.two.
It had been a whole week since Alex had talked to Van Daniel for the very first time and they had been talking ever since, the two becoming instant friends. Due to the time difference between their schedules, it was hard for them to be on their instagram pages at the same time. Often times when Van Daniel was at school, Alex had some free time to go online. And when Alex was busy at practice, it happened to coincide with his work hours. Still, the two got along and they found a way to make conversation as much as they could.
Alex was finding herself anxiously awaiting his private message on her instagram app. After one week of knowing each other, Van Daniel, who liked to go by VD, still didn't know that Alex was a woman. And even less did he suspect that she was Alex Morgan, footballer for the Portland Thorns and the United States Women's National Football Team. She wouldn't dare tell him, not yet, as she felt the time wasn't right. She thought he wouldn't understand why she was doing it, and she was afraid of what his reaction would be.
Instead, she borrowed pictures from her younger brother Ander Morgan. He was a tae kwon do champion at twenty two years of age and would be representing the United States at the Pan American games in Canada that summer, around the same time that she would be there disputing the Women's World Cup. Alex was proud of her younger brother and all that he had achieved, and had promised to go to as many of his matches as she could while they were both in Canada. The Pan American games were something similar to the Summer Olympics, but only athletes from the Americas were allowed to participate. Alex would have been able to participate with the women's team at the Pan American games, if it didn't coincide with the World Cup.
alexmsmith13: this is dedication :p
She sent him a message that morning, and she didn't receive an answer until several hours later.
vannydanny: i know bro. aha.
vannydanny: all for the sake of having good football arguments with a friend.
Alex had gotten a response when she was at practice with Portland Thorns and had left her cellphone in her locker. She didn't even notice she had a reply until after she had gotten home, eaten some dinner, and was laid in her bed exhausted. That day's practice had been especially tiring and she was completely drained of energy. Alex held her phone in front of her face, typing away on it, the backlight was the only thing illuminating in the room. A smile spread across her lips as she saw who she had a message from. Of course she had gotten other messages, but at the moment there was one that mattered most to her.
It was fifteen past twelve at night and she was supposed to be asleep. VD was still awake, covering a security guard shift at his job, and secretly messaging her when he had to do the rounds through campus. He wasn't allowed to go on his phone while he sat in the small security office. That was when he was supposed to keep an eye on all the security cameras around the university where he worked. Alex knew she would be tired upon getting up the next morning, when she was supposed to get up early the next day and help her parents set up for Ander's surprise birthday party. But she also knew she didn't regret talking to her new friend.
With every message they sent to each other, it was more and more clear to her that he was a wonderful person who was very dedicated to his family and achieving his dreams. Alex was sure he deserved the best and would look into getting him into Portland's second division tryouts. She knew it wasn't much, but it was a start. Perhaps he would be great someday, greater than he already was.
alexmsmith13: dude why is your name van daniel?
alexmsmith13: i legit have never heard that name before, like ever.
