Training Hub

Chapter 6

All the players slowly trickled into the dining hall at around 6. The room was planned with wide double doors that opened up into a large modern dining room with multiple rectangular white tables going down the room. There was a buffet section connected to the kitchen where players could pick and choose their meals from. The cafeteria was on the ground floor so the floor-to-ceiling windows had a perfect view of the football pitches with Brazilian mountains in the background. As the players walked in, lining up behind the buffet counter, the chefs behind the kitchen began to serve them food. Once everyone had received their dinner and settled down into their seats, you could see that the players were split into significant groups. On the left side of the first table were: Alyssa Naeher, Emily Sonnett, Kristie Mewis and Kelley O'Hara, and on the right side were: Sam Mewis, Lindsey Horan, Caitlin Foord, Sam Kerr and Erin Cuthbert. The second table featured Mapi Leon who gave everyone who dared sit there a death stare. The third table had Jess Fleming, Pernille Harder, Magda Eriksson, Lena Oberdorf, Guro Reiten and Ingrid Engren. The fourth table had Vivienne Miedema, Lia Walti, Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh, Tiane Endler, Jill Roord, Jordan Nobbs, Millie Bright, Rachel Daly and Lucy Bronze.

The table full of Americans and Aussies was full of chatter and noise that could be heard from all sides of the room they were in.

"Remember when I scared you and you didn't have any pants on," Kelley grinned over the table to Sammy K.

Erin Cuthbert replied in her Scottish accent "Now this I would like to see."

"Nooo...what are you talking about," Sam Kerr answered, her cheeks going red in embarrassment.

"I think there's even a video on my phone."

"Send it to me, please. I'm begging you." Erin Cuthbert laughed, imagining the sight of the star striker being scared with no pants on.

While O'Hara and Cuthbert exchanged numbers so that they could continue exposing Sam with videos of her, Sam Kerr glanced over at Kristie who was listening in on a conversation involving Sonnett, Naeher and Sam Mewis.

Her heart grew warm and she couldn't help but smile at Kristie laughing when Sonnett made a joke. Sam just couldn't take her eyes off Kristie. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach fluttering up and down when Kristie turned to look at her. They sat staring at each other for what felt like minutes.

Foord was talking with Horan. "Haven't seen you in ages Linds,"

"I know. I miss us. I miss the original Portland girls. You, me, Ellie, Sonnett."

"Same. You're like the only one left at the Thorns."

"Mhmm. Okay, enough about that. When am I gonna meet your new girl? I know who she is and that she's here, so enough bullshit about how she ain't here." Lindsey blurted out. She was told by a little Aussie bird who was also at the camp that this girl had Caitlin fucking Foord wrapped around her finger.

Caitlin blushed a little at the thought of Lia.

"Like when has the famous, f-girl Caitlin Foord, who never dates end up with a girl?"

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll introduce you guys later if you stop talking about me."

"What? Scared your girlfriend's gonna find out." Horan exclaimed a bit louder than normal, smiling smugly.

Caitlin just returned with a death stare. "Your turn. Go on. Have you thought giving girls a try."

"Hey! I have a boyfriend."

"I'll have you know that me and Tyler are best friends."

Mapi scrolled on her phone while she chewed a slice of pizza. It was quite good she had to admit. Her mind switched back to the fact that she was here. She hated it here. It was torture and she was on the verge of walking up to Emma Hayes and leaving this hellhole. She missed Barcelona and being with people she actually knew.