Not my Captain

Run ins

As Lexi dashed through the bustling hotel lobby, her gaze fixed ahead, she failed to notice the figure approaching from the side. Before she could react, she collided with someone, sending both of them tumbling to the floor in a tangled heap.

"Oof!" Lexi grunted as she landed, her coffee spilling onto the tiled floor.

Leah, equally surprised by the collision, let out a startled yelp as she found herself sprawled on the ground. "Hey, watch where you're going!" she exclaimed, trying to disentangle herself from the unexpected collision.

"Sorry, sorry!" Lexi apologized hastily not noticing who she had knocked down and scrambling to her feet. "Oh, shit, Leah, what are you doing here?" Lexi exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and amusement coloring her tone as she helped Leah to her feet.

Leah chuckled, brushing off the collision with a grin. "The England management invited some of the upcoming talents to travel with the team, get a taste of the World Cup atmosphere, and maybe snag some extra training sessions," she explained, adjusting her jersey as she stood up.

Lexi nodded, impressed by the opportunity. "That's pretty cool," she remarked, offering Leah a wry smile.

Leah raised an eyebrow, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "So, does this mean you made the team?"

Lexi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, course I did, I'm Lexi Castillo." She laughed but Leah could see the slight change in her usual happy attitude. "It's weird, though. No one knows, and I've been told to keep it under wraps," she admitted, her voice tinged with confusion.

Leah furrowed her brow, pondering the oddity. "That is strange. Wonder why they're keeping it hush-hush, have they told you anything?" she mused, glancing around the bustling hotel lobby.

As Lexi was about to respond to Leah's query, Alex's voice cut through the air. "Leah! There you are, I've been looking for you," she called out, striding purposefully towards them.

Startled, Leah turned her head towards Alex, a hint of confusion in her expression. "Huh, wonder what she wants," she muttered, before focusing back on Lexi. "So, why were you in such a hurry?" she prodded, curiosity evident in her tone.

Just as Lexi was about to respond to Leah's question, Alex's voice broke into their conversation. "Oh, hi there. You're Alexandra Castillo, right?" Alex inquired, addressing Lexi directly. "I take it you did make the team then," she added, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

As Lexi looked at Alex with a hint of worry, her eyes darted towards Leah with a panicked expression. She opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, Alex Morgan's voice cut through the tension. "Lexi Castillo, you are dead!" she exclaimed, causing Lexi's eyes to widen in alarm. Turning to Leah, Lexi whispered urgently, "There's your answer to why I was running."

Before Lexi could make another move, Alex Morgan reached them and couldn't resist a playful jab at her younger teammate. "Oh, look who it is Lexi. Your Olympic pen pal" she teased.

Lexi rolled her eyes playfully, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. "Shut up, Alex," she muttered, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

With a hint of panic in her voice, Alex realised that Alex Scott was standing right there with Leah and Lexi. "Oh, crap. You aren't supposed to be seen," she muttered under her breath. Clearing her throat, she turned to Leah with a forced smile. "Well, catch you later, Leah," she said abruptly, before swiftly grabbing Lexi's arm and pulling her away from the group, disappearing into the bustling hotel lobby.

With a playful smirk, Alex Scott turned to Leah, her tone teasing. "Three years of chatting with Lexi, huh? When are you going to finally confess your undying love and ask her out?"

Leah chuckled nervously. "Come on, Alex, she lives in America. How am I supposed to ask her out from here?"

To her surprise, Alex raised an eyebrow. "Wait, does that mean you actually like her? For real?"

Leah blushed, caught off guard. "I-I mean... it's not like... I... maybe a little?"

Alex grinned. "Wow, the truth finally comes out!"