Gorgeous ~ Kyra Cooney-Cross

All You Had To Do Was Stay

The weeks following Evelyn had gotten back to her home in Washington. She had a week break before she had to return back to training with Spirit. She had spent her time staying in her home as she was a homebody enjoying reading or painting as music fills the room. She went out with her best friends Trinity and Ashley as well drinking her way through the pain that was the World Cup. No matter how long it has been she still saw the millimeter that separated the ball and goal line. She had looked on social media after what had happened seeing a mix of responses. Some fans were praising her saying she had a fantastic tournament and that she carried her lacking team as far as they got. Others were saying that it was all her fault, she agreed with the latter. When she did get back to training she felt empty, she once enjoyed this team she had been with for years but now she felt as though a piece was missing. The spark that soccer once gave her was gone.

After training a few weeks after the world cup she got a phone call from her manager.

"Hello Morgan" she says into the phone still trying to navigate the traffic

"Evelyn! How have you been" she replies cheerfully

"I've been better, training seems to lack lusting lately"

I have a solution that can help you with that"

Evelyn doesn't respond, she's filled with confusion

"A few teams have offered you a position, a lot of teams in the NWSL as well as a few international teams as well"

"What teams internationally?" Evelyn's curious now, with only playing professionally for 3 years she has been at Spirit, her mind was suddenly filled with the possibility of leaving America on a new journey.

"Well PSG has offered you a 1 year contract but you would be 3rd string keeper, Hammerby is offering you a 2 year contract but you wouldn't play as much as Arsenal. A 2 year contract and starting spot is a possibility."

"Oh wow, that's a lot of very high profile teams, very far away too. I'll get back to you in a day or two" she responds to Morgan and hangs up the phone.

After the phone call she has made her way back to the apartment shared with Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez. The two of them are in the kitchen for dinner as I drop my bags in the mudroom. The smell of chicken curry wafts through our apartment. I take a deep breath as I look around my apartment that I've known these past 3 years. The white couch that has held many movie marathons or the rug that we've thrown up on too many times after long nights of clubbing. The plants that lined the walls some blooming, some shriveled up being too close to the full length window. Evelyn makes her way to the kitchen and the loud music blaring. She smiles at the sight of Trin and Ash with the spoons in their hand singing a duet. She snaps a picture of them, she doesn't know how much longer she would be living here. Ash sees Evelyn and drags her over to sing with them, dinner took a lot longer to make that night. At the table Evelyn shared her news with the girls.

"I've been offered a different contract" she says breaking the silence of the forks scraping their plates.

"Next season?" Trinity asked

"Uhh no" Evelyn stutters. "It would be a team internationally, I'm leaning toward the WSL so I would leave for preseason almost as soon as I accept the offer.

"That's great!" Ashley exclaimed. "But I will only support if you go to Chelsea, that is my families team through and through"

"Sorry to break it to you Ash but I think I'm going to Arsenal"