It is August 2nd. Tomorrow is the USWNT's first game. Everyone is anxious and excited. Instead of waiting around while everyone is talking about it, they want to actually play the game. They wanted the games to start. Or at least this is what Tobin thinks.
Tobin Heath. Soccer legend who is playing in her third Olympics with historic teammates Hope Solo and Carli Lloyd. This is what made her mad. The media says that these "oldies" don't have the spark they used to have.
Yea so Hope is 35 and Carli is 34. So what!!!! Tobin is only 28, she shouldn't be considered old!
This has really frustrated her and is distracting her from focusing on her training. Alex tries to talk some sense into her, but it doesn't work. It's really hurting her playing.
"Tobin.." Alex says.
Tobin snaps out of her trance.
"What?" She says surprised.
"I said are you ready to go to breakfast?" Alex replies.
"Um yea." Tobin says gathering her thoughts again.
Alex walks over to the door waiting for Tobin. Tobin gets up from her comfortable spot on the bed and walks over to her girlfriend. She smiles holding back her feelings.
"You alright Tobs?" Alex asks rubbing the midfielders arm.
"Yea I'm fine. Just thinking." Tobin says.
"Okay.Hey..." Alex says looking into Tobin's eyes.
"What?" Tobin grins.
"I love you." Alex says smiling.
"I love you too." Tobin says pulling Alex in and passionately kissing her.
When Tobin is with Alex, she acts totally normal. But it is when she steps outside of her little world,that's when she gets crushed by the press.
The two walk down to the dining hall and are greeted by their teammates.
"Hey!!!" Ashlynn says from her table.
"Hey guys!!" Alex says addressing the whole group.
"Happy Birthday Kling!!" Alex says patting her friend on the back.
"Thanks Al! Hey Tobin. How you doing?" Kling says also worried about the midfielder.
"Doing fine." Tobin says nodding.
"Good!" She replies.
Alex gets her food and sits down with Kelley, Hope, Ashlyn, Ali, and Allie.
"Hey. How's Tobs doing?" Allie asks. Tobin was still on line for food, so her situation was up for conversation.
"Doing better." Alex says afraid to talk about it.
"Alex. I'm your friend right?" Hope asks.
"Of course." Alex says surprised that the goalie would ask a question like that.
"Alright well as your friend and your teammate......I think Tobin is showing signs of depression."
"What?! That's ridiculous. How could Tobin be depressed. She's always smiling!" Alex says not wanting to face this fact.
"Don't get upset Al...." Kelley says grabbing her hand. ".......We're not diagnosing her with it. We just want to help her get back to her old self. The first step is to find out the problem."
"What do guys know about depression?" Alex says scoffing.
"Alex listen to me....." Ashlyn says serious. "...we need to stop this before it gets worse. Yea she seems happy, but she's hiding all her pain. This problem just can't be the the press....."
Ashlyn gets cut off.....
"Hey I didn't do anything to Tobin I swear." Christen says walking past their table.
Ashlyn continues:
"Carli and Hope aren't even fazed by the things the media are saying. Something else is bothering her Al. We need to step in. We can't just keep pretending everything is okay. It's for her own good."
Alex stays quiet. She can't believe what she hears. But she knows they're right. Tobin needs help.
"Listen sweetie..."Ali says. "I've been through this before. When my brother was depressed, it was very scary. But he needed someone he knew he could trust. He couldn't open up on his own, so my mom and I sat him down and he just gave in. Yea, there was tears and anger, but he's better now. He's actually going on two years sober." Ali says rubbing Alex's back.
Alex sniffles. "You guys are right. I guess I don't want to talk about it either. I need to put more pressure on this situation. It's not just her career she's damaging, it's her whole life."
"We're right her for you Al. We'll all figure out a way to help." Kelley says.
"Yea. Now dry those tears before Tobin gets back." Hope says chuckling.
"Thanks guys." Alex says drying her tears.
Alex turns around looking for Tobin. It's been about 5 or 6 minutes since the group started talking. And usually Tobin was right there beside Alex. Then she sees that Tobin got caught up talking to Mal and Lindsay.
Tobin comes to the table and everyone plays it cool. They eat together, laughing and talking. The team finishes up breakfast and heads out to training. It wasn't the best for Tobin. She couldn't pass the ball or dribble well. And the worst of all she couldn't nutmeg!!!! Dun dun duh!!!!!!!!! She only tried once and totally failed. It was meant for Kelley. She tried and fell on the ground. Everyone was stunned. Was the Queen of Nutmegs just dethroned?!
"Come on Tobin. Get back up." Jill says very supportive. Tobin sighs and gets up. Alex noticed this and wasn't happy.
Training soon finished and the team went back to the hotel.
