Figuring You Out

Ch. 1

"Frankie, come on, we have to go. You're going to be late." Sara yells throughout the apartment. "If you don't hurry the fuck up, this will be the 12th time you're late to training this month." It's the 25th and Frankie only started training on the 3rd. That's 11 times she's been late in 22 days. Frankie has a problem with being on time for things. Frankie rushes out of her room, her hoodie half on her body. She meets Sara where she's waiting at their kitchen island and gives her a quick kiss on her temple when Sara hands her a water bottle and a protein bar.

"You fucking angel." Frankie takes the protein bar and water bottle out of Sara's hands as both girls go rushing for the door. "You have the keys?"

"Yeah, I'll be there after classes to pick you up," Sara says as she approaches the car.

"Wrong side." Frankie laughs as she follows a couple of steps behind Sara, still trying to put her hoodie on properly.

"Fuck." Sara mutters under her breath as she walks around the car to the "right" side. She hasn't quite gotten used to the driving on opposite sides of the road thing they have going on in England.

"What classes do you have today?" Frankie asks once they start driving.

"Just the usual. Behavioral neuroscience. Statistics. Neural Systems and Behavior." Sara says and Frankie lets out a low whistle.

"Why do I feel like you're working harder than me?"

"Because I am." Sara looks over and grins at her best friend since probably birth. "Do you know what's on your schedule today?"

"Kicking the ball around." Frankie shrugs as she unwraps her protein bar and takes a bite.

"So the same thing as yesterday."

"The same thing every day."

"Ever get boring?" Sara asks.

"Never." Frankie grins. She's had a love for soccer- well, now that she was in the UK, football- since a young age. Her love for the game only made her train harder with a desire to become one of the best in the world which is what led her to drop out of college after two years, signing her first professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur. She officially signed her contract over the summer, packed up her life within the next week, and flew out. Sara coming along was just the added bonus. "You ever get sick of studying?"

"I'm not you, Frankenstein." Sara laughs. Frankie has a bad rep with school and studying. And when Frankie told her she was quitting college, her heart broke a little, but she was still excited for her friend. Not many people's first professional contract was in the Women's Super League in England. It took some people years to get to that point in their career, but Sara knew how hard Frankie had worked for it. The number of games Sara had attended cheering Frankie on, the times when Frankie would juggle a ball while Sara studied for the exam they both had or the sheer amount of practices Frankie would have to attend for her club team back home- Sara knew there was no person more deserving of this than Frankie.

"Seriously? We're 20 now, and you're still going to call me that? A name you've called me since we were 5?"

"Would you rather me call you Francesca?" Sara taunts as she nears the Spurs Training Center.

"Frankenstein it is." Frankie giggles as she concedes. "Parking here is good." Frankie points to a vacant spot on the side of the road.

"You seriously have to work on getting me a pass or something to get inside." Sara groans as she yet again parks outside the gates, not allowed to go in, due to not being an official employee of the club. "It seems unnecessary to have you walk in so far when I have the car and can drive you in."