Driving Force

chapter 1

"Marshall!" I hear Dunn shout as she lobs me a pass, perfectly placing the ball in front of me. I take it and assist Press as I see her open at the top of the box.

"You're always able to read the play." Press hugs me after she scores and Vlatko blows the whistle to end training for the day.

"What can I say, it's a talent." I chuckle as we get off the pitch with her arm still around me.

"Madison Marshall!" Heath shouts.

"Tobin Heath!" I reply back.

"Emily Sonnet!" Sonny joins in but me, Christen, and Tobin just pause and look at her. "What? I thought we were playing the name game or something."

We burst out laughing because of course that's a Sonnet thing to do.

"You stealing my woman?" Heath replies jokingly as Press still has her arm wrapped around me.

"If you would assist me like Madi here does, you wouldn't have to be worried." Christen winks at her girlfriend.

"I think she's pushing the idea that you need to step up your game." I smirk at Tobin as she fakes being butt hurt from the comment.

"Come on, Madi." Abby says pulling me away from the couple. "You do not want to be in the middle of those two even if they are joking."

"Heyyy that's not fair! Bring her back." Christen pouts at Abby.

With that everyone packs their bags and ready to head back to the hotel for showers and recovery. As we take our seats on the bus, I sit in my usual spot. I'm one of those people that prefers to sit alone and the team understands. We have a couple of people who like to sit by themselves such as Alyssa and... wait? It's just me and Alyssa that have no bus partners. As I sit I begin to think about a lot of things. I've been on the team for less than a year and we are family. This is my fifth camp with the USWNT and I couldn't be more grateful. Coach Vlatko somehow managed to find out I exist and reached out to me. Before I knew it, I was leaving New Jersey for camps every few weeks. I managed to convince my school with my mom's help to transfer all my learning to an online based learning which worked out perfectly.

"Come on, kid. We're back." Alyssa stops in front of me nudging me out of my thoughts.

"I'm coming roomie." I jump up and hop on her back as she laughs and shakes her head.

"You're lucky you're cute kid." Naeher says giving me a piggyback all the way to our room. "Go shower first because I think you need it much more than I do." She clenches her nose as she takes a whiff of me.

"Well isn't that just rude." I say with a serious face as we begin a stare contest but I couldn't hold it together as I burst out laughing.

"Get in the shower, Madi!" She pushes me and my towels into the bathroom.

Whoever roomed us together figured it was a good idea to have the baby on the team with someone calm and mature. Alyssa and I always joke around, but at the end of the day, she is the rock for whatever I need. We were roomed together from the first camp and staff decided to keep it like that saying it was good for us. Someone young with lots of energy for Alyssa and someone calming and older for me. We just meshed well together plus we both are introverts which increases our friendship compatibility.

"I'm going to Ali and Ash's room." I tell her when I finished showering and getting ready.

"Madi!" Ali exclaims opening the door. "Someone is going to be excited to see another one of his aunties."

"That's the only reason I came in here."

"Oh I am offended." Ash says putting on shoes on the toddler.

"It's the truth. Right, Mason?" I see the three year old boy who just nodded knowing he didn't understand. "Haha you see, even Mason agrees with me."

"Mamma, I can play with Auntie Madi" He turns to Ash for permission.

"Yes, but be careful and listen to your Auntie." She says.

With that, I head out the room holding Mason's hand as we go into one of our empty conference rooms. I grab the small size soccer ball as we kick it around the big area.

"Look, I'm a goalie like mamma." He says jumping on the ball I just passed him.

"Wow, look at you!" A voice says behind me. "You are getting better everyday."

"Aunt Kelley!" The boy gets up to run and jump in her arms. "I missed you."

"Me too, Mase. Show us some more of what you got." She tells him and he wobbles to the ball.

"Mom tells me that practice is what helps." He looks at us.

"Well she is right." I tell him and Kelley comes and wraps her arm around me.

"Can I ask you something?" I say without thinking to Kelley.

"Of course, kid."

"What happened to Cameron?" I say knowing I am treading deep water. I've been at camp a couple of times but nobody has told me anything about the soccer player I looked up to and her disappearance from the team. 

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I honestly hate myself for writing again because I need to focus on studying for the MCAT but I was inspired by @superstar-striker (if you haven't read their books, highly recommend it). The author fired up my passion to write again. I have ideas where I want this story to go, but I'm not sure when I will be able to write and update so please be patient with me. I know I am going to regret posting this story (I'm regretting as I type this message)but if I didn't the story ideas would consume my mind still distracting me from studying. Okay, going back to studying. 

Peace out and stay safe kids! (if you ever need anything or just want to talk dm me)

-AK