HAZE (On Hold)

Part 5

A week later and Hailee and Dylan are running and kicking a ball around the Zane's rather expansive back yard. They take a water break and sit down for a few.

"How are you feeling?" Hailee looks at her hating that question, "I'm okay, I'm doing my best to tune out what is happening in the house. I've been spending a couple of hours a day either in the gym working out or out here getting some touches in."

"You need to be careful not to overdo it Haze."

"I'm okay, my therapists and trainer were thrilled with the idea of me becoming more active and have been helping me with a plan."

"Okay, would you be interested in joining my pick up game on Friday? It's only us girls having fun, we don't even really keep score. I've spoken with my team and they are excited to have another player."

"I'm kind of young to be hanging with a bunch of Uni students though, won't it be a problem?"

"It isn't just Uni students, it's girls between 18 – 25 who just want to have some fun. You will be fine we've made exceptions in the past for younger girls who want to play as well."

"Okay, I trust you, D."

"Good, because I really wasn't planning on taking no for an answer. Now, lets back at it."

They continue playing around for a while longer before deciding to call it quits. They collect everything and place it in the corner of the home gym before deciding to do some stretching out and then hitting the pool for a bit.

"You know Haze you are pretty good for only having been playing for a week. It's like your feet haven't forgotten what they are supposed to do."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, it's felt so good and natural for me to have a ball at my feet again. I almost wish I wouldn't have waited this long to start playing again."

"I don't think you were mentally, emotionally or physically ready to play before now. You needed to learn how to process everything before you could start to move forward. Soccer is something that you have always loved, it was an escape for you, it seems only fitting that it would be what brings you back."

"You sound more and more like my shrink each time we talk. You need to stop now!"

Dylan laughs, "I've been reading about traumatic experiences and the healing processes. I'm not sure that I still want to be a teacher, maybe I should become a shrink."

"I actually could totally see that happening. So, I've noticed you looking at your phone a lot and smiling, something you want to tell me?"

"I started seeing someone I met at school, his name is Austin."

"A guy, huh? Kinda always thought you were into girls, the way you talked about them."

"Sorry to disappoint you. I appreciate beautiful women, but I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship with one at least not yet, anyway. What about you, that's something that has never come up in our conversations, which side of the plate do you bat from kid?"

"I don't know, shouldn't I know by now?" Hailee looks over at her concerned.

"It's okay if you don't. I sometimes forget how isolated you've been because of everything. It will come with time and exposure to people, you'll start to understand more of who and what you are attracted too."

A few days later and Dylan drives her and Hailee to the field where they will be playing the pickup game. It's in the back of a local high school that Hailee hasn't seen before. She looks around at the building and the portables outside of it.