An Unexpected Friendship

Chapter 21

Author's note: hi everyone! I only had time to write one chapter this week, but I did make this one longer. Expect chapter 22 to be out on Monday. Hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend! 

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*Alex's POV*
"Listen I'm sorry I lost my co-" I say only to find myself in an empty room. "Where the hell did she go?" I ask myself quietly. I send Sophia a text to which I receive no reply, even an hour later. I reach out to a few of my teammates and none of them know where she went. The worry and frustration becomes too much to ignore.

"Soph, pick up. I'm sorry for getting angry earlier. Just please at least tell me where you are," I plead through the phone. I toss my phone on the nightstand and flop down on the bed. The feeling of exhaustion takes over and everything around me goes dark.

...

I'm awoken by a loud knocking on the door. '9:37pm'  the clock on the nightstand reads. I rub my eyes, forcing myself to sit up. The knocking remains persistent as I drag my feet towards the door.

"Hey," Sophia says barging her way into the room. I stand there confused and then remember my frustration with her. "Where the hell have you been?" I ask pissed off. "Out. What the hell is your problem?" she retorts. "I texted and called you several times. Why didn't you answer?" I ask feeling the frustration build. "My phone died. Will you chill out?" she says with annoyance dripping from her mouth. "Chill out? I've been worried sick about you! You couldn't have borrowed someone's phone?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Are you seriously mad at me for going out with the team?" she asks intently. "No I'm mad because you left and didn't let me know where you were going! For all I know, someone could've taken you!" I yell. "I don't think this is about me. I think this is about the fact that I wanted to hang out with people other than you and that you were struggling at practice today," she sneers.

"That's not true," I deny. "Oh please. I saw the look on your face every time I didn't stick with you. I'm 16 Alex, not five. I'm not going to cling to you 24 hours a day. You told me that I needed to integrate into my new life and that's what I'm trying to do. So don't get pissed at me for doing it," she sighs angrily. Deep down I know she's right, but I'm not about to tell her that.

"You're grounded. You're to stay in this room all day tomorrow and do the homework you blew off," I seethe. "Should've stayed home," I hear her say. "I'll book you a flight right now if you want to leave that bad," I say with no emotion. I see the surprised look on her face and sigh in defeat. "I don't want to fight. Just go to bed and we'll talk in the morning," I tell her. She looks at me but doesn't say anything. 

'So much for enjoying camp.'

...

I enter our room with a to-go box filled with pancakes and fruit the next morning. "Everyone missed you at breakfast this morning," I say handing Sophia the to-go box. "Thanks," she mumbles. I sigh and sit on the bed next to her. "I'm sorry about last night. For all of it. You were right. I was taking much of my frustration with myself out on you. I shouldn't have done that," I apologize. "So does that mean I'm not grounded anymore?" she presses.

"No you definitely still are, but you'll just be confined to the sideline instead of to this room," I tell her. "Better than nothing I guess," she sighs. "Finish up. We gotta catch the bus to Soldier Field soon," I instruct.

...

*Sophia's POV*
I sat mind-numbingly bored on the sideline watching Alex and the team practice. I blew through my homework and I left my phone at the hotel, so I have nothing to entertain me. "Come on kid. I'm putting you to work," Jill calls out to me. I jog over to her to find out what she's having me do.