Call Up: A USWNT Fanfic

- 5 -

It is our rest day, and the energy during breakfast is light. Well except for the kids table which is brimming with energy. I'm not the only one to notice.

"I wish I still got that excited about things," Kelley sighs. She looks back down at her crossword and gasps, fumbling for her pencil.

Julie groans and takes a swig of coffee. "They better not be planning anything. I promised Mal a good spanking if she even so much as brought the beach topic up again."

I tilt my head. "The beach topic?"

"Eleanor hasn't brought it up at all?" Julie looks between Tobin and I, looking offended that we weren't put through the same pain.

Christen swallows a healthy bite of her oatmeal. "Consider yourselves lucky."

Kelley bites into her bagel. "Yeah, even T mentioned something about it."

"Tierna talked about it? Eleanor hasn't said anything." I look at Tobin to confirm.

She shrugs and wipes her mouth with a napkin. "Well we aren't in charge of her, so it's possible she just didn't say." She pauses at my look. "Not officially in charge."

I shake my head. "I'm still confused on what the beach topic even is."

"Some of the younger ones wanted to go to the beach but Jill was afraid they'd tire themselves out like last time," Tobin explains.

"You knew?" I snap. "How?"

Tobin puts her hands up in surrender. "Morgan."

I tilt my head. "How did Morgan know?"

The midfielder shrugs. "Probably Tierna."

Becky clears her throat and stacks the finished people's plates. "Frankly, I agree with Jill. I remember we used to ban you guys."

Kelley laughs. "Oh gosh. Do you remember those days, Tobs?"

Tobin laughs and nudges Christen. "Oh, yeah. And a certain somebody who couldn't even make it to the water every time."

Christen blushes and pushes Tobin away. "Yeah, well . . ."

Kelley laughs. "She was all for sneaking out to surf until we got there."

Becky smirks. "Cause she has a conscience."

Kelley's smile drops, and she resembles more of a kicked puppy. "Ow, Becky. That hurts. Right here." She points to her heart.

"Remember, I still reserve the right to make it hurt, right there." Becky pats the side of Kelley's butt. With a chuckle, she picks up the dishes and goes to put them away.

Kelley sits with her mouth open.

Tobin laughs. "Brunn's a stud."

"Ew, please don't ever say that again," a voice says with a giggle.

I turn. Eleanor stands in one of Tobin's sweatshirts too big for her smaller frame. If I didn't already know she was wearing shorts, it would look like she wasn't.

"Hey, kiddo," I greet her.

She smiles brightly. "Um, Mal told me I should let you, well you guys, know we're going shopping."

"Shopping?" I repeat.

She nods. "Shopping. Is that okay?"

I look around at the table, and everybody has the same expression. Entirely unconvinced. I look back at Ellie. "Where are you guys going shopping?"

She blushes nervously. "Erm, I dunno. Mal found a place."

Julie coughs across the table, but Christen discreetly smacks her to shut her up. "Who's all going?" Christen asks kindly.

Ellie leans into Tobin's side. "Umm, Mal, Rose, Tierna, Moe, and maybe Sam and Emily," she says as Tobin wraps an arm around her waist.

All I hear is trouble, trouble, and more trouble.

"Sounds good, kid. Be good, okay?" Tobin says.

I make to protest but a sharp pain in my shin stops me from saying a word. Ellie jogs off, and I glare at who I thought was on my side. "What was that?" I hissed, massaging at the tender spot on my leg.

"You were going to say something stupid. She says she's going shopping. She's a smart girl."

Christen nods in agreement. "If they can't go to the beach, shopping is the next best thing. Mal can never pass up the chance to shop."

I hesitate. "I guess your right."

Julie shakes her head. "Chris, it's Mal we're talking about. It sounds like she made these plans and what are the chances these plans don't mean trouble?"

"You can't never trust her."

"She hasn't given me good reason to," she grumbles. She slumps into her chair. "I love her to pieces, but she's going to be the death of me."

I add, "Plus if it were us, what would we do?"

Everybody goes quiet. Tobin shakes her head with a smile. "Well let's hope they're better than us. All we can do is wait and see. Let's just hope they made the right decision." She leans back in her chair with an easy going smile. "Plus they have Moe. If they don't know better, she definitely does."

•••

It's nearing dinner time and a group of us just finished an intense game of Crazy Eights and have resorted to playing a very heated game of Never Have I Ever.

"Never have I ever . . ." I trail off. I need something to get Crystal out.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

"Ashlyn! Get the door." Megan throws a pillow at the passed out goalie. She doesn't even stir.

Abby jumps up and opens the door letting in a furious Carli Lloyd. She scans the room, everyone frozen and quiet. "You, you, you."

Tobin, Christen, and I look at each other.

"Let's go," she snaps and is out the door as fast as she was in.

"Anybody have any idea what that was about?" Tobin asks quietly, like Carli would be able to hear her if she talked any louder.

I stand up. "I have no clue but we should definitely follow."

Christen breathes in sharply. "It might have something to do with this." She holds up her phone to see multiple missed calls and a spam of texts. I grab my phone and see the same. Tobin looks at hers, and her expression tells everything.