Not my Captain

Questions

Inside the car, Alex Morgan glanced over at Lexi as she settled into the passenger seat. "So, whose car did you just get out of?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Lexi grinned sheepishly, knowing that explaining her connection to Leah and her family might take a while. "Oh, that was my new friend Leah's mom," she replied, fastening her seatbelt. "I met Leah in the park a while back, and we've become friends. They invited me over for dinner tonight and so she gave me a lift back."

Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Your new friend's mom, huh? Sounds like you're making quite the impression."

Lexi chuckled nervously. "I hope so. They're really nice."

"Seems like it," Alex replied, pulling away from the curb. "Well, I hope dinner went well."

"Yeah, it was great," Lexi said, nodding.

Alex smirked, teasing. "Getting cozy with your new friend's family, are we?"

Lexi playfully swatted at Alex's arm. "Shut up, Alex. It's not like that."

"Sure, sure," Alex chuckled. "Just remember, Lexi, England is a small place. Word gets around."

Lexi laughed, shaking her head. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

As Alex maneuvered through the London streets, she glanced at Lexi curiously. "So, do they know who you are?"

Lexi hesitated for a moment, considering her response. "Not entirely. Leah never asked for my last name, and I didn't want to scare her off or have her treat me differently, so I just never mentioned it."

Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Interesting. So, they don't know about your soccer career?"

Lexi shook her head. "No, not really. But maybe it's better that way, you know?"

Alex nodded understandingly. "Yeah, sometimes it's nice to just be yourself without all the baggage."

"Exactly," Lexi agreed, feeling relieved to have someone understand. "I just want to be Lexi, not the soccer player or anything else."

"So, Lexi, what do you think Leah's reaction will be when she sees you playing for the USA in the Olympics?" Alex asked curiously, glancing over at Lexi as they drove.

Lexi's face paled as Alex's question sank in, and her mind raced with worry. "Oh no, I never even thought about that... What if Leah feels betrayed? What if she hates me for not telling her?" Lexi's voice trembled as she began to ramble, her thoughts spiraling into a whirlwind of panic.

"I mean, I didn't want to scare her off or make things weird between us, but now I'm starting to wonder if I should have told her... What if she finds out and thinks I've been keeping secrets from her this whole time?" Lexi's hands fidgeted nervously in her lap as she rambled on, her heart pounding with anxiety.

Alex reached out a comforting hand to Lexi's shoulder, offering reassurance. "Hey, don't worry too much. You still have time to figure things out. Maybe you could tell her before the match, or even make it a surprise during the game. Imagine how happy she'd be to see you out there on the field."

Lexi's nerves began to ease slightly at Alex's words, a glimmer of hope replacing her initial panic. "You think so?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty still lingering in her voice.

"Absolutely," Alex replied with a reassuring smile. "Just trust your instincts, and everything will work out."

Lexi's eyes widened as her phone buzzed with a message from Leah. She quickly glanced at the screen, her heart racing as she read the words. Alex noticed the sudden change in her demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"