The Quiet Girl (An International Story)

Be Tough

August 2020

Alexandra's POV:

"Good job today, Alex." My trainer said. "I can tell you're putting in extra work here."

"Last season ended faster than I wanted. I want to do better. I need to be better."

He nodded. "And you are, you will be. Come on. Take a walk with me, let's cool off and talk a little." We walked out of the gym and walked around. "How's your offseason?"

"It's good." I smiled. "Traveled a bit with my sister which was nice."

"How is Z?" He smirked. 

"Ask her yourself." I laughed.

"She still with that boyfriend?"

"The lazy sack of shit? Sadly." I laughed. "I'm happy she's happy but that dude does nothing. I don't understand why she's with him."

"She could be with me." He smiled.

"You missed your chance. Too busy being a cocky little shit."

He nodded. "Ok ok, I hear you. I heard you then, I hear you now." We stopped and looked at the view. "I'll never get tired of this place." He sighed. "Remember when we were in high school? How much trouble we got into."

"I was voted most likely to be arrested after graduation." I said. "Look at me now." 

"You proved them all wrong, Ms. arrested BEFORE graduation." I laughed. "Z is with that asshole, I'm wishing I was with her, what are you up to?" He leaned against the rail and looked at me. "What is going on in the love life of Alexandra "troublemaker" Hernandez?"

"Ha." I looked around. "Uh, nothing." I looked back at him. "Honestly, nothing. I met a girl last summer, but it's nothing." 

"Bullshit. Tell me about her."

"She's from Spain, plays soccer and she's crushing hard on one of her teammates."

"Rough dude. You're totally gonna fly in and steal her though, right?"

"Nope. I'm helping them get together."

"Alex!"

"What!"

"You always do this! Meet a girl, find out girl has a crush on someone else, MATCHMAKER, and forever alone!"

"Forever alone? Dude, I'm 23 not dead." I looked at him.

"23 is the new 50. You might as well be on your deathbed."

"Ok, Mr. 24 and single." 

"Yes but I was engaged, I have a child, I'm BOOKS ahead of you, not chapters. BOOKS." 

"WAS engaged, you NEVER see your child, and do you even know how to read those books?" I felt my phone go off. I looked.

Nahikari

"Is that her?" He smirked.

"Shut up." I walked away and answered. "Hey, Nahikari."

"Alex!" She said. "What are you doing?"

"Just finished my workout."

"I've tried to talk to Virginia. She won't answer me." She said. 

"Why not?"

"I don't know." She sighed.

"Is there anyone you can ask to talk to her?"

"Not without telling more people I like her." 

"I think it might be time to do that." I said. "More people to help. I'm in another country, but you need more people. Especially if this is how she's acting."

Virginia's POV:

I saw Jenni walking toward me. "Go away, Jenni." I sighed. 

"Can you stop acting like an ass and talk to me?"

I turned to her. "What do you want me to do?"

"I've seen Nahi try to talk to you. What's going on?"

"I don't want to talk to her." I turned and started walking. 

"Vir." She followed me.

"Leave me alone Jenni!" She stopped and I walked away.

Nahikari's POV:

I saw Jenni talking with fear. "Fuck you, Vir! Keep pushing all of us away! Watch what happens!" Jenni turned and looked at me. 

"This is my fault." I said. "Isn't it?"

"No." She said. "Virginia is doing this herself. She's always like this. In her mind, it's better to push us anyway."

I looked towards Virginia. "I'm gonna try to talk to her." I started walking to her. I got closer and grew nervous. "Vir?" I said softly.

"Go away Nahi."

I looked down and walked closer. I stood next to her. "Talk to me." I whispered. I saw the tears in her eyes. "What's going on?"

"I'm not talking to you. Go away." She looked down. 

I reached out and put my hand on hers. "Do you really want me to leave."

She looked at me. "No." 

"Then I won't." I stood with her. 

She shook her head. "Don't do this." She whispered.

"Do what."

"This." She looked down at my hand. 

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"I don't know!" She walked away from me. "You know, Nahi, you confuse the shit out of me. You drive me insane! This wasn't supposed to happen! This sport is my life and playing for this team is a dream come true! It was never supposed to be more than football. Then you came along." She walked closer to me and stood in front of me. "Why do you make me feel like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like I'm suffocating but breathing perfectly fine." She sighed. "I want,"

"What?"

"No." She shook her head. "Leave me alone, Nahikari. Go talk to Alex or whatever. Just leave me alone." She walked away. 

I watched her leave and looked at Mapi. 

"This is going to be harder than I thought." She said. "You'd both rather suffer than realize you like each other."

I looked at her. "You're going to give me relationship advice? How are things with Mariana? Oh wait, you're too afraid to ask her out."

"But at least we can have a conversation without screaming at each other." Mapi said. "Don't attack me just because Virginia's being difficult."

I sighed and looked back at the world around me. 

"This is going to be tough."