USWNT 2.0

9

The door opened, and the blonde appeared first. 

The whole team was hidden in Tobin's apartment. It was Alex's idea at first, and then everybody thought it'd be a good idea. Jill decided to change the camp emplacement and move it in Portland, so that Allie wouldn't have to travel by plane right away. Most of the girls arrived the night before, and some other this morning. 

When Allie turned the light on, they all jumped and yelled in-understandable things before cheering loudly. Pinoe was the first person to hug the blonde, who was sometimes closing her eyes because of the pain. When she let go of Pinoe, she just exclaimed on a very light and happy tone :

- You guys, you shouldn't have... 

- Alex insisted, Ali snapped from the other side of the room. 

Allie looked over at Alex, who was standing right in front of her. She hugged her, before greeting everyone on the team. 

Not everyone was here though. Kelley had to jump on a plane because of a family problem. She didn't want to talk to Allie or Tobin about it, so she just went to the airport by herself, without even a proper goodbye. Allie was confused, because Kelley usually told her a lot of things. Christen, on the other hand, couldn't make it either because of the rain that was in LA at the moment. Her plane was delayed. 

So the rest of the girls sat down in Tobin's living room and started talking. They were all so friendly, and Allie felt at the right place for the first time in months. Coming into a new team is hard, especially when it was the WNT. Of course people would talk about her, maybe criticize her. But what mattered the most to her was playing soccer, and she needed to feel in the right place in order to play well. 

Lindsey and Pinoe sat on both of Allie's side, happy to see the middy again. Lindsey was glad her big sister was back. 

- You look good, Pinoe commented. I mean, for a girl that got shot. 

Lindsey pinched her arm, and the short-haired threw her a death glare. Allie just laughed. 

- Thanks. I've been working on my plastic surgery skills for ages, and I've finally been able to use them ! she joked. 

- Like if you needed plastic surgery, Lindsey muttered. 

Hope and Carli sat down in front of them, and were quickly joined by Tobin, Julie and Alex. The two friends were looking very fit and happy, always messing around, which wasn't that usual from them. Tobin raised an eyebrow, but didn't date to make a comment because she was afraid that either Carli or Hope would take it the wrong way. 

Instead, she just randomly asked :

- Are you guys ready to take on Costa Rica ? 

- Hell yes ! Carli exclaimed. Besides, it's out last send-off game, so we have to be on the top of our game. Or at least not far from here. 

Hope looked over at Allie. 

- Will you be ready ? she asked her. 

All eyes got locked on the blonde midfielder, who wasn't very fond on the attention that was given to her. 

- Jill will sub me in for the second half, just to see how I'm doing, she explained. 

- That's wise, Alex said. 

They all stopped talking for a moment, before Julie brought up a new subject :

- Do you guys know where Kelley is ? 

She was directly staring at Allie. The blonde felt her cheeks burning, and didn't know how she felt about all those girls just assuming things. 

- Why are you guys watching me like I should know ? Allie asked slowly. 

- Well, since Kelley stood by your side in the hospital, we assumed you guys were..., Carli began, but stopped talking. 

- We aren't dating, if that's the question, Allie grumpily said. 

- Besides, she's already got a girlfriend, Alex pointed out. 

Tobin almost spit her drink on Hope. They all looked at Alex, surprised. Allie felt like her whole body just dropped, and her knees were very weak. Kelley's got a girlfriend ? Her eyes were doing back and forth between a very angry Tobin and Alex, who was acting like what she said wasn't a big deal or something. 

When she saw Hope's intrigued look, she said :

- I thought you guys knew. She's been dating Hinkle for the past three months. 

- That bitch, Tobin let out. 

Allie suddenly stood up and ran straight at the balcony. She closed the door behind her. Tobin immediately followed her, while Alex just looked at Julie, in shock. 

- What's wrong with her ? she asked. 

- It seemed to us that Allie likes Kelley a lot more than she wants to admit, Carli said. I never thought she and Hinkle... 

There was a dead silence. 

***

Kelley hugged her brother one more time, before getting on the car back to the airport with her dad. The man was sitting in silence, and that was how half of the trip went, until Kelley finally decided to speak up. 

- Dad, I need to tell you something. 

He looked down at his daughter, waiting for her to continue. Kelley felt her hands shaking and tried her best to keep it together. 

- I met someone.

Still no words. 

- She's one of my teammate, a-and I am in love with her. 

The man nodded. He then took his daughter's hand in his, and smiled peacefully. Mr O'Hara wasn't an homophobic person. Neither was he judgmental. He was just not very talkative sometimes. 

- Next time you come here, make sure you bring her with you, he only said. C'mon kid, you surly don't wanna miss that plane. 

Kelley hugged him and sighed out of relief. 

- Thank you, she whispered.   

Please don't hate me. I already hate myself for doing that to my O'Long ship.