SUNSHINE

eleven

Casey had not told anyone about her call from Jill Ellis - more specifically, she did not tell her team because she did not want to worry her teammates about having to show their worth on the team to one of the best coaches in the world. She was the only one who should be worried, but if Jill Ellis was coming all the way to Tampa to watch her play and had been doing her research, she should not have anything to fret about.

She had everything packed and ready to go to head to Orlando for camp and stay in the hotel with the team. She had no clue who she was rooming with since it was so last minute of her addition to camp, but she was excited. After her game she would be driving herself to Orlando so she could join them tomorrow morning for their team breakfast before heading to training that afternoon. She was nervous, she would be training with the best of the best, who have been her idols since she started watching soccer around the age of five or six. It was all a surreal feeling, but she was ready for such an experience.

"Casey!" Someone shouted from upstairs, and it sounded like Riley but she was not sure.

"Downstairs!" She shouted back, resting her phone on her stomach as the upstairs door opened with all her friends coming down the stairs. Jackson, Riley, Jenna, and Daniel all entered her bedroom, and she looked up at them. "I didn't know you guys were coming over."

"It's not the first time we've all came over unannounced." Jenna shrugged, and she just chuckled, knowing she was not wrong.

"Okay, what special occasion does this call for?" She asked, sitting up on the bed as she watched Jackson scroll through his phone. He showed her what was on his screen.

"Happened to come across this tweet from the US Women's National Team Twitter account, announcing the addition of Jane Campbell and Casey Radcliffe to the final camp before the 2019 World Cup." Jackson said, popping his 'p' at the end of his statement. Casey felt her face flush white as if she had seen a ghost.

"Tell us it's true." Riley said with hopeful eyes, bouncing up and down.

"Yeah, I got a call yesterday morning from Jill Ellis inviting me into camp because Franch got injured." She responded, and before she could say anything else, Riley squealed and hopped on the bed, hugging her.

"My best friend is gonna be a famous soccer star!" She shouted.

"Riley I can't breathe!" She gasped, and Riley let go, sitting down on the bed beside her.

"So what's going to happen with districts? Doesn't camp start this weekend?" Jenna asked, sitting on her other side of her on the bed. Jackson and Daniel sat down on the seats she had in her room.

"Well we're gonna work it out to where I'll be able to play all three games if it comes to it, and I'm gonna travel with the team to Orlando, Colorado, and San Diego." She explained lightly to them, having all the information she needed in her email.

"I'm so excited for you Cas, really." Daniel said with the biggest smile on his face. "Do you think you're actually gonna go to the World Cup or anything?"

"Uh, I don't think so, but there's always a possibility." She responded with a shrug. Naeher was the team's number one, she respected Harris and Campbell, and they all had more experience than she did, so she probably was not going to head to the World Cup, but this was a good sign.

"Keep your hopes up girlfriend, you'll get your shot." Riley encouraged, and she smiled, leaning into her and resting her head on her shoulder.

"So is there any other reason you all are here?" She asked with a laugh.

"We wanted to celebrate you getting called into camp!" Jackson piped in with a laugh.

"Well thank you but I have to finish packing for the next two weeks." She sighed, and that was their cue to leave, which they took.