ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ | ᴘᴏʟʏ

17

"I'm like fuck love, fuck life,
I'm a fool for ya, all day, all night."
- BLACKBEAR

The intensity of the sun beating down on Orlando seemed to increase as the players lined up, waiting to walk out and get the game started. Near the back of their respective lines, Alex and Kelley were talking in hushed tones. It was usually the same questions that the freckled girl had thrown at her taller friend - how was Logan doing? Was she settling in well? Was she seeing anyone in Orlando?

She had only asked about her ex's dating life once, even though she had a constant need to know if she still had a chance with Logan. But now, watching the Canada player, she caught glimpses of the woman she fell for as Logan was deep in conversation with Erin, the rookie she had taken under her wing. It was Erin's first start at home, and anyone could see she was nervous. It warmed the hearts of the players around the duo as Logan threw an arm over the girl's shoulder to ease her anxiety, a few softly spoken words of advice passed down from one pro to another, until Erin broke out into a huge grin and shoved Logan's arm from her.

"They're always like that," Alex whispered, although some of the players around them could hear her clearly. "It's sweet, she's quite the woman."

Looking at her friend, Kelley's eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?"

Alex only met Kelley's eyes for a brief second before a soft chuckle left her lips as the teams started moving out to the field.

All that could be heard was Logan's voice as she addressed Erin, "Remember, the women in purple are in your team."

"Fuck off," the rookie grumbled, "That was one time and it was during training."

The same old schtick happened, handshakes, anthems, coin toss, before the game could finally get started. Much to the Utah team's dismay, Logan was lining up on Kelley's side of the field. They had an idea of the players for Orlando, and could have guessed how they would line up, but this was different - it wasn't their normal set-up, the same set-up that has them on a winning streak.

The Pride players nearest Logan were Alex and Ali, and Kelley watched on, a sinking feeling in her stomach, as Alex and Logan shared a knowing wink before getting their heads back into the game. Suddenly Kelley wasn't so sure she could control her feelings or her outrageous thoughts where her ex and her best friend consisted.

Now more than ever Kelley was determined to win.

Study the opposition, learn to be strategic and exploit weaknesses, they were just a few lessons that Erin learned from Logan. She was something akin to General reciting Sun Tzu's Art of War, but the lessons are easily transferable to the soccer field - minus the gore and death.

But damn, she is one hell of a mentor, Erin thought to herself as she watched Logan sprinting along the flank, being closely watched by Kelley. The Utah defender was refusing to commit to the tackle, having learned from their last game that Logan seems to have magic feet that move a mile a minute.

Stopping the ball dead, Erin watched as Logan winked at Kelley, before taking advantage of the moment of confusion and playing the ball further up the field as Ali makes the over lapping run, leaving the two behind. Some words are exchanged between Logan and Kelley, but the smiles on both their faces indicating that there were no hard feelings from the piece of play that one might construe as impudent.

Luckily for Logan, Kelley knew her.

Across the pond Melanie and Leonie were watching the game, as they did everytime their Logan would suit up for Orlando. Leonie however was not as forgiving as Kelley as the two reminisced on old pastures.

Mel laughed, "I remember when she and I pulled that move on you when we were all at Bayern."

"I know," Leo grumbled, shaking her laughing girlfriend off her shoulder. "And I stand by my reaction."

"You pushed her to the ground, then chased me down and kicked me!"

"It was deserved, I can't believe Kelley didn't do anything," Leo continued to sulk, crossing her arms over her chest, a petulant, childish pout donning her face.

"Oh, please. We both know if she did, you'd book the next flight over there and wait for the poor woman outside her hotel."

Shrugging, Leo admits, "Of course I would. You would be next to me on the flight."

"Always," Melanie agrees, kissing her girlfriend softly before settling in to continue watching the game.

Towards the end of the first half, Utah finally got a grip of the game, and slowly took control. The ball was in the Orlando half for the final ten minutes, only occasionally being cleared into the Utah half. Forty-five minutes played and Utah got another corner. With the score still locked at 0-0, the pressure was starting to get to the Orlando players, so when the ball was crossed into the box, a shoving match ensued.

The Utah players desperate to get the ball over the line and go into half-time with a lead. The Pride players desperate to hold on until half-time, where they can regroup and start again for the second half.

It didn't go to either team's plan as in the middle of the fray, Harris was shoved harshly to the side, colliding with the goalpost. Instead of awarding a free-kick, the referee blew for half-time.

"Whats the verdict?" Ali asked, she had been patiently and anxiously waiting, her eyes not leaving Ashlyn's face as it contorted in pain, the grimace was the answer nobody wanted. She couldn't continue.

"Alright, alright, shut up!" Logan yelled over everyone. They weren't arguing but nobody was happy that Harris was injured, and others decided that now was the best time to pick at small mistakes others made. When Logan witnessed Erin's mistakes being highlighted more and more it only pissed her off - especially as Alex's attempts at defending the younger player were brushed off.

It was chaotic, and that only infuriated the Canadian.

Upon hearing the anger in her voice, the entire room fell silent. A few of the more experienced players smirked as Logan took complete command of the room. The impromptu team talk leaving nothing else for management to say, and instead of feeling angry and frustrated, the team of women in purple left the locker room feeling determined, the fire burning in each of them a testament to Logan's power of words.

"Hey," Ashlyn stopped the blonde before she left the room to join their team, "You forgot one thing."

"What?"

Instead of answering her teammate, Harris removed the band from her arm and wrapped it around Logan's bicep before pushing her out the room, leaving no room for arguments.

"Oh man, I hate responsibilities," Logan mumbled to herself, her eyes on Alex who waited in the purple tunnel for Logan. "Why can't you people realize I'm just all talk?"

"Nice try." Alex laughed, wrapping her arm around Logan's shoulder as they both walked onto the field together. It was another part of their routine - unless subbed off, they would arrive together, and leave the field together. They couldn't tell anyone why, they just seemed to drift to one another.

Twenty minutes into the second half and Kelley wasn't letting Logan anywhere near the goal. It was clear she was man-marking the woman, and it was effective.

Ali played the ball for her new captain, letting her run along the flank, but the entire time Kelley had a grip of her shirt, pulling her back, until finally the referee awarded the Orlando team a free kick.

"Aw, c'mon Kel. You gotta buy me dinner before you get my shirt off," Logan winked at the freckled woman.

"Really? You want to flirt now?" Kelley asked, hands on her hips as the referee counted out the steps for the wall.

"I always want to flirt with you." Logan smiled.

Ali stepped up alongside Logan for the free kick. From the angle it was more like a corner, but it'll do. Logan stood back and let Ali deliver the ball into the Utah box, only Alex's header to hit off the post and out for a goal kick.

As the teams reset, Logan jogged alongside Kelley as her teammates pressed high, cutting off any short passes out that the goalkeeper could take, forcing her to go long.

"So, when do you go back to Utah?" Logan asked, not taking her eyes off the 'keeper as she walked backwards.

"Tomorrow morning." Kelley answered, her eyes following the ball as it heads towards the Orlando midfield, passing over everyone in Utah colors. "Why? Want me to have your shirt?"

Logan smirked, "I like that idea, but I was thinking dinner first."

The ball landed at Logan feet, and feeling Kelley closing in, she played it over for Alex to run up the field and take a shot.

The last twenty minutes went the same. It finished 0-0, not the most exciting game, but Kelley and Logan both felt like they'd won. Logan was donned a Captain - again - and she got a date with her ex.

What could go wrong?