The couple comes into their room and Tobin falls into bed.
"Why are you so tired?" Alex asks.
"I don't know." Tobin sighs.
"Well don't fall asleep because I have a surprise for you." Alex says raising her eyebrow.
"Is it sex?" Tobin says raising her head.
"Tobin Powell Heath!!!" Alex says now annoyed.
"Guess not." Tobin says laying her head back down on the pillow.
"I think this surprise is much better." Alex says walking to the door.
Tobin was about to argue when Alex opens the door. In walks Kelley, Hope,Ali, and Ashlyn, who was holding a laptop.
"Hey guys." Tobin says wondering if her teammates heard anything she just said privately to her girlfriend.
"Hey Tobs! Are you ready for your surprise?" Ali asks.
"Uh yea sure I guess." Tobin says sitting up. Everyone sits on the bed and Ashlyn opens the laptop. It's on FaceTime. The group hears ringing and then it's picked up.
The group knew they needed to get someone Tobin trusted a lot. And they knew it couldn't be just Alex.
*facetime convo*
The blurry mess comes clear and Tobin sees the person. Or people. Tobin covers her mouth wanting to cry.
It's Lauren and Amy!! (I'm balling right know)
"ARod!! Cheney!!!!" Tobin says in disbelief.
"Hey Tobs! How's Rio?" Amy says all smiley.
"Oh my gosh it's great! I can't believe this. How did you guys set this up!" Tobin says looking at the small group in the hotel room.
"It's never hard to reunite the New Kids!" Ashlyn says in a superhero voice.
"Oh you guys didn't just reunite the New Kids." Cheney says.
"We have some visitors." Amy says.
"Sup losers!" Syd says popping into the camera.
"Syd!!!"They all scream. They didn't plan for this to happen.
"I'm here too!" Abby says jumping in.
"Abby!!!!" They all scream. Now this is amazing.
"Me too." Shannon says walking in.
"Boxxy!!!!!" Everyone is crying now.
"Hey don't forget Captain America!" Christie says coming into focus.
"And Lori sends love she just can't be here now, but she'll be at the watch party." Lauren says.
"Chups!!!" They all yell. (I'm dying on the floor)
"Are you guys really having a watch party?!" Hope asks all excited.
"Of course! We wouldn't miss you guys playing. Especially you miss Tobin." Christie says.
"If you could even call it playing." Tobin says disappointed.
"Listen sweetie. I played for a long time. And I've delt with a lot of hateful comments. But you know what I did?"Christie says wanting Tobin to answer.
"What?" Tobin replies.
"I showed those reporters wrong."
"Yea Tobs. Don't let them get to you. They don't know how you play. Only you do. And this isn't the time to get distracted." Abby adds.
"You're right guys. I've been way out of focus. I'm not only let myself down, I'm dragging the whole team down with me." Tobin says putting her head down.
"Well regain that focus right now." Boxxy says.
"Yea let us inspire you." Syd says with jazz hands.
"And remember Tobin...." Lauren says.
".....your representing all of America. And also you representing all us "oldies" that can't be there tonight. Play like we're there on that field with you. Like old times." Lauren says smiling.
"I agree. But about the oldies thing, I'm 25 years old!" Syd says.
"Alright Syd. Thank you."Abby says shutting her down.
"We love Tobin. We love all you guys. We wish we could be there with you!" Amy says.
"Bye!!!" The girls yell.
"Bye!!" The girls in the screen say.
The last thing the girls could hear was Syd screaming: "Kick some ass!!!"
They all laugh.
"Did that help Tobin." Alex asks nervous for the answer.
"Actually. It did. Seeing them. If really made me feel inspired. Who cares if I'm old......I got a young soul." Tobin says smiling from ear to ear.
"Glad we could help." Kelley says.
"Yea thanks guys. You're some my best fiends in the whole entire world."
The group hugs.
Alex and Tobin show their teammates to the door. The say goodbye and close the door.
"And you..." Tobin says pointing to the forward.
"Oh me?" Alex says acting surprised.
"You planned this, didn't you?"
"Well we all did. But it was my idea." Alex says smiling.
"Thank you." Tobin says grabbing Alex and kissing her.
"Anything for you." Alex replies.
"Oh and Al?" Tobin says.
"Yea?" Alex says.
"I love you." Tobin says really grinning.
"I love you too." Alex says chuckling.
Tobin walks over to the bed and sits down. She sighs and says: "What a day!"
Alex chuckles.
"Hey Tobin."
"Yea babe?"
"Do you still want your other surprise?" Alex says smirking.
"This day keeps getting better and better!"
Alex tackles Tobin and they start kissing passionately. It's gonna be a long night!
