Kyra's POV
Mornings were the worst.
If it were up to me, training sessions would start no earlier than noon, maybe even later, if I had any say. But, of course, Vic wasn't having it. No matter how many times I'd tried convincing her that athletes need their sleep, she would just laugh it off and drag me out of bed anyway.
Today was no different.
I heard her voice before I even registered what she was saying, standing at the foot of my bed like she owned the place. "Kyra, come on! Get up! We need to start training."
I groaned, pulling my pillow over my head, hoping to drown out her voice. No chance. Vic wasn't going anywhere.
"The school year is starting soon, and this year we have to beat OUWAFC. They've been cocky for too long."
At that, I peeked out from under the pillow, squinting against the pale morning light creeping through the curtains. Vic stood there, dressed in her training gear, already holding a football under her arm, her other hand on her hip like a coach ready to reprimand me.
"I know," I muttered, rolling onto my back and sitting up slowly, rubbing my eyes. "But it's still too early."
She just shook her head. "You love this game as much as I do. You'll feel better once we get moving."
I couldn't argue with that. Vic was right. As much as I hated getting up early, the second my cleats hit the pitch, the world always seemed better. Plus, we were starting early this year. Vic and Viv had only just returned a couple of days ago, and we wanted to get a head start before the official team training kicked off. Most of the squad hadn't even made it back to campus yet; Charli was still staying with her boyfriend's parents in London for a few more days, so it was just the three of us.
With a sigh, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, shooting Vic a playful glare as I trudged to my wardrobe. "Fine, fine. I'm up."
"Good," she said with a grin, bouncing the ball once before catching it. "Meet me and Viv at the pitch in 15 minutes. No excuses."
Fifteen minutes later, I was tying the laces of my boots as I stepped onto the pitch, the morning chill still lingering in the air. It was quiet, with barely anyone around, and the early morning sun cast long shadows across the field.
Vic and Viv were already there, casually passing the ball between each other. I could hear the smack of the ball against their boots as I jogged over to them, shaking off the last remnants of sleep.
"About time," Vic teased, tapping the ball in my direction. "Thought you might have fallen back asleep."
I smirked, easily trapping the ball under my foot. "Not a chance."
For the next few minutes, we kicked the ball between us, warming up, the rhythmic sound of the ball hitting the grass comforting in its familiarity. It felt good to be back with the team, even if it was just the three of us. We were missing half our squad, but I didn't mind. These were the moments I loved just playing football with friends, no pressure, no crowds, just the game.
After a while, Vic broke the silence, sending the ball my way with a smirk. "So, Kyra, how was your vacation? I heard there are a lot of hot girls in Australia."
I stopped the ball with my foot, heat creeping up the back of my neck as I glanced at her. I could already see the teasing glint in her eyes, and, from the corner of my eye, I saw Viv biting back a laugh.
"Seriously?" I groaned, shaking my head as I passed the ball back. "It wasn't like that. I was just glad to be home, see my family, you know?"
Viv frowned in mock disbelief, her laughter now fully escaping. "Wait, wait...why not? I thought you'd spend the whole trip trying to get as many girls into your bed as fucking possible." She flashed a grin my way, and I could feel my face growing hotter by the second.
