emotion he showed after his goal — they wanted it.

They needed it.

Brand ambassadors.

Fashion campaigns.

Billboards in Europe and America.

Money Kai couldn't even properly comprehend yet.

Sarah had already negotiated preliminary offers:

Gucci: six-month campaign, €150,000, with bonuses tied to exposure.

YSL: year-long partnership, €275,000, with optional extensions.

Sarah sent him pdf formats of the contracts for Kai to see carefully.

Kai skimmed the contracts, head spinning.

"I don't even know what half this stuff means," he admitted.

Sarah smiled warmly. "You don't have to. That's why you hired me. I'll handle it — you just focus on the football."

Kai nodded, feeling a rush of gratitude.

"Thanks, Sarah. Seriously."

She packed the folders back up. "We'll take our time with this. No rush."

As Sarah gathered her things, Kai pulled out his phone again.

Still no reply from Tez.

The message from yesterday was marked seen, but no answer.

Kai shrugged it off.

Probably busy. Probably out hustling like he always is.

Later that evening, he FaceTimed Madison.

She answered almost immediately, face lit up with excitement.

"Hey, curlyhead!" she teased wearing a hoodie he took from him when she was helping him pack.

Kai grinned but the grin faltered a bit. "Is that my?… never mind. Hey, superstar, how goes it?."

They talked for a while — laughing, sharing stories — feeling the miles between them shrink with every word.

Mads then dropped her own news bomb.

"I've got an audition!" she squealed. "It's for a Netflix series. Huge production. If I get it, it could change everything."

Kai's face split into a proud smile.

"You're gonna kill it, Mads. I know it."

They made a pact — quietly, almost shyly — that no matter what, they'd meet again in March when Kai would be back stateside for the USMNT friendlies.

"March," Kai said, smiling. "We talk about our futures properly in March."

Madison winked. "Deal."

Meanwhile, back in Portugal, the pundits were still talking.

Still in awe.

On television, Sporting legends like João Moutinho and Rui Patrício praised Kai's maturity, his technical ability, his game intelligence.

In England, major newspapers rued the "one that got away."

"How did the Premier League miss him?" screamed one headline.

"Kai Alexander: The American Wonder Lighting Up Europe."

Even former players weighed in.

A viral tweet from Rio Ferdinand:

"Scary levels of talent. Poise beyond his years. Watch this boy."

His social media following skyrocketed overnight.

Half a million followers turned into almost two million by evening.

Every post Kai made — even a simple "Good morning" — racked up hundreds of thousands of likes.

He closed his Instagram, overwhelmed but excited.

The world was finally seeing what he could do.

And he was just getting started.

Back in France, Sarah was working miracles too.

Kai's family was settling into their new life. At first Kai wanted them to go to England so they at least have an immediate family support but they wanted France.

Sarah had found a beautiful apartment in the suburbs of Paris — spacious, modern, close to good schools.

The twins were already enrolled — uniforms, new backpacks, the works.

They sent Kai a photo: them grinning, holding up PSG scarves in front of their new school.

His heart melted a little.

As for his mom, she struggled with the idea of doing nothing.

"I want to work," she said one evening on the phone, her voice strained. "I feel useless."

Kai understood.

All his life, she had worked herself to the bone — to feed them, to clothe them, to protect them.

But now?

It was his turn.

"Mom," he said gently, "just be happy for once. Let me take care of you. Please."

There was a long silence.

Then, a soft, tearful, "Okay, baby."

Kai smiled to himself, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

For once, he wasn't just surviving.

He was building something.

For all of them.

That night, Kai sat on his balcony in Lisbon, legs kicked up, the city lights sparkling below.

In two days, he'd make his Champions League squad debut.

He couldn't believe it.

From Atlanta's broken streets to Europe's grandest stages — in less than a year.

The universe, it seemed, had finally started listening to his prayers.

But far away, in Atlanta, a storm was gathering.

And Kai, blissfully unaware, still thought Tez was just busy.

Still thought his brother was just caught up in life.

The truth would shatter him.

But that was a heartbreak for another day.

Tonight?

Tonight, the future still glittered like gold.