They Don't Know About Us

|37|

"Okay I got to go bye" I say before hanging up the call as I walk into team bonding. I was a bit early so there was only a few in the room so far. "Hey kid who was that?" Kelley asks refering to the phone call. I shrug and smile, "It was only Jess. Just calling to check in".

I could see a few of the girls share a look, "What?" Kelley shrugs it off, "Nothing". But I roll my eyes, "We both know that's a lie so what is it?" Pinoe sighs, "Well I mean shouldn't you be focusing on the World Cup?" I scrunch my face up, "I am". Kelley sighs, "What she means Ellie, we're here to win a World Cup not to be friends. You have to remember you could possibly be playing them later in the tournament".

I furrow my eyebrows together, "But that doesn't mean I just stop being friends with them". Then Carli decides to speak up, "We know kid. It's just we can't have you going easy on them just because they're your friends". A look of hurt immediately adopts my face, "Do you guys really think I'll go easy on them just because I know them?"

But before they have the chance to answer there is a knock on the door which I go answer. The team starts to stream in and take up a space as we settle in for a movie the conversation forgotten for now but I can't help but still be upset by it. And Christen must have noticed.

"Hey?" She nudges my shoulder making me look at her, "you okay?" I give her a small forced closed lip smile and nod, "Yeah I'm fine". She doesn't look too convinced but doesn't press and instead opens her arms out to me letting me sink into her embrace. I can feel her kiss just right above my forehead and I smile and nuzzle into her. I'm watching the movie but my mind can't help but wonder.

"Do my teammates really don't trust me to play my best in the biggest tournament of my life?"

..............

"Hey Ellie! You doing anything today? A few of us were thinking of exploring for a bit" Mal smiles at me across the table as the team eats breakfast. I give her a small smile, "Sorry I'm actually meeting with Daan and a few others. Raincheck?" Mal nods but I can hear a scoff a bit down the table.

"I thought we talked about this Ellie" Pinoe groans again. I just frown slightly, "I haven't seen them in a while and I want to meet up with them before our matches start". "Didn't you go to England a little while ago?" Kelley counters.

It hurt a bit more when it was coming from Kelley. Kelley was usually on my side and was always there to help guide me when I needed. She was always the one I would go to have a laugh and to unwind from all the stress and pressure. So to hear her doubting how committed I was really stung.

"Well yeah but it got cut short" I say quietly as I start to play with the last of the food on my plate. It seems that the conversation just falls away after that with no on else commenting on it. Instead of staying there waiting for someone to bring back up the arguement, I throw away my leftovers and quickly go up to my room to grab my stuff before Daan and Viv show up.

I get a text from Daan saying they're at a park a few minutes away so I decide to just walk there and meet them. I smile as I walk along seeing all the different national team jerseys even getting stopped to take pictures which makes the walk slightly longer but I didn't mind.

When I eventually get to the park I instantly spot the small group all messing around with each other while Viv lies on the grass. Viv was the first to spot me as she gets up and jogs over to me, "Ellie!" I giggle as she picks me up and spins me around, "Hey Viv". The minute my feet touch the ground I'm swarmed in a big group hug by the others. "We've missed you kid" Leah smile as we all depart from the hug. I beam at all of them, "I miss all you guys too. Sorry I didn't get to spend much time with you in England. Something came up". Daan just slings an arm over my shoulder, "Don't worry about it El. It's okay. We're just glad we got to meet up today".