Saving The Day

25

"I wish I had talked things out with her like she wanted too, then maybe our relationship could have been better. We're both so busy with our lives, that it's kinda hard to build on it." I'm holding a trophy that meant so much to Holland "after so many years, I kept this. I actually ended up gluing it back together, in hopes that I'd be able to give this to her properly" I hand it to one of the interviewers. They wrap it in a white cloth.

"I believe a part of me, just wanted to be like her. She was someone everyone loved, she was just so chill. The anger came with, you know why would I want to be like my little sister? That was my mentality. She always included me in things, and I was always ignoring her, and I would reject her." The interviewer hands me a photo. It was Holland holding the world cup, she was giving Adeline a side hug. I wish I could say I remember being there with her, but I wasn't. I didn't get to celebrate the victory with her, despite her reserving a seat for me and a ticket.. I didn't go.

Holland PoV

"I missed you guys" I tell the group hug I'm currently in. Finally with the National team, we're in Colorado. We play Australia in 3 days.

"How's France without us?" Alex asks me, as we wall pull away, and lay on my bed.

"It was good without you, I had Lucy"

I was hit by 2 pillows. I really missed my girls though. The constant bickering, and the jokes. The deep conversations, the secrets, the love shared. 12 years invested in a lot of these friendships, I don't even want to call them bestfriends, their my sisters.

"We can't wait to go to France this summer" Ashlyn tells the group

"Dude it's going to be so different, we aren't going to have home crowds like we did last World cup" Tobin specks up

"We don't have Hope this time"

I hear a smack.

"I'm sorry Holland, I didn't mean it like that" Kelly apologizes after being smacked by Alex. I know Kelly and Hope had a good relationship, but I didn't have that with Hope. We have our differences.. a lot of differences.

"It's okay Kelly, you're right though. We don't have Hope, that's fine though. Just as long as you got my back.. I have yours" I tell her and the girls. I'm not Hope, I was never named the greasted female goalkeeper like she was. I was never given Goalkeeper of the year or a golden glove. Apparently you need a good resume for that. The only thing I have is faith and hard work.

"This is going to be a much competitive World cup, everyones catching up. We have so many points to prove, we're suing the federation. We're having a bigger fight" Alex comments. The World cup is evolving,  there's more investments in federations and clubs. Especially overseas, Soccer is the main sport in Europe.

"Is this your last World Cup Holly?"

Carli's POV

"I'm surprised I was asked to do this, because I'm always torn between 2 goalkeepers. Hope was my closest friend in the national team, when I started. We always had a good history of great goalkeepers, Scurry, Barnhart, Solo. Holland is different though, she's got this fire burning inside her. I remember once she kicked the ball around midfielders and defenders, she passed the ball to me and I scored. I've never seen a goalkeeper do that. She got off her line with confidence and faith that she could pass through the team. Always a risk taker but that's not all, she's a good friend and a very outstanding leader on and off the pitch."

"Do you think you can win the World Cup without Hope Solo?"

"Absolutely, theres something special about this team. I know people are doubting our backline and our goalkeeper, having no experience in a big stage like the World Cup but I believe we got this."

"What was the relationship like with Holland and Hope?"

"They didn't get along. Hope is a very straightforward person, she always had something to say to Holland. It didn't matter what the case was, Hope always want to be the one right. Holland could care less, that would fuel Hope even more. Both so stubborn, and always crashed heads."

"Did the 2016 Rio Olympics have a heavier impact on Hope and Holland's already bad relationship?"

"The original plan, was that we were going to put Holland as the goalkeeper for the semi-finals. Hope argued with the plan and demanded she'd be the goalkeeper. Jill not wanting to argue with Hope, she went with it. Holland was very upset, she was prepared for it,.. after we lost. Hope and Holland got into an argument. Then it got physical. Hope pushed Holland agaisnt the wall, and Holland wasn't have it. Threw the first punch, Hope tackled her, she was on top of Holland. Throwing punches at her, and Holland had her arms up protecting herself. A lot happened at once, Holland got up from under Hope, and she pushed hope and kicked her in the face." No one filmed, and no one outside the staff and team knew. Holland kept it quiet so that Hope didn't have it worse with the suspension, either way it was self defense. Hope didn't have to get physical with her. Regardless of my past with hope, I sided with Holland. Ever since then, Hope and I haven't talked a lot, there's respect and past memories but we aren't as close anymore. Of course I wouldn't tell Holland that, she would just blame herself; and I don't want her thinking it is.

Holland POV

Currently just chilling in my bed with Alex, the other girls went out to get some brunch. I decided against since I didn't want to leave Alex alone. I feel my bed dip closer to me, I turn around. Alex is facing me, with a determined bur scared face. I wonder what's up, I know when something's bothering her. Itching to come out

"Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah anything Al"

"This is something I've been meaning to tell you...  I um.. I've liked you for a very long time, I actually think it's more then that.."

Fuck.