offsides | c. clark

five.

Alex is walking on the field for practice when she sees the social media team recording the question of the day. Usually, Alex would duck her head down and walk right past them, but because she and Caitlin are soft-launching, she figures that she should be seen a little bit more.

Mallory and Tatum are standing there in front of the camera reading the question and so Alex walks over and stands beside them. Mallory and Tatum both glance at Alex and they're both surprised to see the younger player standing there.

"What song do you currently have on repeat?" Alex reads aloud. She smiles and points at the camera before answering, "Singles You Up by Jordan Davis."

She adds a wink before casually walking out of the frame and onto the field. Mallory and Tatum share a look as they look at Alex's retreating figure.

After practice, Alex checked her phone to see that her notifications were going crazy. She checked social media to see people writing essays about her very simple response. 

BueckersFudd355: Okay hear me out, her picking Singles You Up is a nod to Caitlin because Connor screwed up and 'singled Caitlin up" and she's already making moves to get with Caitlin. Guys, they're soft-launching so hard right now.

Alex laughs at the comment and decides to read more.

NikaMuhlsFifthWife: I've shipped Alex and Caitlin since college, and I feel so valid right now
CCMartin2002: Wait what do you mean since college???
NikaMuhlsFifthWife: Alex and Caitlin were pretty close in college. They did a whole bunch of videos together and they used to hang out, scroll back on IG

Alex decides to look back at her old Instagram pictures from nearly four years ago and finds that they're mostly of her, Kassidy, Caitlin, Kate, and Gabbie. That had been the core friend group her two years at Iowa. She smiles fondly at the first Instagram picture. There was a big bonfire party and Caitlin had learned that Alex didn't have an Instagram, so she'd forced her to make one and the first post was them at the bonfire.

Alex remembers what else happened at the bonfire and quickly decides to swipe out of the app, ignoring the rest of the comments that were blowing up her notifications.

In Indiana, Caitlin had just finished practice when she went to check her phone and saw her notifications were blowing up. She saw that she was being tagged over and over in a Chicago Red Stars post so she clicked on it and watched as the players made their way onto the field and stopped to answer the question.

"What song do you currently have on repeat?" Alex reads aloud. She smiles as she points at the camera and says, "Singles You Up by Jordan Davis."

Caitlin laughs at the answer. She loved Jordan Davis and had practically forced the song down Alex's throat their freshman year. Caitlin finds herself smiling as she looks at the comments all tagging her and all the comments saying that Alex is going to be the first one calling Caitlin baby.

"What are you smiling about?" Lexie asks as she wanders over and leans over to get a look at Caitlin's screen. Caitlin jerks her phone away from Lexie and right in the direction of NaLyssa Smith who snatches the phone from Caitlin and looks at the screen.

"She's stalking the Chicago Red Stars," NaLyssa says, "Let's see."

NaLyssa plays the video out loud and when Alex gives her answer, NaLyssa's brow furrows in confusion at the answer, clearly having never heard the song, but Lexie has with the way her jaw drops and her head snaps in Caitlin's direction. A wide smile breaks out on Lexie's face.

"What?" NaLyssa asks, "Why are you looking at her like that?"

"Because!" Lexie exclaims pointing at Caitlin, "If he ever singles you up, if he's ever stupid enough, I'm gonna be the first one calling you baby!"