Wilder Dreams

Chapter 3

We have recovery today, and surprisingly I'm excited for it. I have more time to talk and appreciate this team before the trade. I find the energy to get out of bed and get dressed into some comfy sport clothes. It's all about Nike, literally since I have a contract with Nike.

I head to my kitchen and make myself a smoothie of green vegetables. After chugging the drink, I grab my keys and stop by Starbucks to get Carli's usual. I head to the stadium, I park my truck in the parking lot. Noticing a couple cars, I guess not everyone is here yet.

I take Carli's coffee with me and head inside the locker rooms. I walk in and notice Carli is already in the ice bath. I wave to her and she smiles back "Hey you brought me coffee? You know you didn't have too" she tells me. "It's all good, my treat" I say to her as I hand her the cup.

"Thank you Sagey, so the rumors, have you talked to coach about them?" She asks me almost reading my mind as I was about to bring it up to her. "Yeah he told me that it is a trade, I'll be playing for the Thorns next week" I tell her sounding disappointed. She looks at me with a glint of sadness in her eyes but smiles anyway at me.

I give her a small smile knowing how much this sucks. "Hey just because I'll be playing in a different team, doesn't mean you should go easy on me!" I tell her jokingly. She chuckles "I've never been easy on you!" She tells me back while playfully hitting my leg.

I walk over to my locker to clear things out of it, once I get everything into my gym bag I change into some shorts to join Carli in the ice bath. "So how much do you have left?" She asks me as I hear shuffling and few players coming into the locker rooms, all giving me a reassuring smile.
"I have until Friday, I leave the morning after" I tell her as I get in the bath and sit. "I'm going to miss having you here, a lot of things we do together that I will eventually have to do by myself now" she tells me in a sad tone. "I'll miss you too Carlos, I'm sure you can do them with Morgan!" I tell her with hope. "Yeah I could but no offence to Morgan, it just won't be the same" she looks at me and then turns back to grab her phone from the nearby table.

We sit in silence for the next 10 mins in the comfort in each others presence. I've grown to admire Carli, and in a way I look up to her as a sister. One I never got the chance to have. After recovery is over, I spend my time joking and laughing with my teammates.

We bring up good memories we've had playing with one another. Carli mentions the one time we were playing scrimmage and I elbowed her in the face as she was behind me trying to steal the ball from under me. I caused her to have a nose bleed. We all start to laugh about that memory since Carli gave me her dirty look, I was new to the team and I thought I had made Carli's shit list. It was a great memory, at least now it is.

After a while, we all started to head out. I've said my farewells to players who I wasn't close with but were there when I needed them. To my close friends, they stayed a little longer and we talked about things we could do when we play each other, like go out after we finish a game or before a game.

"You know now we really have to be prepared for Portland when we play them seeing how now they will even be more a force to be reckoned with" Lydia William's says to Carli, Morgan and Kealia.
"That's pretty true, the team already has Tobin Heath, Megan Klingberg and Lindsey Horan followed by Christine Sinclair, and now you Sage!" Morgan tells me. Carli chuckles "They are all pretty good players, and so are you, looks like you'll be our main challenge" she tells me directly.

"Oh I know! Tell me about it!" I tell them in a cocky tone as I pick my hand up and look at my nails. They playfully squirt water on me from their water bottles "Hey! Your the ones filling up my huge head about how good I am, can't expect me not to be cocky!" I playfully yell at them as I laugh wiping my face from the water that was squirted on me.

They laugh with me, as they grab their bags and we all get up and walk out with each other. I hug Morgan and Lyida, along with Kealia, and tell them I'll miss them. They wish me luck in Portland and reminded me to always keep in touch with them. Once they leave, I'm standing next to Carli.

"You know Carli, I've never pegged you the type to be sentimental so I think we should just have a small hug and we'll head out" I tell her as she looks ahead trying not to break that smile from her face.
"Sage you're an amazing player, and hopefully what I taught you, you apply better whether it's on the field or off the field. I want you to know I've grown fond of you, I really do wish you the best in Portland and don't hesitate to call me if you ever need anything" she tells me now looking at me.

"I appreciate it a lot Carli, you have taught me a lot. Maybe even some day we'll both play with each other in the National Team" I tell her with hopeful eyes. She smiles and says "I don't doubt it, you'll get your big break and show them how good you are", she puts her hand on my shoulder. I give her a big smile and we hug. "Ugh I'm really going to miss you Carlos!" I smile at her. She shakes her head and chuckles
"I hate being called Carlos but for you I'll make an exception!" She says. I laugh "well I guess I'll see you later ". She nods her head and smiles, we walk away from each other heading to our cars. I drive to my apartment and start packing, thinking maybe I can just take an early flight and leave early this week instead of waiting until Friday. I take my phone out and book a flight to Portland. I leave tonight. I make some lunch and I head to the main office to return my keys. I called in Furniture Movers, and they are taking all my furniture to Portland.
Once I get to my apartment in Portland, I'll give the address and they'll drop it off and I have to pay them. I don't have a lot of furniture which is pretty good, I always kept it light since you don't really know how long you'll be playing for a team sometimes, you get traded sometimes , hence like me. I sit on my couch and watch TV, and wait until its finally time.

The movers come in and take everything, I called back and asked if they can also take my truck. I'll have to pay additional to that. Which I was fine with. I call a cab and I head to the airport. I take my one suitcase, check in and go through TSA. I wait for my flight to be called, and hour later I'm boarding my flight to Portland. Goodbye Houston, Texas.