Friendship

Good & Bad

Mal

When Mal had originally found out she would be transferring to Washington she wasn't overly sure how she felt about the idea, but after finding out that she would be sharing an apartment with two of her close friends, Rose Lavelle and Andi Sullivan. The idea of Washington no longer seemed bad.

What was so good about her room mates is that they just got on so well constantly, they liked the same music, same shows on Netflix, same food and they shared the same sense of humor. Which meant there down time was always a lot of fun. They all had there own rooms too, so if they needed they also had a place they could relax and be on there own.

Training and pre-season also went great for Mal. She felt very comfortable on the pitch and around her team mates. They didn't make her feel new or like the baby of the group, they just treated her like any other member.

Of course Mal still thought about Sophia, Emily and Lauren, she kept in contact as much as she could, being sure to check in at least once or twice a week, but the worry she had for them was starting to get less and less with time. She to was starting to find things easier to cope with mentally. Obviously being away from it all was exactly what she needed to start the healing process properly.

Christen

What more could go wrong? Christen for the first time in a long time, had know idea at all what was even happening in her life, she was meant to be starting her season with Houston, but then she was told they didn't want her. Christian spent night after night in tears because of the panic attacks she was having. 

A week after finding out that she would no longer be playing for Houston. Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC offered Christen a position. Only she wasnt ready to jump at the chance like she had back in 2012. This time Christen felt she had more reason's to stay, 1. Was she really ready to be that far from Tobin, 2 what if JJ needed her for support and 3 She was enjoying playing on home soil so much.

The next day Christen called Tobin to discuss everything. She didn't want to do this alone and she knew that if she didn't tell Tobin straight away, it would have caused an arguement, that neither of them would want. She explained everything to Tobin and they spent over 3 hours going back and forth on what to do, but finally they came up with a decision.

"I don't really want you to go, but you loved it over there last time, maybe you should accept there offer"

Christen had thought over Tobin's words very carefully and finally decided that playing overseas wouldn't be the worst thing in the world and that maybe it would actually be a good thing. So the next morning Christen accepted the offer and started to pack.

Most of her things, she was going to store in storage, but she still needed 3 suitcases for her clothes and other essentials. It took the striker nearly 3 full days to be as organized as she was going to be. She didn't have time to fly to Chicago to say goodbye to JJ, or to Portland to spend at least a night with Tobin. 'At least I get to say goodbye even if it is only by phone' Christen told herself.

Between Christen and Julie, it seemed to be Chris that was more concerned to leave then JJ was about it. "You'll love it over there just like last time.....I'm happy for you.....Send me lots of photos.....I expect a present from over there at the next national camp" Is what that blonde has said to her best friend during there conversation. It surprised Christen and worried her, but she knew that JJ wasn't trying to get rid of her or that she was happy Chris wouldn't be in America anymore, she was just being the supportive best friend Chris always knew she was.

Tobin

Tobin was very aware of the fact that out of her very close friends, she had it easy. She didn't have to move, didn't have to think about if not to go back or not. To her it was a no brainer, soccer is her life and if anything Luca's passing made her want to play more, to play for him, to dedicate one of her spectacular nutmeg's to him.

But with the good comes the bad and during her second training session, Tobin found herself in the shed in absolute agony. After speaking with doctors and have scans, she found out that she had done muscle and ligament damage to her back, meaning she was sidelined, until the doctor gave her the all clear.

At first Tobin took it really hard, but after receiving the phone call from Christen, the Midfielder realised that things could be way way worse. So after two weeks of not listening to what her doctors where saying. Tobin finally decided to listen and for the first time in a very long while, she just stopped, kicked her feet up on the couch and relaxed, taking it easy and stepped away from soccer.

The hard part was watching the first game of the season and seeing the girls get beat. Tobin wished that she was out there helping in anyway she could, but in reality even if she was on the field, she knew she wouldn't have helped in the slightest, she probably would have made things worse.

The positive though was that all the relaxing, massages and light exercises had made a difference and Tobin was able to feel her back staring to heal and she was determined to get back to her full health, nothing was going to stop her.

Ashlyn

Fake! That is the way Ash would describe herself if someone asked her. Fake smile, Fake laugh, Fake care, Fake love, Fake everything. After the funeral drinking became an even bigger problem for Ash, but she realised that she needed to stop and get help. So she could mend everything she broke.

Before the pre-season started she checked herself into rehab and stayed 60 days. She learnt so much about herself, more then she ever thought possible, she learnt exactly where things went wrong, where it first started that drinking was her out, why she was so angry, why she struggled to let go. She felt like a different women, when she walked out those doors and back into civilization.

Only as soon as she reached her only apartment that she shared with Emily, Alex, Sophia, Ali, Mal and Lauren. Ash found herself heartbroken all over again, because it reminded her of everything she lost.

For the sake of her recovery, Ash decided to move out. Steph was still living there and was very short and uninterested in anything that had to do with Ashlyn, which only proved to the goalkeeper more, that being in this house was a big no.

She found herself a little one bedroom apartment and started focusing on; the positives in life, the plan to get her friends back, the plan to prove she's changed and to make it up to them.

But when the first, second, third, fourth and fifth training session passed, with no sign of Ali. Ash sunk into depression. Luckily she was able to stop the urges to drink, but she found herself surrounded by darkness, sleepless nights and tears.

Yet at every meeting, training sessions, pre-season game. Ash put on a massive smile, skipped around like she was the happiest person in the world and laughed so loud it was over the top, because she didn't want anyone know just how down she really was. She mainly didn't want Alex to see it, because she wanted to prove to her friends she had changed, that no matter what is going on in her life, she will be there for them in any capacity they wanted or needed.

She NEEDED to show them because life without them wasn't one worth living!