All Stars [English Version]

Headquarter

Kelley's POV

August 10, 2017. The Euro ended four days ago. The Netherlands beat Denmark 4-2 after extra time. The Euro is over but the reception of the cards is not... I don't really pay attention to it anymore. I concentrate on what I have to do.

After the final, we were able to talk to Shanice but we preferred to let Lotta convince Pernille. Fortunately, Shanice, Pernille and Madgalena all three agreed.

So I had my whole team and I was starting to breathe. Slightly.

Jill let the players who played the Euro go on holiday.

Tobin, Laure, Lotta, Louisa, Hope, Jill and I went back to Clairefontaine. We were in the room waiting for Jill who was on the phone. I couldn't understand what she was saying but I could hear screams. It didn't sound good and I was scared. She came back into the room but her mind was in the hallway.

K: "Jill? What's going on? What's going on?"Jill: "It was the Federation..."T: "Oh shit..."Jill: "She doesn't want us to train in the US because women's football is still banned. I don't know why, but I have a feeling she'll do anything to make us lose..."K: "I know."H: "But it's not as bad as we couldn't go home. I don't want to draw the media on us."Jill: "We can stay in France, can't we?"K: "The problem is that I've already contacted Clairefontaine and the premises are already requisitioned for the French Men's Team and the preparation of the 2018 World Cup. We need a place with pitches and a hotel where all the players can stay permanently..."

Jill, Hope, Tobin and I are sighing a little desperate. At that moment I feel all the pressure on my shoulders and tears are pouring down my cheeks...

Tobin, who was close to me, took me in his arms and kissed my temple. I was feeling better until Hope pushed Tobin away and hugged me with a black look in her eyes.

Jill: "Girls, this is not the time! We have a serious problem!"

Lotta Laure and Louisa looked at each other.

Laure: "No, I will not ask the PSG to welcome us."H: "Thank you for your help, it means a lot to us..." Hope grunted, still holding me in her arms.K: "Hope!"

Louisa went out for a moment and when she came back she had a big smile on her face. Lotta understood immediately and smiled too.

Louisa: "Olympique Lyonnais agrees to share its facilities. Jean-Michel Aulas is delighted to be able to help us and promote women's football."H: "This is a club! That's a president!"J: "Hope is enough now!"K: "We're not going to win by tearing ourselves apart!"

A very uncomfortable silence settled in.

Laure took Tobin's hand and Hope tightened her grip on me. There were flashes of lightning in the eyes of Tobin and Hope. Lotta noticed it and tried to relax the atmosphere.

Lotta said, "Well, now that we've got the coaches and the team, maybe we should come up with a team name, what do you think?"
Louisa: "Good idea! Any suggestions?"

Laure: "Wonder Women?"K: "Not bad."T: "Sexy girls?"H: "LOL!"T: "Bad girls?"H: "Re lol!"Louisa: "We need a name that defines us."T: "Lesbians?"

Laure hit him in the back of the head and I could feel Hope smiling.

Laure: "Tobin! What's wrong with you?"T: "Oh stop it, it was funny! That's half the team!"H: "If it was only half."K: "Stop it. That's also why we were attacked in the media and assaulted."Louisa: "When I said one name that defines us, I meant that defines ALL of us!"Jill: "You are all legends. So All Legends?"Lotta: "I think it's long."K: "Well, then what about All Stars?"

Everyone looked at me.

T: "I approve! It sounds a bit 'Stars Wars'!"

Laure rolled her eyes and hit Tobin's whimpering head again.

"Well done." I heard Hope whisper.

I did not hesitate and slapped her too. She looked at me in amazement and Tobin smiled.

Jill: "All right, I think the meeting is over. We can go. But Kelley, I'd like to talk to you for a second."

Everybody out.

H: "I'll wait for you at the hotel, sweetheart," she said, kissing me. I saw Tobin behind Hope. She was looking at us. I couldn't read what was in his eyes. Anger? Jealousy? Sadness? Desire? Lust? Worry ? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. But Laure noticed him and grabbed his hand.

Jill: "Hum Kelley? That's exactly what I want to talk to you about."K: "About what?"Jill: "About what just happened just now. It's not good to have a love trio on the team. Especially when it comes to the people who are supposed to guide the others? You know what I mean?"K: "What do you want me to do?"Jill: "Make this jealous conflict between Tobin and Hope stop."K: "And how do you want me to do that?"Jill: "Start by getting your feelings in order and make it clear what you want. You're the brains behind this. Yet it's messed up in your head!"

Jill was almost screaming at me, it was confusing.

Jill: "You can't afford to get emotionally involved when everything else depends on you."K: "Yes, coach!"Jill: "What?"K. "Uh, sorry. Yes, Jill."Jill: All right! Now go talk to Tobin and Hope."

I went out and went back to the hotel. On the way there, I thought about the look on Tobin's face. His eyes had hypnotized me... I sat on a bench and called Erin.

Erin: "Kelley? How are you, little sister?"K: "I need to talk to you."Erin: "About Tobin? Alex told me."K. "WHAT?"Erin: "Take it easy. So what did you want to tell me?"K: "Tobin is going out with Laure and I'm going out with Hope. But Tobin's looking at me more and more and she's always arguing with Hope."Erin: "She's jealous. How about you? How do you feel when you see her with Laure and you're with Hope?"K: "Embarrassment."Erin: "Do you feel embarrassed when you're close with your girlfriend but you see Tobin with his?"K: "Yes."Erin: "And when you're alone and you see them both, what do you feel?"K: "Like some kind of grief."Erin: "Oh, Kelley..."K: "But I think it's because maybe I'd like to live with Hope the way Laura lives with Tobin."Erin: "Or maybe you'd like to live with Tobin what Laure's living with her. You'd like to be in Laure's place."K: "No."Erin: "Kelley, answer me honestly. Do you have feelings for Tobin?"K: "Maybe. Maybe I don't. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. I still love Hope..."Erin: "You'll always love Hope. She's your first love. But maybe Tobin is the person you've been waiting for your whole life."K: "I have to go. I'll call you later. Love, Erin."Erin: "Love, Kelley."

I hung up and went back up to my room where Hope was waiting for me.

Except for the last 45 minutes, it's been a pretty good day. I'm using my cell phone to start a Whatsapp band. I'm putting up the numbers of all the National Team members plus the coaches. I'm adding the numbers of the foreign nationals I already have.

I send a summary of the project:

"Team now complete!"

Head coach: Jill Ellis.

Line coaches:Goalie: Hope SoloDefence: Laure BoulleauMiddle: "Louisa CadamuroAttack: "Lotta Schelin

Team of 23 declared to the Federation:

Goalkeepers: Ashlyn Harris / Sarah Bouhaddi / Christiane Endler

Defence: Wendie Renard / Magdalena Eriksson, Ali Krieger / Lucy Bronze / Amel Majri / Laure Boulleau

Midfielders: Amandine Henry / Julie Ertz / Camille Abily / Dzsenifer Marozsán / Shanice Van de Sanden / Andrine Hegerberg

Attackers: Pernille Harder / Ada Hegerberg / Alex Morgan / Tobin Heath / Megan Rapinoe / Christen Press / Eugenie Le Sommer / Carli Lloyd

(Full team: all 23 + the entire US National Team)

Our name: Team All Stars.

Athletic Director: Your favourite squirrel!