solitude → sam kerr

twelve → riled up

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

the brisk wind carried a hint of winter as melbourne's weather fluctuated between chilly mornings and unexpectedly warm afternoons. the city seemed caught in a seasonal tug-of-war, unsure whether to fully embrace the impending winter month.

amidst this climatic indecision, a message from alanna arrived, breaking the atmospheric uncertainty.

new message: lani
hey, mind swinging by today's training?
the girls wanna meet you

evelyn hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her mind. the thought of encountering sam amidst the team didn't seem too appealing. however, reassurance came in the form of another message from alanna.

don't worry, sam's still in america with her girlfriend
she won't be back until next week

this assurance alleviated evelyn's concerns, making her more open to the idea of meeting the team.

yeah alright

evelyn stood before the mirror, her reflection caught in a moment of contemplation. the weather outside mirrored the internal climate of her thoughts-unpredictable, shifting between reassurance and doubt. she pondered the invitation to meet the team, feeling a slight intrusion into a world where she was once an integral part.

choosing an outfit that balanced casual comfort with a touch of confidence, she lingered over each detail. as she applied light makeup, her thoughts darted between the upcoming encounter and the memories of her time with sam. the air outside carried a crisp edge, a reminder of the changing seasons and the shifts in her own life.

keys in hand, she approached her car, the engine purring to life as she navigated the streets of melbourne. the drive became a journey of reflection, the hum of tires on asphalt accompanying the hum of thoughts in her mind.

arriving at the training area, she parked the car, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before stepping into a realm that once felt like home. the training field sprawled before her, and she walked towards the familiar sounds of drills and banter.

arriving just before the conclusion of their 9-a-side match, evelyn had timed it perfectly. the players on the field were engrossed in testing out new combinations or perhaps tweaking their strategy for the upcoming tournament. as she quietly made her way to a bench, no one seemed to notice her presence until a middle-aged woman approached with a friendly smile.

"hey there! you must be evelyn, right?" the woman said, warmth radiating from her as dimples appeared on her cheeks. "lani mentioned you were coming down. i'm sarah, one of the assistant coaches."

evelyn returned the smile, grateful for the friendly reception in this unfamiliar setting.

"yeah, that's me," evelyn affirmed with a nod.

as she settled onto the bench, sarah initiated a conversation about the team, offering insights into their recent training activities and the players' performance. intrigued, evelyn listened attentively, absorbing the details of their preparations for the upcoming tournament.

eventually, sarah broached the subject of the team's challenges with their current coach. "have the girls mentioned anything about the difficulties with the coach?" she inquired.

evelyn met her gaze and replied with a simple, "yes," acknowledging the underlying issues that had prompted lani and her teammates to seek an alternative solution.

"wonderful!" sarah exclaimed with a sense of anticipation, hinting at something evelyn wasn't privy to. "it won't come as a shock to you later."

curiosity piqued, evelyn questioned, "what won't?"