Finally Breathing

~ Chapter 21 ~

Sky's POV

My alarm went off beside me, bleeping in annoyance as I hit the snooze button. It was 6:30 AM, the first official day of the USWNT's December camp. Tobin shook me softly, having just crawled out of her own bed. Alex was in the bathroom, showering.

"Hey double L." I stirred slightly in Tobin's arms, opening my eyes as she pulled me up off the pillow.

"Hey Toby." I replied, swinging my legs off the bed.

Today was the day I could prove to the team what I was made of, and why I deserved to be here. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I did know that I would try my best. The press doubted me, but I was not going to let that get in my way, even if Jill told me to take it easy.

Yesterday, after dinner, she had reassured me that I wouldn't be pushed to do too much at practice, considering I had just had surgery. I had tried to argue back that I needed to do it all properly, for myself. It had been so long since I had properly stepped on the pitch, I had to show myself that I could still play the way I used to. I suppose it was a futile argument, I mean, I was about to play as a part of the US women's national team, so I had to be careful in terms of injuries, but to me it felt like more than that. I was meant to be here, playing soccer with the team, and I had been cleared to do so, so why should I do an easier session? In the end we agreed that I could do the same session as the rest of the team, as long as I took it easy. It was the best I was going to get out of Jill, so it felt worth it.

Alex and Tobin finished in the bathroom, so I went in, showered, cleaned my teeth, and changed into the new US training gear. It was comfortable, my new number 71 was displayed across the front of the shorts. I wanted to choose number 23, a combination of my birthday (20th December) and Tyler's birthday (3rd March) but it was taken by Christen, so I settled for the opposite of Tobin's number, 17. It meant a lot for me to be here, so I wanted my number to also mean something. This way, it did.

~~

"Morning Sky." Kelley smiled at me as we lined up for use of the coffee machine.

I was looking around timidly, unsure of where to sit as the tables were seemingly organised by friendships: the veterans on the smaller one near the windows, the staff on the one next to the door, and the younger ones on another one in the middle, chatting excitedly. While Tierna was nice to me yesterday, I wasn't totally comfortable with leaving Tobin's side yet, even if it was just for breakfast. Kelley must have noticed, as after we got our coffee she pulled me over to her table, consisting of her, Tobin, Alex, Christen, Ash and Ali. They all looked exhausted, yawning and sighing, heads on the table as we approached.

"Morning?" Kelley questioned, laughing at their faces. "C'mon guys, Jill did tell you to get a decent night's sleep."

I know for a fact that Tobin and Alex didn't, as they tumbled back into the room at around midnight, laughing hysterically at something that sounded very much like 'pinoe's toe'.

Ash raised her head very slightly off the table, flashing her middle finger at Kelley before collapsing again. The rest of them looked up and mumbled, "Morning." before either chugging their coffee or yawning mildly.

I laughed at them, unable to keep it in any longer. They looked like literal zombies back from the dead.

After we had all finished eating, and Ash had summoned the energy to talk a little, Jill stood up at the front of the room.

"Morning ladies." She called out to us as we quietened down. "I see that some of you seem more, um, alive than others, but I hope you are all ready for today." Jill began, winking at me and Kelley as we hid our muffled laughs, those around us rolling their eyes. "You are due on the bus in half an hour, in the meantime please clear you plates and gather your things. Captains, please can I have a bit of help with the equipment." Alex, Carli and Pinoe nodded, two of them dragging themselves over to the staff's table while Carli stood up from the vets.

I made my way over to the doors with Tobin, chatting about what the day was going to bring. We guessed it would be conditioning and testing since it was the first day of camp. We met up with Chris, Ali and Becky outside their way before making our way down to the hotel's reception where the rest of the team were gathered. I looked around, spotting Tierna waving to me. I made my way over, glad that I might have someone to sit with on the bus. Tobin had already told me she would be with Christen, per tradition, but the thought of sitting by myself made my stomach churn uncomfortably.

"Hey Sky." She smiled as I approached her, weaving in and out of Pinoe and Kelley as they jumped on each other's backs, soccer bags discarded on the floor.

"Hi Tierna." I laughed, jumping away from Ash as she tried to make it a triple piggy-back.

"Want to sit with me on the coach?" She asked, hiding a small flush growing up her face. It was subtle, but I noticed it.

"Oh my days you have no idea how much I wanted you to ask me that," I laughed, very relieved, "Yes please."

Tierna is pretty, I realised. Soft brown freckles littered her face, highlighting her wavy dark-brown hair as she threw it into a messy bun, soccer bag over her shoulder, crumpling the soft material of her tracksuit.

But I had a girlfriend who was equally as cute, and I had to remember that.

Not long later the crowd of soccer players began to jostle out of the exit towards the coach.

'Here it goes' I thought to myself, before exiting alongside them.