The Family

65

Talia's POV

"FRECKLES." Christen shouts when Julie and I walk into the team meeting room then my best friend runs at me.

Before the Euro 2021 competition we, the USWNT, are playing two friendlies. One against England in Wembley and another against Spain.

"Hello." I say as Christen crashes into me.

"I missed you." Christen says as we hug.

"I missed you too." I say and tighten my grip on my friend.

"It's okay." Christen whispers as she runs a hand through my hair. "It's okay."

"TALIA." Kelley yells as I feel someone jump on my back.

"Hi Kels." I say.

"We're stealing Julie." Moe says.

"Okay." I say then peck Julie's lips. "I'll be here when you get back."

"Bye T." Julie says then her friends lead her out of the room.

"We're stealing you then." Kelley says from my back then she kisses my cheek.

"Alright." I say then grab Julie and I's bags.

Myself, Christen, and Kelley, who's still on my back, head up to my room then I set Kelley on one of the beds before I put the bags away.

"Come here Freckles." Christen says and pats the spot in-between her and Kelley.

I kick off my shoes then lay in-between my friends.

"Now." Christen says as she and Kelley wrap an arm around me. "How are you Freckles?"

"Uh I'm okay." I admit. "Still a bit sad, but there's nothing I or anyone can do to help with the sadness."

"I'm sure there's something." Kelley says.

"Unless you can bring my parents back to life then I don't think you can."

"Well we can't do that, but we can tell you they're proud of you." Kelley says causing me to sigh.

"But that's not enough." Christen says knowingly.

"No it is not." I admit.

"Well we're proud of you." Kelley says as the door to our room opens.

My girlfriend enters the room and she motions for us to get up so my friends and I get off the bed then I approach my soulmate.

"Come on T." Julie says and intertwines our hands. "You gotta go do that media stuff about our time at City."

"Don't you have to do it too?" I question.

"I just did mine."

"Oh." I say.

My girlfriend leads me through the hotel and into a conference room with a few camera's and a couple Journalists.

"Hey Talia." Aaron Heifetz says.

"Hello." I say as someone mic's me up. "You guys do know I'm not gonna hold back right?"

"We know." Julie says

Once I'm mic'd up I'm lead to a chair so I sit down and wait for the questions.

"What did you learn the most from your time with Man City?"

"That the NWSL is not the best league in the world." I say.

"If given the opportunity would you sign permanently with Man City?"

"If Man City offered Julie and I both contracts then we'd be having a serious talk about moving to England." I admit.

"What can the NWSL do to make sure they keep you in the league?"

"Have better pay for everyone, disassociate from US Soccer, allow more than just four International players on a roster...Oh the NWSL also needs to not award an expansion team to a state like Kentucky that only ratified the 13th amendment in March of 1976...How much time do we have?" I question.

"Who did you learn from the most while at Manchester City?"

"Steph Houghton and Karen Bardsley." I say. "They taught me a lot about off the field things as well as things on the field."

I answer a few more questions then I de-mic myself and leave the room. Once out of the room I head to the meal room and grab a plate of food then I sit down with my friends and start eating.

"You know the league's not gonna be to happy Talia." Kelley says and looks at me.

"They won't be happy when Sam Kerr leaves the league." I say.

"She's leaving?" Ash questions and looks at Julie.

"She took the loan deal at the request of the league so they could work out the pay structure in the offseason, but I'm pretty sure she's gonna join a new team in Europe." Julie says.

"Well shit." Ali says.

"I mean I would if I was her." I say. "She gets paid fuck all and she's one of the best strikers in the world."

"Somedays I wish I had no filter like you Blondie." Alex says.

"I'm half Italian." I say and shrug. "What'd you expect?"

"Talia can I ask you something?" Mal questions.

"Sure."

"How come none of us have met any of your friends from before college?"

"Um a lot of my friends are either dead or in jail." I admit. "I grew up in the Bronx for the first 12 years of my life and I ran with the wrong crowd. My parents knew where this crowd could lead so they moved us to the house you all have been to and by the time I was 18 most of my friends ended up a victim of gang violence or they ended up in jail because of gang violence...truthfully most of them won't see the light of day ever again."

"And your other friends who aren't apart of that group?" Lindsey asks.

"Well I learned of our family secret around the time I moved houses and schools so I kept to my self which caused me not to have to many friends." I admit. "The few friends I do have are in hiding."

"What do you mean?" Tobin asks.

"Well you remember the guy who groped Amy?" I question and everyone nods. "His sister was one of my friends and her father and brothers wanted to marry her off to an old dude so they could have more power. My friend found out about this and confided it in me so I helped her and her soulmate escape and they are now married with kids and living a peaceful life. Only I, my friends mom, and my friend's soulmate's parents know where they are and how to get in touch with them."

"Yo your life needs to be made into a movie." Ash says causing everyone to laugh.

"Maybe one day."