The Quiet Girl (An International Story)

A Friend

September 2019

Virginia's POV:

Just call her. I'm just gonna call her. I paced around.

"Oh my god. Can you stop?" Lola sighed. "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm nervous!"

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it." I looked at my phone.

"Don't worry about it? You're making tire marks on my floor over there, Lightning McQueen." 

I glared at her. "I'll be outside." I said and walked out. I looked at my phone and sighed. "Fuck it." I dialed the number and waited.

"Hey."

"Nahi. How's it going?" I smiled.

"It's good. Back in Spain huh?"

"Yeah." I said. "France was nice but it was time to come back to Spain. Something was pulling me back, you know?" 

It was you. You were pulling me back.

"Nothing like being home." She laughed. "Something wrong?"

"I was just calling about my goal that wasn't a goal in the world cup. I haven't stopped thinking about it." I said. 

"You haven't? What about it?"

You jumping on my back.

"How off I was. I've watched the replay hundreds of times. I was so close to being onside." I sighed. "Guess we all don't have your vision." I clenched my fist.

"Guess not." She said.

"Everything ok?" I asked.

"What?"

"Your voice. It just sounded sad." I said. 

"Oh um. I'm fine. Just sad we couldn't get the win today, that's all."

"Oh. Well, don't be too hard on yourself. It's only one game. Besides you got on the scoresheet pretty early. You'll have to teach me your ways next time I see you."

"I'll do that. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, Vir."

"See you later, Nahi." She hung up. 

I looked at my phone. 

"I'll talk to you later, Vir."

"You have a crush on Nahikari." 

"JESUS CHRIST CARMEN!" I jumped. "Don't just sneak up on me like that."

"That's how I know I'm right." She smirked. "No one ever scares Virginia Torrecilla. Talk to Mama Carmen what's going on?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"It's either me, Lola or keeping it to yourself."

"Or I go call Alexia. She loves listening to my problems."

"She has her own problems." She said. "The whole Jenni almost dying situation. Remember that?"

I nodded. "And if I do like Nahi?" I shook my head. "She'll never like me, Carmen. She's perfect and I'm just," I sighed. "me. She deserves better than me." I walked inside. 

March 2020

Nahikari's POV:

National team time. I saw Virginia laughing with Leila. I grabbed my phone and texted Alex.

Why did I not realize I'd have to see her at camp?

How did you not? Nahikari are you ok? Did you hit your head at all?

I laughed.

"Who are you texting?" Lucia asked.

"NO ONE!" I yelled. Everyone looked. "Uhhh. I'm not texting anyone."

"Who's Alex?" She smirked. "Ohhh is little Nahi in a relationship?"

"No." I sighed. "She's just a friend."

"Oh, I'm sure she is." She walked away. 

Virginia walked over. "Alex huh? Where did you meet her?"

"When I was in America."

"You went to America?"

"Yeah to visit Vero." I said. "She got injured and I went to see her. Caught up."

"How is our dear Vero?" She said as we walked side by side.

"She's good." I smiled. "Alex was at the game and yeah. She's pretty cool. Nice to have a friend that's not invested in football."

"She doesn't play?" I shook my head. "Well, if you're happy. You deserve to be happy, Nahi." She said. "You work really hard, think about yourself for once."

"Vir!" Leila yelled. "Come look at this."

"I'll be right there." She looked at me. "We should catch up later." She said. "You can tell me more about Alex." She said. "I'll see you around, Nahi." She ran off.

I sighed. I looked to my right and saw Jenni. "Don't look at me like that."

"I'm not saying anything." She smirked and walked away.

Alexandra's POV:

I skated over to the bench and sighed. I undid the cage and took my helmet off. "Tough." Cailey skated over. "Really tough."

"We should be playing for the cup." I said. I drank some water. "Lost by one fucking goal." I threw the water bottle down. 

"Relax." She said. We got off the ice and headed down to the locker room. On the bus back, I turned my phone off. My sister knows not to text me after a loss, my uncle too.

I knew Spain was playing, but I'd check the score later. I just wanted to clear my head for now.

First season, and it's over.

Over the next few days, I packed up the apartment and got ready to head back to Boston. 

Spain won the tournament they played in, beating Portugal in the final.

"See you next season." Mallory hugged me. "Be good, ok?"

"Yes mom." I smirked.

I drove back to Boston. "Alex." Zariah stood outside. "Good to have you home." She opened her arms. "Come here, sis." I laughed and hugged her.

"Miss me?" 

"Always." She patted my shoulder. "Jayson is here. Surprised me. He's cooking dinner."

"Our favorite?"

"Duh." She laughed. "We'll unpack after come on." I ran inside. 

"Jayson!" I hugged my uncle. 

"Alex." He laughed. "What a season you had, kid." 

"Wish we were playing for the cup." I shrugged. "What brings you to Boston?"

"Had to come see my two favorite girls." He smiled. "It's been a while. I haven't seen you guys, I wanted to check-in. Catch up. I'd usually ask about school, but you are both done with that." I laughed. "Careers? Zariah? How's, whatever you're doing?"

"It's good. I got invited to France for a conference. I leave in 2 weeks."

"I get home and you're already leaving me?" I crossed my arms.

"Come with me." She said. "Think about it! We always talked about traveling together! Now we can! We'll go to France, I'll do my conference and then we can go wherever."

"I could go to Spain." I thought about it.

"Yes! You could go to Spain!" Zariah yelled. "What's in Spain?"

"A friend." I smiled.

Who do you want to see Alex with?