Have Hope

9

Alex POV

We arrived in Spain early this morning, and now we were getting ready for training. Our friendly against the Spanish was tomorrow, and I felt more ready than I had for our game against France.

Now that Y/n and I are on good terms, it's like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Of course, I still have Servando to deal with, and I still haven't called him back, but I could do that later.

My feelings for him seem to be changing lately. I don't feel how I did about him when we first got together two years ago. Two years ago I couldn't get enough of him; I was obsessed with our relationship. But now...I don't really want to talk to him, and honestly, the thought of being with him is kind of gross. But I think it's because I'm just mad at him. We'll talk, fix it, and everything will be fine.

On that note, Y/n and I's exchanges were no longer petty fights. Of course, she still said stupid shit and winked at me and what not, but everything was much more playful now. For example, at dinner, when our eyes randomly locked, and she winked at me, like she always did, I responded with a wink back, making Y/n smirk.

We basically just entertained ourselves by teasing each other. Such as right now, while we were all getting ready for our scrimmage game, Y/n was talking smack like usual, and instead of getting annoyed by her like I did before, I just talked smack right back, making us both laugh.

Everything was just easy with Y/n. Not like with Servando. He made everything difficult.

Our teammates were kind of confused by Y/n and I's change in mood towards each other, but I knew some of them probably guessed that we worked it out during our night at the park. Pinoe, Kelley, Tobin, Chris, Ash, Allie, and Ali have been begging for me to tell them what happened, but I'm drawing it out, just to keep them on edge. I'll probably tell them after the game tomorrow though.

Another good thing was Pinoe and Tobin would be able to play in Tuesday's game, so we'd have less injured players. Now it was just a matter of Alyssa and Kelley healing.

Y/N POV

I had talked to my Mom and Aunt before the strategy meeting yesterday and filled them in on our upcoming game against Spain. They were super excited to see me play again, and told me how proud they were of me which was really nice.

I kept the part about Alex and I out of my conversation with my Mom, but I told my Aunt, who was super excited and said she saw 'spicy potential' in our future. That made me laugh, but I knew it would never happen.

At least I know that Alex doesn't hate me. It was even more fun to talk to her now because she would give me playful responses back instead of the usual anger and frustration.

I could tell team spirit was even higher than last week before the France game. Everyone seemed to feel more ready, and more connected. And, now that we had Tobs and Pinoe back, we'd be able to sub more people in and out.

I felt more confident and more prepared for this next game, and vowed not to let my emotions get the best of me. Spain plays a very aggressive game, and I needed to be on point for it.

Scrimmage was really fun today, and Alex and I were on opposing teams, like always. 

I'm starting to think Jill and Dawn are doing it on purpose.

My team won, 2-1, with the goal being scored on me by Alex, who made sure to celebrate right in my face.

After practice, we had lunch, another meeting, and then some free time. Tobin, Ash, and I decided to go long boarding, while most of the team went shopping. A few of them, (the veterans) stayed back to plan for tomorrow's game with Jill.

"So what's the deal with you and Alex?" Tobs asked while we walked along the sidewalk just before the beach, carrying our boards.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Dude, you guys have been flirting non stop since yesterday. Did you guys like make out at the park or something?" Ash asked.

"What!?" I asked, appalled that they would even think that. "First of all, she's straight, so no, we did NOT make out at the park, second of all, she's dating someone, and third of all, we aren't flirting, we're just having friendly conversation."

Tobin scoffed. "Dude, winking at each other across the dinner table is not friendly conversation. Besides, you don't know that she's straight." I rolled my eyes.

"She literally said it to my face, and she's with Servando."

"Yeah, but still. I don't even think Alex believes she's straight. She's in denial." Ash and Tobin laughed, as if they had an inside joke. I just looked at them, confused.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"You don't see the way she looks at you?" Tobin asked, clearly surprised. I shook my head. "Whenever you're around- and she did this even before you guys stopped bitching to each other- she always gets all nervous and like blushes and shit. You don't do that unless you have a crush on someone." Ash explained.

I have never seen her do that. "She's never done that!" I said, not having any clue what they were talking about. 

"No dude. She has. Like all the time. Trust me, that girl is not straight. She may not know it yet, but she's not straight." Ash replied.

"And believe me when I say that on behalf of the team, all of us would much rather have her date you than that Servando prick. He mistreats her so much. I don't even know why she's with him in the first place. Hope was the only who told her that straight up."

I looked at the goalie. "What did Hope do?" 

Tobin and Ash grimaced, as if their memories of Hope weren't exactly positive ones.

"Well, a few weeks before she quit the team, Hope had beef with everyone, most of us about different stuff, some of us involved in the same drama. Basically, the beef between her and Alex was about Servando. She told Alex that she shouldn't be with the guy because he's a dick, and that she was making a bad choice by dating him. Alex got all mad and defensive, and they didn't talk for the last few weeks that Hope was on the team."

"Hmm." I said. 

"Yeah, it was pretty ugly." Tobin agreed.

"We all had our own fight's with Hope, but I do really miss her. And I know Kelley really misses her."

"What happened with Hope and Kelley?" I asked. 

"They got together back in 2015, and dated for four years. Hope broke it off with her the day she quit. No explanation. No note. No letter. She just broke up with her, quit, and then left. None of us have seen her or talked to her since." Tobin said.

"Wow." I said.

"Yeah, it's been pretty hard for the team to get back on it's feet, but we're managing."