Mark My Words

49 | Matching Set

a/n: 

Since I've gotten a lot of new readers here (yall KNOW who you are and I appreciate every single one of you. I legitimately have notifications on my phone so I can read all your comments on my commute to class/work) I really really REALLY want to post twice a week.

The University of Washington Seattle resided within the radius of Mount Rainier's view from the horizon. Depending on the clouds, anyone on campus could see it, looming in the distance with its white, snowy peak. It blended into the haze on the horizon, like the buildings among the cherry blossoms across the campus, spreading white petals across the courtyards. At the front of it all, high up on the hill, rests UW Seattle's pride complex, the library used as inspiration for Hogwarts. From the wide, winding stairwells, students could view the courtyard, and the view of Mount Rainier—if the weather allowed it.

Most days, though, it would be cloudy. It would be rainy. But there was nothing that could deter Rosalie's dream of sitting at the North Campus fountain just to study.

It was because of this dream that her heart raced when she found someone waiting on the Knights' sideline bench as they crossed the field with their gear stowed in duffles. Rosalie quickly stuffed her water bottle away as she hurried up to walk alongside Coach Maguire, who looked over at her with one of those rare, motherly smiles that she coupled with a hand on Rosalie's shoulder.

Coach gave her a squeeze before nodding for Rosalie to go on ahead. Rosalie started forward at a jog, smiling as Coach Heather stood up from the bench.

"If it isn't Rosalie Mason," Coach Heather said with a laugh, beaming as Rosalie slowed to a stop a few paces away from her. She was hardly out of breath, her excitement keeping her light.

"How long are you here for?" she asked, unable to contain her smile. With her eyes as wide as they were, it was no wonder Coach Heather laughed again, looking down at her feet before answering.

"Well, that depends. I'd love to stay the full weekend, but I'm hoping to catch the tail end of another tournament a few states over," she said.

She lifted her gaze, tipping her head to the side. Rosalie followed her attention back to where Joanna was being pestered by Brynn, who was demanding a piggy back ride with the biggest damn smile on her face dotted with blue and silver braces. Joanna tipped forward when Brynn slammed into her from behind, and the two of them fell over the sideline paint.

"Oy vey," Rosalie sighed, rubbing her hand over her forehead. Thankfully, though, Coach was already on them, snapping her fingers at Brynn to get off of Joanna, who now refused to get up.

As Joanna sprawled out in starfish formation, Coach Heather whistled low and asked, "Is she always like this?"

"Who, Joanna or Brynn?" Rosalie said, coming to stand beside Heather. She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Brynn Fox is a sophomore. She has the attention span of a peanut most days, so Joanna's sporadic enough to keep her interested. So I'd say so, yeah."

"Now, how long has Joanna been on the team?" Heather asked.

Rosalie pushed back the prick of jealousy in her chest, but it sat itself there and made it difficult to breath until she cleared her throat and said, "Just this year. She started late, after classes started. I thought she mentioned something?"

"Yes, but I was just interested. It sounds like she left Kaiserslautern before the end of the spring term. I just assumed she finished up at Bradshaw," she said. Rosalie shrugged, genuinely at a loss. She recalled what Drew had said in the pool, about Joanna missing a month of school back at Kaiserslautern.