You can't Outrun the Truth

Meeting the Girls

"Mal," I say frozen in the doorway.

"How have you been?" Rose asks.

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow.

"It's been a while-"

"Andi don't pretend Rose, Mal, and Tori didn't tell everyone what happened when they came. You know how I've been," I close the door and lean against it.

"Besides that, how's playing with Arsenal?"

"Are we really doing this? Acting as nothing happened!"

"You won't let us address what happened," Andi points out.

"Not that. You," I say pointing at Rose. "Telling the whole team after I beg you not to. You," I turn to Mal and Andi. "Not caring enough to notice I stopped leaving the house. And you all will sure as hell not tell anyone else understand?"

"London, let me talk," Rose stands up. "I had never seen you look so broken, it was scary. I wanted to be able to help you and I thought if you knew we were behind you it would help."

"It wasn't your place to do that Rose."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but someone had to know. I couldn't carry that around and I don't know anyone else in your family so I went to your soccer family."

I can't try and understand this. I can see why she did but I can't understand how she thought it was a good idea.

"Rose, I'm sorry you saw that. But telling people doesn't do any good."

"Your cousin, that you constantly talked to, does she know?" Mal asks.

I slowly nod. "She found out after you guys left."

"Good, are you guys going to do something or..." Andi trails off.

"No. We're not, and it's really not your business," I say sitting on my bed.

"One last question," Rose says. "Is it still happening?"

Daan's POV

Jill and I were on the way back to the flat after hanging out with our Dutch teammates.

"Is London home? Or did she go out with Beth?" I ask Jill.

"She should be home."

"Okay, we should go for a coffee. She's been shutting us out."

"I don't think it will work but we can ask."

"Why not?"

"Like you said Daan, she's shutting us out." We sat in silence the rest of the trip back.

"First one up the stairs wins!" Jill announces running for the stairs. I run after her and she wins.

"That doesn't count. You had a head start," I protest.

"Sure," She laughed opening the door. "London! We're back!" She yells.

After a period of silence, she called her again.

"That's weird, is she sleeping?" I ask.

"Maybe, I'll go check."

I walked into the kitchen and saw a piece of paper folded on the counter. I picked it up and read it.

Danielle, Jill, and Beth,

Please don't be mad. I promise everything is fine. I got called up to the American National Team and am in Portugal for a camp. I didn't know how to tell everyone so I didn't. Please don't get too mad.

London

"JILL!"

"What?" She asks coming into the kitchen. I hand her the note and sit down. 

"She has to have told Joe right?" She asks sitting next to me.

"Yeah, but why wouldn't she tell us! It feels like we're back at square one with her, she never speaks with us, she didn't' even tell us she got called up which is huge!" I say.

"Did something happen?"

"I don't know."

London's POV

We were walking down for the meeting when Sonnett ran past with Kelley.

"Oh! Hey London, if Lindsey asks if you guys saw me say no. OK? Thanks!" Sonnett says before sprinting off.

"THANKS, NEW GIRL!" Kelley yells.

"Is that normal?" I ask Andi.

"Very normal. Expect it to happen several more times," She nods.

"Mal! Where's Sonnett?" A soaking wet Lindsey demands.

"Haven't seen her," Rose says while Mal laughs.

"She told you to say that didn't she?"

"Maybe. Anyway, we all have a meeting so if you could wait to kill her so you don't scare off London that would be awesome," Rose throws an arm around me smiling.

"Fine, I'm guessing your London, I'm Lindsey."

"Um yeah. Nice to meet you, Lindsey." 

After entering the conference room I sat next to Rose in the back of the room.

"Relax London, everything will be fine," Rose whispers. I nod not looking at her and mess with my hands.

Jill comes in and starts the meetinh discussing tactics.

An hour later I am introduced to the team.

"Finally, we have a new player with us today. London, can you come to the front?" I walk up to the front of the room and look at Rose who gives me a reassuring nod.

"Hi, I'm London Adair. I play for Arsenal and I am from Delaware."

"How old are you?" One of them asks.

"Eighteen."

"What's you sexuality?" Another one shouts. 

"And we're done!" Rose annouces coming forward. "Let's not scare her away. She probably already thinks we're crazy."

"Kelley she's like half you age why does it even matter?" Someone asks.

"Just curious," She defends herself.

"Are you in school still?" Becky asks.

"Um, no. I decided to skip University to play soccer."

"Let's say you were going to college, where would you go?" Kelley asks in a serious tone.

"Don't say UCLA, Stanford, or UNC. Say FSU," Rose whispered.

I look at her confused and she shoots me a look to just say it. "FSU..."

"Good, dodged a bullet there" Rose informs me.

I skipped dinner with the girls and laid in my bed. I blamed jet lag although I had flown from like two hours away. I grabbed my phone of my bedside table and saw several missed calls from Daan, Beth, and Jill, as well as many texts on the Arsenal groupchat. Not having enough energy I put my phone away again and closed my eyes.

Rose POV

London never came down for dinner, which made me worry about her even more. She was still getting hurt and wasn't telling anyone which wasn't going to end well.

"Mal, give me your roomkey, I want to check on London." 

She handed it over and I went up the stairs to their room. I opened it and saw London sleeping peacefully. She looked so innocent, opposed to the gaurded look she had most of the time. I went back to the dining hall and gave Mal the key back.

"She's okay."

Sorry this chapter is really really bad. Let me know what you think, and any improvements are always welcome. Hope everyone is having a good week. Stay safe!