1. Kick (Thomas Muller)

in which Libby becomes a German

The German squad plus Libby and Hope traveled back to their homes in two days. All of the arrangements had been taken care of by their travel agents, and their interviews reached high numbers.

Libby was kind of happy though. She felt as if she had made the right decision coming here with them. It seemed as if nothing would go wrong.

She might've imagined this, but every time she caught a glimpse of Hope, she was smiling down at the ground.

And then Hope would turn away quickly and pretend to be doing something else.

Libby was also too scared to as her what was even going on, because she thought Hope would pack up and leave.

But the day they arrived at their new home for the next five months, Libby couldn't take the shard-like glares from her.

"Look, Hope. Will you just tell me why you're acting so bipolar about Bastian freaking Schweinsteiger?!" Libby roared, stabbing her fork into the noodles they were having for dinner.

There was probably the awkwardest silence ever known to man as Hope gasped and looked up.

Hope looked shocked, because she wasn't used to Libby shouting at her. Hope looked like she was going to run away, her deer-like eyes and hands trembling, she cleared her throat.

"Libs, I just- I just didn't think he would've gone all the way if he had a girlfriend? That's so. Freaking. Inconsiderate." Hope emphasized each word by skewering every piece of chicken he could find.

Oh, so she was upset that he had a girlfriend? The thought hadn't even crossed Libby's mind. She was so fed up with Thomas, she didn't even have time to think about what Hope had been thinking.

"So...what are you going to do?" Libby asked, completely oblivious to the fact that she might like Bastian just the teeniest bit.

"I-I'm just gonna ignore him, because being friends will just make it a heck of a lot worse," Hope sighed, looking at Libby. Hope wanted Libby to tell her not to, to give her a reason to change Bastian's mind. But Libby looked away.

She had never known Hope to not have a way with boys.

"Forget about me Libs, you meed to worry about your boy toy,." Hope giggled a bit, Libby's expression blank, "You know...Thomas? I saw him staring at you that day. You're so oblivious, Libs!" Hope laughed a bit, stuffing her mouth with the last of her noodles and piling our plates in the dishwasher.

"Um, what?" Libby furrowed her eyebrows. Her face felt heated, but she didn't know why, she didn't have any feelings.

For any boy. Especially not Thomas.

Hope just winked at her, nudging her shoulder as she headed to her room.

Libby yawned, and headed for bed also, avoiding any more conversation or thought on this matter that somehow kept popping up.

Her last thought had naturally been Thomas, who she couldn't get out of her stupid head.

And then morning quickly followed as if Libby didn't sleep at all. They were to report at 5 AM sharp for specifics and one-on-one.

Libby didn't think it would be too bad. She was wrong.

Thomas arrived fifteen minutes late, setting foot on the pitch and realizing Libby and Hope standing there, angry, but prepared.

"Aye, Muller, you're late," Libby said frankly. She hated how lightly he took this. He didn't know how important this was to her, and he probably thought he was better and more important than her.