Saved by the USWNT

Ch. 8 - Apologies

Olivia POV

We finished breakfast and just hung around the hotel room until it was time for practice. We're loading up onto the bus and I see that Kelley sat down next to Hope, which is fine. They have been doing a lot for us lately and haven't gotten much time to myself.

I go to sit somewhere else, but Char tugs on my arm and gives me a mischievous smirk. I know exactly what she is thinking. We both run over to them and jump in their laps, me on Kels and Char on Hope. They let out a loud grunt and then we get ourselves situated. I lay my head on Kelley's chest and Charlotte does the same to Hope.

"You know there's other seats on the bus," Kelley said while laughing. I fake pouted, "but we wanted to sit with you guys." Now Hope is laughing, "fine girls, but on the way back you sit in your own seats."

Kelley and I were laughing about stupid stuff the whole ride over, but I kept glancing at Char who kept her head on Hope's chest the whole ride there. She never said a word or even looked up at me. I gave Hope a concerned look and thankfully she understood. She whispered something into Char's ear and got a shrug in return, so Hope just gripped her tighter.

We make it to practice and everyone starts splitting up, but before I can go with the defenders, Mal pulls me aside. She looks really nervous, "Is it okay if I talk to you?" I had already forgiven her, she didn't know, and let's be honest, I know the whole team wants to know. I just nod before following her away from everyone else. Char gives me a worried look, but I just smile back at her.

"So what's up Mal?" She was pacing and rubbing her hands together before finally stopping in front of me. "I am so so sorry for what I asked last night. It was none of my business and I really did not mean for it to come out the way it did. I promise to never ever ask anything so personal again." I grabbed her shoulders, "Mal hush, I've already forgiven you. I didn't get upset because you asked me, it just brought up a lot of memories and with those memories I tend to shut down. You're okay, I'm okay, we're okay. Okay?"

She nods, "Is it okay if we hug? I'm kind of a hugger." I just laugh before pulling her into a hug. "Alright, now come on, we don't want to be late for practice."

Charlotte POV

Ever since this morning, I've felt off. Yeah, it was my idea to run and jump on Kelley and Hope, but I was hoping that would cheer me up. Instead, I just curled myself into Hope and my mind took over. I thought about everything. Mom dying, father abusing Liv and I, meeting Hope and Kelley. It's all too much.

Hope must have noticed something was up on the bus because she asked me if I was okay, but all I could do was shrug. Luckily she got the message and didn't try to talk to me again, but just pulled me tighter into her. We make our way to the field where we are all separated. I see Mal pull Liv a way and I throw her a worried glance, but she just smiles in return, so I guess she's okay with it.

We have been working for quite awhile and since my group was done taking shots, I went over to watch Hope make some saves. She was doing amazing, she let nothing past her, but then something bad happened. She went to make a save and landed really hard on her bad shoulder and wasn't getting up.

I immediately took off towards her, beating the medic team to her. "Hopey? Hopey what's wrong?" She doesn't answer me, just grunts in pain. The medics push me away so they can check on her, but I can't help but let the tears fall. When they lift her up and carry her off the field, I want to run away, but Ash grabs me.

"Charlie, hey shh, she's going to be alright, okay? The medical team just have to look at her to make sure she didn't damage her shoulder too badly. She landed pretty hard on her bad shoulder." I nodded, but I couldn't make any words come out, so I just gripped onto Ash as I cried.