Stanford Girl

Your Future

Here it is! The meeting!

Your POV:

"Everything is gonna be fine." My mom said as she dropped me off. "You're gonna go in there, don't take shit from anybody. Keep your head up, fight for it. This isn't the end for you. You understand me?"

"Yes." I said.

"Good." She grabbed my hand. "Don't let your grandmother get to you. I can tell how much it bothers you." 

"I just don't get what's so hard for her to get? I have a girlfriend. Stop trying to throw guys at me!"

"Y/N." My mom said. "She'll get it through her head. It's gonna take time."

"I came out 2nd semester, senior year. High school mom! And you said you knew even before that!"

"When we played "Where are the attractive guys" you did always check out the girls." My mom trailed off. I laughed. "You and Kelley are happy together. Don't let your grandmother stop that. Now get on that damn plane and go kick US Soccer's ass!" 

I got out and went inside the airport. Security, my bags. 

Now just gotta board the plane.

Kelley's POV:

"Kelley. Relax." Christie said.

"I can't, Cap." I sighed. "Today's Y/N's meeting. What if she gets fired?"

"What if? What are you gonna do if she does?" She said. "You'll have to deal with it Kel. I know you love her, I know you just want to look out for her, but there are gonna be times when you can't save her. You have to let her handle things for herself."

I nodded. 

"She's an adult, like you, she can handle it." 

Your POV:

Welcome back to Chicago. 

I drove to my place and settled in. It feels like forever since I've been here. 

My phone rang. 

"Hello?"

"Ms. L/N. How about we meet in about an hour?"

"Ok." I said. "Where are we meeting?"

He told me the place and we hung up. 

"Oh shit." I said. I called Kelley. 

"It's my girlfriend." She sang. "Hello."

"The meeting is in an hour."

I heard a high pitched scream. "CHRIST SAM! WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING!"

"I'M SCARED FOR HER!" Sam yelled.

"Look babe. It's gonna be ok." 

"I worked my whole life to be able to play for the national team. It can't be after right now. I just started. I made a name for myself and it might be over." I said. "If I get fired there is nothing football related keeping me in the US."

"Then you go play in another country." Kelley said. "You do what you have to." 

"Couple days ago you hated the idea of me being offered a spot with Brisbane. Now you want me to go if I have to?"

"You'd support me if I did it. I'm just supporting you." She said. "But everything is gonna work out, ok? Trust me."

"Ok." We talked for a while longer. "Babe I should probably leave." I said. "Don't wanna be late. That would give him another reason to fire me." 

"You'll be fine, beautiful."

"AND I'LL CALL MY AUSSIES IF YOU NEED IT!" I heard Sam yell.

"Thanks, Sam."

"Always looking out!"

I smiled.

"I love you." Kelley said. "So much."

"I love you too." I said. 

"Bye." She said we hung up. 

I took a deep breath and got ready to go.

The drive was short but scary as fuck. My heart was racing.

"I'm gonna get fired." I said. "But I'm gonna be a badass while it happens." I said.

I got out and went inside. "Y/N L/N." He said. "So great to see you. Let's go to my office." He said. 

"Yeah. Ok."

"Relax. It's just a meeting." He said.

We went to his office. "Have a seat. I know you think this meeting is gonna be about the article but I want to tell you right now, that it is not." 

"It's not?"

"No. I saw it. Didn't believe for a second that one of our, classy, dedicated fans that so many young kids look up to would do something like that. And I also had many voicemails from your lovely captains. And Hope. Hope scares me, but she cares." 

I nodded. "So if that's not it, what's this about? You said you wanted to discuss my future?"

He nodded. "That's exactly what I wanted to discuss. You've been on this team for almost 2 years now, but we'll round it up to 2 years. And during these 2 years, you've left everything on the field, got cut from the World Cup squad, still supported the team, and came back stronger than ever to help us win gold." 

"So what is there to discuss about my future?"

"We want to help the younger generation. Last year, the whole she believes, it got kids really starting to commit to their goals. Seeing our women win it all in Canada, empowered them. You're story. That is something that girls will be able to look up too."

"My story?"

"You are a fighter. You don't give up. Jill told you to go home last summer, and you did. With that thought in your head. Retirements and pregnancies later, you're back in, and you fought for that ticket to Rio and made a name for yourself. During the NWSL offseason, we want to start camps. US Soccer camps. I want you to be a guest at a few of the camps. Speak to the kids, tell them your story, give them hope that their hard work and sacrifices will pay off."  

"So my future that needed to be discussed was me coaching some camps?"

"Not just that. We want to start a new campaign, aimed at high schoolers. We want you to be the spokesperson for that campaign." He said. "You are a leader on this team, even though you're one of the youngest. You took Mallory under your wing and turned a young 18 year old into a world class, veteran on this team. She's heading to the U-20 world cup, and she's gonna be the captain of that team."

"You want me to inspire high schoolers to captain U-20 teams?"

"And be future captains of the senior team. Future world champions, gold medals, FIFA players of the year. Mallory listened to you. This next generation will listen to you. I ran this past Jill, asked her who was the one woman on the team that these young kids will listen to. She said you. I asked Becky and Carli, they said you. I even asked Christen Press and Rory. They all said you, Y/N. You are the woman for the job, to inspire these younger kids, and lead us into the next cycle. That is the future I wanted to discuss." He stood up. 

"Are you in?"