US.

Chapter Two

Alex and Kelley ran to the sight of the cry, only to be horrified that their best friend was curled up against a rock, shaking. Her tan skin was covered in bruises and her cheeks stained with tears. There was a bloody cut on her left hand and her light blue "UNC Tar Heels" tee shirt was torn. She wasn't wearing shoes and the white snapback she had been wearing was covered in blood.

Alex's eyes filled with tears. "H-How..." She trailed off and started sobbing, collapsing onto Tobin. They pressed themselves against each other, hugged, and cried for a few minutes.

"C'mon, we'll drive home and get you cleaned up and you can tell us everything." Alex helped Tobin up and they walked to the car.

Once they made it back to the apartment, Kelley started making coffee and Alex took Tobin into her bedroom to change. She grabbed Tobin's favorite sweatpants and a big hoodie.

After they got settled on the couch, Tobin finally spoke.

"So.. I was, uh, on the mountain, watching the sun rise and taking pictures, and then this guy came over to me. I was kinda nervous, because nobody else is ever there. It's always just me and, y'know, Him. So the guy sat down kinda close to me, I don't really remember what he looked like... He took my hand and squeezed it so I tried to get up and walk away, and then he pulled me down and started trying to kiss me. I was trying to get away and I was yelling so he slapped my cheek, and then i finally pushed him off and stood up and he got up behind me and threw me onto the ground. I told him I was going to call the cops so he punched me in the stomach and punched and slapped my arms and legs and threw me against that rock... I cried for, I don't even know how long, and I couldn't get up when I heard my phone buzzing. It hurt too much... But you guys saved me, like you always do."

The three of them sat in silence for a few moments until there was a knock at the door.

"It's Hope, I'm coming in!" a cheerful voice called, and the apartment door opened. Kelley jumped up to greet her girlfriend as Tobin curled up against Alex with a blanket over the two of them.

Hope and Kelley made their way to the couch and sat down, and Tobin pulled the blanket over her head.

"Hi to you too..." Hope said to Tobin. "Is she okay?" she mouthed to Alex and Kelley.

"You didn't tell her!?" Alex turned to Kelley, wide-eyed.

"Oh, uh, yeah, Hope... Tobin got, uh...." Kelley slowly tried to find her words. "Hit..Punched..Kissed..."

"Am I missing something? What happened? Show me!" Hope lifted the blanket and Tobin reluctantly sat up.

Hope, being one of the most mature women and the mother of the team, pulled Tobin's sleeves up as Alex rolled her sweatpants to her knees.

"Holy crap, Tobs..." Hope lost her breath as her eyes fixated on the tan 27-year-old's tan skin stained with black and blue. She leaned in and Tobin wrapped her arms around her, crying.

Alex looked over at Kelley, who chuckled quietly and shook her head. She picked up her phone and texted Alex;

Our girlfriends hugging each other... hmm

Alex read the text and laughed quietly.

Girlfriend?? how do you... she doesn't like me like that, kel!!

Hope then stood up and announced that she and her girlfriend wanted to go out for lunch. Kelley grinned and nodded. With that, the freckle-faced defender and tall, muscular goalkeeper walked out the door, hand in hand. Tobin and Alex still laid quietly on the sofa.

"Well, might as well watch something..." Alex took the blanket and cuddled up against Tobin, turning the TV on. Tobin smiled and nodded. She didn't watch much television, because she loved to be outside and always wanted to be up and doing something. However, she didn't mind sitting with Alex to watch a movie. And whenever they would watch a movie, they would end up cuddled under a blanket, and Alex would always fall asleep before the movie ended. Tobin would then get to sleep snuggled up against her best friend, who she loved...more than Alex would ever know.