This Girl I Met

12

The next day, we go to school together. 

The news of Sonnett's mom going to the police has spread thorough the whole city, and people are looking at her when she doesn't. Her mom has been charged with domestic violence, and also something for keeping her brain-dead-daughter locked up on a room when she could actually receive the treatment she deserves. Em told me she was names Emma, and that they were very close. As twins, they did everything together, so when her 'accident' - she wasn't more specific about it - happened, she was devastated. But she occasionally got used to it, and way trying her best for her mom not screwing everything up with the machines whenever she was getting mad. 

We enter the classroom, and some of the girls are already here as well. Hao has relieved us from class to talk about soccer and stuffs about the team. When they see Sonnett, they all sigh. Moe is the first one to get up, and when she hugs her, Mallory is the close second to come near her. Then, everybody is telling her encouraging words, as I am sitting next to Sam. When the blonde comes back from greeting Sonnett, she looks at me with angry eyes. 

I roll my eyes. 

"What is it ?" I sigh. 

"What did you say to Abby at the party ?" she hisses, trying to keep her voice low so that only us could hear it. 

I raise my eyebrows. "What ? When ?" 

"You tell me" she lets out, bitter. "She doesn't talk to me anymore, she doesn't even answer my texts, and now she doesn't show up at school ? I swear if..."

"Calm down, Petunia" I stop her, annoyed by how she immediately thinks I am the one causing all of her troubles. "Your girlfriend probably is just sick, or wants to take a break from social medias."

"She read them" Sam cuts me, glaring. "My texts. She read them." Something I said just strikes her down, and she's mad again. "And stop calling her that, she's not."  

"Isn't she ?" I say, faking the surprise. 

She shakes her head and looks back at our teammates. 

Hao has entered the room and asks everybody to sit down. Once she is the only one still standing on her feet, she just starts walking back and forth in front of us. I know something is up, but I don't know what right now. 

She looks down at us, her arms crossed on her chest. 

"Girls, today's meeting is about team bonding." she announces, looking straight at the girls that just arrived late. "I think all of us know what happened yesterday to Emily. Kid, I just want you to know we're here. They say teams are like families, and this one is no exception. I know it is difficult to talk about those things, so you don't have to. But I am sure all your teammates are here for you." 

The girls all nod in sync. 

"Thanks, guys" Sonnett weakly says. "I'm glad I've got you now."

When she said that, she wasn't looking at Hao, or at any of the girls. She was looking at me, a shy smile on her lips. I nod. 

Hao suddenly stops walking. 

"Wait, where's Dahlkemper ?" she asks. Everybody is shrugging, as Sam is throwing a death glare at me. Our coach just sighs, and then look at us again. "Okay, we'll do without her, but she better be back soon because we need her in defense" she says. "So I hope you're ready for a very long walk, because we're out for five hours from now ! Come on !"

**

After Hao's very long walk, we decide to have a team dinner. 

I sit down in between Moe and Cari, as usual, while Sam and Sonnett sit in front of us. We order our pizzas, while talking about the homework we have for tomorrow's maths class. I hate maths, but not as much as I hate biology. That's just something I can't deal with. My body just negatively reacts to biology when there's a book in front of me. That's natural, so I just can't help it. Whatever, back to the point : everybody is shit in maths, and - except from Cari, who seems to be clever somewhere for once - nobody understood the exercises.

After a long talk about maths, Moe is the one talking : 

"I heard Hao found new players to add to the team"

Everybody look at her, surprised. 

"What ? Who ?" Andi asks, excited. 

"You know, she told us about those two girls... The British one, and then a Brazilian one ?" Moe says. 

Cari immediately reacts : "Yeah, Andressa !" Now that everybody is looking at her, she smirks and continues : "She's in my chemistry class, she literally is a cupcake. No kidding."

"What position does she play ?" Sam asks, while eating her pizza. 

"Uhm, I don't know... Midfield ?" 

"The British girl is a forward" Ashley adds. "Her name is Rachel, she's in my maths class. She's such a dork." 

"Still no defenders" Danny sighs. 

"And no Dahlkemper" Mal adds. "Someone tried to reach her ?" she asks, quite concerned. 

Everybody shake their heads, while Sam is just looking down at her phone. As usual, her screen is black : no text yet. I suddenly feel guilty : what if I was the one making her run away ? I mean, everybody know I am not very clever sometimes, especially when it comes to relationships. Of course keeping her away from Sam was my initial plan, but now that she actually is away from her, and that Sam is sad about it, I feel bad. 

Mal sighs. 

"I saw her yesterday, she was with some dude in town" she says. "She didn't seem really thrilled to see me though." 

"What dude ?" Sam immediately reacts. 

All eyes are on her now, and she's slightly blushing. But she doesn't look away, because her question is all that matters to her. 

"I don't know, a giant black dude" Mal says. "With an hipster beard."

We all see Sam is disappointed. I give her a 'sorry' look, which she doesn't return. She really is mad/sad/desperate this time. And I can't blame her. 

"Whatever" she mutters. 

Then, the conversation heads somewhere else. Our next game is in two weeks time, and we still have a ton of things to prepare for. 

As I am drinking the rest of my glass, I suddenly feel her gaze on me. When I look up, Sonnett immediately looks away. I frown : was she really staring at me like that ? Confused, I start talking to my friends just not to be too obvious about liking the attention she gives me. I frown : why is she having this effect on me ? Am I starting to fall for her... ?

{To all my fellow Americans that are living the Election Day, I wish you luck.}