SUNSHINE

fourteen

[ Hello! Sorry I haven't posted in a few days but here we go! Wow, we won a fourth World Cup! To think four years ago during this time, I first got into watching soccer and writing stories such as this one. Now, I am publishing from my phone, so please let me know if any of the formatting is messed up and I will adjust accordingly. Hope everyone has a wonderful day! ]

It was finally Monday, the day of their next district game. Jill had made their training session early that morning, working hard on the training grounds from seven in the morning to ten, then giving them the rest of the day off if they promised to work hard tomorrow, which was something they could do. Casey's game was not until four, but she needed to leave by one to make it to the field.

"Hey rookie, wanna grab breakfast?" Alex asked as the core group she had been hanging with through the duration of camp so far got off the bus.

"Uh yeah, sure." Casey answered with a smile. "I just need to grab my wallet from my room." She added, and they let her go. She slipped onto the elevator to their floor and got off with a group of the team and went to her room, slipping in the room key and going inside. She was met by air conditioning, and she appreciated her past self for leaving it on full blast for when she came back. She grabbed her wallet and her phone started to ring, the sound for Facetime and Jackson's name popping up.

"Is this the phone of Casey Radcliffe?" He asked when she accepted his call. She just laughed a she grabbed her wallet from the dresser and put her lanyard around her neck.

"No, I'm afraid not, sir." She joked as she exited her hotel room, heading back down the hall and getting back on the elevator. She was sure Emily, Kelley, and Alex were all waiting by the door for her, and she felt guilty about just leaving them, but she did not take that long.

"Damn, I thought this was for sure the next up and coming star for the USA." He sighed, and this time they both laughed as she exited the elevator. She saw Emily, Kelley, and Alex all talking about something, waiting for her by the door.

"I can't wait to see you later." She said softly as she walked toward them, for they did not know she had a boyfriend. She kept her personal life pretty private from the team so she did not get attached if she did not make the World Cup team.

"I miss you Casey, we all do." He answered, and she smiled.

"Hey, I'm going out to breakfast with Kel, Em, and Alex. Can I call you later when I'm on my way home?" She asked as she neared them, and they started catching win of her conversation.

"Yeah, no problem. I'll be waiting." He responded, kissing the lens of the phone. She smiled and said her goodbye before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Kelley pried, and Emily elbowed her in the side.

"Oh, just a friend back home." Casey said. She was not completely lying, Jackson was one of her best friends.

"Is said friend a boyfriend?" She questioned, and she felt her cheeks redden.

"How about we decide where we want to go eat." Alex interjected, and Casey silently thanked her.

"I'm really feeling some pizza." Emily said, and they all just looked at her.

"At eleven in the morning?" Kelley questioned, and she just shrugged.

"By the time we decide it'll be lunch." She answered, and they all kind of agreed.

"Well where's a really good pizza place?" Casey asked, and all eyes turned to Alex, who lived near Orlando because she plays with the Pride.

"I mean, NY Giant Pizza is pretty good, but it's all the way in Hibiscus, too far to walk." She suggested.