Awkward

6

"As you all know this week will be hell. Three games in 10 days but I know you all can do it. And we would like to congratulate Cory on her first start tomorrow. Now let's head to training then the rest of the day is spent recovering and prepping for the game against Uzbekistan."

We all nod as we leave the meal room and change for training. "What's the fun fact of the day?" Tierna questions catching up to me. Kelley also leans into the question.

"7% or 16.4 million American Adults believe that chocolate milk comes exclusively from brown cows."

"That has to be a lie." Kelley states incredulously.

I just nod as we board the bus. "So what is up with the fact of the day thing?" Kelley questions from in-between the seats of me and Tierna.

"Well Umm when we first met Cory had gotten anxious and blurted out that cockroaches house their brains in their body and ever since then I ask her for a new fun fact."

"Do they follow like a certain topic?"

"Ohh no we've hit cockroaches, most painful way to die, stupid adults, bovine science, and fucked psychology experiments."

"Wow wide array of knowledge!" My cheeks flush red.

"Uhh yeah I guess I just read a lot." Mumbling shyly.

Before either could respond the bud pulls into the training center. We get off the bus and head for the pitch running through warmups before working on the finishing touches for the game tomorrow. Even though we had a game tomorrow we had to run suicides for over an hour after a two hour practice.

To say the least I'm fucking dead. I'm thankful that today lunch was on our own so I could sleep or at least try.

"Hey Cory wanna grab lunch?"

"Nah. Not today."

"Why not?"

"I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm gonna take a quick power nap. Thank you for the offer."

"No problem."

I felt bad. She was offering but I don't think I can go another hour without sleep and I'm behind on school work and my dad wants me to run through a few possible prototypes for a new computer tower that would use water rather then a fan system for cooling and removing heat from the case.

Once at the hotel I take the stairs three at a time until I'm at my room. I walk in and strip not even bothering with a shower. It felt like my eyelids were weighed down with cinderblocks.

Crawling under the sheets I revel in the 500 thread count of the heavy 100 percent Cotten of the top sheet. The thick cold air hitting my face and the barren foot sticking From underneath heavy sheets and mattresses too hard contrasting the soft pillow.

I must've been really fucking tired. Saying that I knocked out in like two minutes flat which hasn't happened in maybe 5-6 years.

Waking up over an hour later not knowing where I was my hand numb from being tucked under my head for how ever long. Flipping my phone over from its spot on the untouched pillow I see it's a little past 2. A good two hour nap really did wonders might I say.

Tierna was out of the room so I took the time to shower. Pulling clothes from my duffel bag and shower kit before heading into the cold, sterile bathroom. Where everything was too white and too modern compared to the neutral colored rooms and last generation decorations. It almost felt like a water in a sea of liquor bottles.

Flipping the handle to the far left watching as the steam started to encroach on the mirror I remove the shampoo conditioner and razor from the small black leather shower bag. I step into the steaming water partially flinching from the devils leaving red marks on my skin. The water electrifying each nerve as it made its way down my back before coating my shoulders and chest. As the steam billows to the ceiling the thick steam making hard to breath.

Running shampoo through my hair before starting to shave my legs. I had a routine. Put in shampoo, shave legs, rinse out shampoo, add conditioner, shave everything else, rinse, wash face, exit shower. Everything was timed to be in and out in 12 minutes or three songs.

I did cut my shin but I normally did that so it wasn't anything new. Turning off the water I wrap my hair in a t-shirt, pulling the too fluffy tower around my chest. I get dress before heading out into my room after collecting all of my stuff as I leave.

I wasn't expecting the whole team to be taking up all the space and air in the room. They were too loud and too big and too everything. I couldn't deal. I flop my stuff onto my bag as I hastily leave the room barely snagging my shoes and wallet on the way out. I can't do large crowds or loud people or both. It was all too much.

So I left, I wasn't stupid I didn't goo far. Just a little walk around the block and then I sat in the lobby where the useless, mindless chatter was comforting. I pull my phone from my pocket and pull up the prototypes. All of them would work but the first option made the most sense as it was more structurally sound and kept the water more contained and away from the electrically circuits so less of a chance of starting a fire or killing their whole system. I send him my suggestion and a progress report of camp since I know he's been itching to tell his colleagues and business partners about me being in camp.

Checking HAC I find that I was up to date on all assignments and would have to wait until Monday until more assignments were published. I don't know why they didn't just post everything for these two weeks so I could just complete it. 

I head back up to my room praying that at least half of the group would be gone after my two hour walk. Throwing open the door I notice all of them gone besides kelley who laid strewn across the disheveled sheets of MY bed. I take a seat in the office chair opening tiktok to pass the time and to keep the questions at bay.

"Where did you go?"

"Walk."

"Booty call?"

"No." Blushing shyly as I bury my reddening face into my hands.

"So where did you go in such a hurry?"

"Just for a walk."

"But why the hurry?"

"Legs started to cramp. Good to walk."

"Umm okay." Kelley says obviously not believing anything I said. "So what is it. Is it noise, or crowds, both maybe?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry."

"Okay so both. Good to know. But just so you know we play infront of thousands every game so you might want to get over it."

"On the field it's fine because I can't hear anything on the field but like normally I can't."

"Okay well you better get over crowds because we have film and then dinner so let's get going."

====
Sorry for the long wait.