Finally Breathing

~ Chapter 22 ~

A/N

Surprise! Two chapters in a day! I felt bad about not posting during the week but with school its just kinda not possible. So instead, I'm bringing you this super late chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Tierna's POV

We were sat on the coach, Sky beside me, on the way to practice. I'd been to a few camps before this one, and I knew what it felt like to be the rookie. By the time I had joined the National Team, Mal, Rose and Morgan were already best friends, and I felt like an outsider, alone. That's why I wanted to help Sky. I knew there was something going on between her and Tobin platonically, but I knew that Sky wanted her own friends, to be her own independent person when she wasn't around Tobin. So, I felt like it was my responsibility to look after her, as friends. I think. She said she had a girlfriend at team bonding last night, and I might have been slightly jealous. Even if I did want Sky, it was impossible. She was gorgeous, tanned skin dotted with a few freckles across the bridge of the nose with soft honey-brown hair and blue eyes. It was like she was out of one of the movies where a guy tries to get a girl and fails. That thought was all I needed to back off.

I thought back to last night, what she had told us. It was brave and took so much courage to do. A few hours before, she barely knew the majority of us, and yet she still had the courage to tell us. Becky was apologetic after she got her answer, but Sky looked relieved. Maybe it was something she'd been wanting to do for a while.

I must have nudged Sky as I was wrapped up in my thoughts, as she took out an air pod and sent me an inquisitive look.

"Oh um sorry, I didn't mean to." I said as I finally caught onto why she was looking at me that way.

Sky nodded, replacing her air pod. I turned my attention back onto the window, watching as the country lanes rolled past. It was a bright sunny day, and the majority of us were wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The coach was swelteringly hot despite the air conditioning being on full-blast, some of the more comfortable vets sitting in just their sports bras and shorts. Sky had her shorts on, but also still wore her training jacket. I don't know how she was coping.

A few more moments passed before I spoke.

"It was really brave what you did last night Sky." I said to her, softly taking the air pod out of her ear.

"Hey!" She said in annoyance, before realising what I said. "Oh, um, thanks."

"We all think it. Becky was really sorry about asking you Sky. She wanted to have a private conversation with you after you'd left Christen's room, but we pulled her back. Just know that we all support you. I'm not just speaking for myself here, we admire you. Us as a team are here for you if you need us."

Sky nodded, her face blank before it softened into a grateful smile.

"Thank you T, it means a lot. I can't lie, I was terrified to tell you all. I was so nervous all day; that's why I disappeared in the airport. It was really overwhelming." She sighed. "But with a bit of pushing from Tobin, Alex and Jill, I finally realised that maybe it would be better to let someone in. Even if telling one person meant telling the whole team, I was ready for it. And I'm glad I did." She smiled.

"I'm glad too. Even if you are calling me T now." I rolled my eyes. Sky laughed, returning her attention back to her phone.

~~

It felt good to be back out on the pitch with the girls again. It was even hotter out here, the black turf beads intensifying the heat as we all smothered ourselves in sun cream and glugged our hydration drinks, ready for an intense session. The cones were placed out, 20 metres apart, glistening in the sunlight. This meant only one thing: The Beep Test. We all groaned as we approached Jill, a sly smirk on her face as she explained the session: Warm Up, Beep Test, Positional drills, shooting drill, finishing with a scrimmage. This would be one thing: hell.

Sky's POV

We all lined up next to the first cone, me between Tierna and Tobin. I gave them a quick smile, knowing that they'd never seen me run this before. I was good at the beep test; I used to train it every day with Tyler when he was preparing for his college season. The thing is, the running is okay as its only 20m so that is honestly kind of easy, but it's the cutting back and forth that brings the muscular endurance factors into play. Don't ever tell a coach that plyometrics are worthless: someday they might save you during a beep test.

The first beep sounded, and we all took it slow, giving a light jog as we saved ourselves for the faster beeps to come. It was hot out here; the black beads radiating heat through my cleats. I'd kept my training jacket on, feeling uncomfortable. I didn't care if I sweated a river, I just didn't want the team to see what was underneath, especially not if they were still empathising with me from last night.

At around the 5th beep some of the more comfortable players had shed their t-shirts, wearing just their black Nike sports bras containing their player data trackers. I remained in the jacket.

As expected, the goalkeepers were the first ones to drop out, Ash muttering under her breath about 'lack of sleep' affecting her performance. I sympathised, this wasn't easy, and even I was beginning to tire. Not after long the defenders and some midfielders dropped out, leaving just me, Alex, Tobin and Carli running.

"God Sky, how are you not tired?" Carli panted, dropping to her knees as she finally gave up. I shrugged, and continued running, my calves burning.

At around the 15th beep Alex, Tobin and I were neck and neck, none of us wanting to give up. In a team as competitive as this one turned out to be, I was not about to let these two win; I owed the victory to Tyler's legacy. Jill was watching intensely, Dawn by her side.

"Sky, take your jacket off." Dawn called across the pitch. I ignored her and kept running. I wouldn't, and I couldn't.

Tobin dropped out on the next beep, almost crawling over to her water bottle, also just in her bra. It was funny to watch, while Tobin was older she always bragged to me about being one of the fittest on the team, having set the USWNT beep test record. Now I was about to take that record from her. Alex glanced over to me, forehead glistening with sweat. I could hear her breathing, raspy and dry as we both gasped for air. I gave her a daring look.

"Al drop out," Tobin whispered, having finally regained some composure, "She's going to beat you anyway. Just look at her."

It was true. While I was also pretty tired, I was not about to give up now, only 5 beeps away from Tobin's record. Alex looked back over to me.

"Fine," She gasped, "I can't do this anymore." She joined the others on the floor of the turf grabbing Kelley's drink off her. There was a bit of a commotion about it, but I stayed focused, drowning everything around out of my head. I focused on the rhythm of my legs as they hit the turf, beep after beep passing, heads flying as they caught up with what number we were on.

"Sky you can stop now." I mildly heard a voice laugh from behind me. I carried on, determined.

"No seriously Sky, stop."

I became dizzy, unaware of what was going on around me, before I collapsed, gasping for air on the burning hot turf.