Friendship

Alex and Kelley

Kelley

For Kelley being on a new team, seemed to help her so much with everything. As a team the Utah Royals were working so hard on and off the pitch to make sure there first ever season was going to be a good one. So with that distraction she seemed to be able to ignore reality for a little while longer, which probably wasn't a bad thing.

But soon reality hit her harder then she was expecting. Her first game, coming off the bench and not even 10 minutes of being on the field, Kelley came down hard after challenging for the ball in the air. Spark pains shot straight up and down her left leg. She couldn't stop the tears or the small scream of pain as she layed there on the ground gripping tightly at her ankle.

5 hours and 4 scan later, laying in her hospital bed, half high on the pain medication. Kelley was informed that she had dislocated and broken her foot. She would be looking at 6-9 weeks healing period and then the rehabilitation would start. As soon as the words 'I think it's possible that you may not play this season' from the doctor. No amount of pain killers where  going to be able the heal the pain she felt inside.

For Kelley Soccer was the best escape she could have ever asked for, but now she would have to find a different way to deal with the fact that her best friend was still a mess and that her girlfriend was 2,270.5 miles away in Orlando.

In that moment as Kelley stared blankly up at the hospital ceiling, she couldn't find one single bright side, in that moment she felt so completely defeated that she actually felt like quitting.

She spent the night in hospital and had found herself questioning so many things like, maybe my body is to old for the game, I'll probably never play the same, Where am I meant to find the strength to go through physio. She had so many questions, doubts and negative thoughts running on repeat through her head. Even with the help on the strong medication, Kelley wasn't able to fall asleep until close to 4.30 in the morning.

She was still asleep though at 10:14 am when the doctor came in to tell Kelley she was being discharged. Something she was grateful for, because being at her apartment, curled up under the covers seemed like a nice place for her. It wasn't until mid day that Kelley finally realized that she never turned her phone back on, she always turned it off and hour and a half before games, so she couldn't get distracted.

Straight away she felt bad when her phone showed 25 Missed Calls, 15 Messages (Alex❤😘)

Alex❤😘: I was watching the game. I saw what happened. Are you okay? I love you xx

Alex❤😘: Babe?

Alex❤😘: Baby please reply, I'm starting to get really worried now.

The missed call messages where quite similar to her texts. Pressing on Alex's contact Kelley finally made contact with her girlfriend.

"Thank God" Alex answered. "I w as s about ready to book a flight, are you okay?"

"I'm really sorry babe, I forgot to turn my phone back on. I didn't mean to worry you" Kelley explains. She really hadn't meant for Alex to worry, to be honest, she didn't even really think about the fact that Alex might have seen what had happened.

"That's okay, I was just worried. Are you okay babe?"

Kelley sighed so loudly that Alex didn't even need her girlfriend to answer. She knew just with that sound that Kelley wasn't okay. "I broke my ankle and dislocated it, the doctor isn't even sure if I'll play at all this season" Kelley explained.

Alex wasn't entirely sure what to say, and after talking with Kelley about her injury for a half an hour Alex could hear the depression in Kelley's voice and it really worried the striker.

"I just can't find a bright side this time round" Kelley mumbled.

It took Alex a few seconds to respond as she tried to process everything quickly ok n her head before actually proposing something to Kelley. "Why don't you come stay in Orlando with me, at least for the first few weeks. I can help look after you?"

Kelley thought it over for only seconds before agreeing. Being with Alex was going to be the best option for her.

Alex

Being back in Orlando, didn't set very well for Alex. Firstly; Tom had set her up in a tiny apartment by herself, which she wasn't overly impressed with, sure Alex loved her space, like many others, but she was a very social person and for the last 4 maybe 5 years, she had nearly always lived with at least 1 room mate if not 4 or 5 other team mates.
Secondly; Orlando didn't exactly feel like it use to for her and she really couldn't understand why Orlando had traded her to just take her back just over a year later. She only signed the contract, because had she not she probably would have had to play abroad again and with everything that had happened in her friend/family network, she wasn't about to leave the country.
Thirdly; Having to see Ashlyn every day at training was extremely awkward, because no one had really spoken or heard from Ash since Luca's funeral. What made Alex very uneasy was how happy the goalie was, she had this pep in her step, a huge smile and it was creeping Alex the fuck out.
And Fourthly; After spending a whole year and a bit living with Kelley, living without her was hell, Alex struggled falling asleep and staying asleep, she would jump at nearly every little noise at night, because being alone she felt slightly unsafe. Even having the TV on in the background to fall asleep to seemed to be failing her. All Alex really wanted was to not feel so alone, in a place she use to feel so whole.

The only thing that seemed to be going well for Alex, was her performance. Despite the sleepless nights Alex seemed to just change to a completely different gear as soon as her boots hit the field. Training seemed like a breeze and even when her body was ready to give into the sore aching muscles, Alex was able to turn that gear once more and push herself to her full potential.

And on the first game of the season, Alex realized just how much, pushing herself in training had made such a beautiful difference. In the 5th minute, she scored her self a goal, that curved perfectly into the top right corner, the curl on the ball was so fantastic, the Tom and the whole entire coaching staff, had there mouths open in shock. Even Alex herself couldn't believe it and straight away without even thinking about it, she looked up at the sky and smiled. 'That' ones for you buddy' She said in her head.

But the goals didn't end there, 37 minutes in and Alex leaped up to help guide a header into the goal. 48 minutes, she got her hat trick by some how managing to weave and fight her way threw three defenders. It was like everything she touched was going in and by the final whistle Alex had 4 goals to 4 shots. They may have lost by 1 goal, but for Alex it was a game she never wanted to forget, because in that game, in those 80 minutes, she felt so much more connected to the game that she had every felt.

Usually after a game like today's, Alex would be sulking, she hated losing, but after how great she felt during and after the game, all she wanted to do was celebrate. Though celebrating on your own isn't really that much fun, so instead of going out with team mates or friends, Alex relaxed on the couch with wine and her laptop, watching Utah Royals vs Washington Spirit.

Alex was so excited for the game, she got to see Mal play her first game with her new team and she would also get to she Kelley play for the new Utah Royals. Alex very much enjoyed the first half, a fair few chances, some amazing saves and great defending had kept the score 0-0. Then half time came, Kelley getting brought on the start the second half. Alex probably wouldn't tell anyone or admit it if anyone found out, but she bounced around like a little kid in excitement to watch her girlfriend play. That soon changed when she was in tears watching Kelley be carried from the field.

She knew it was serious, she could feel it and as the camera pretty much zoomed in on Kelley's face, Alex was able to tell just how much pain her poor girlfriend was in. She spent the rest of the night until nearly on in the morning trying to get a hold of Kelley, but the phone was going straight to voice mail. Finally Alex decided that for now she needed to sleep and that tomorrow she would try again and that this time Kelley would answer, or at least send a text.