The Known (On Hold)

13

The next morning, Charlotte and Mal wake up with their bodies intertwined and laugh before sharing a few kisses and then after completing their routine, head down to join everyone for breakfast.

After breakfast and a meeting with the Coaches, they head back to their rooms to get changed and ready to go for training.

As she waits for Mal to finish getting ready, Charlotte messages with Mackenzie and finds out that they haven't been able to keep up with the demand for copies of The Known and Into The Unknown. It has already sold out the latest print run via the campus store, website and also the small Mom and Pop shops that they have started branching out into.

C.J.: How soon until we are back in stock?

Kenz: Printing company is backlogged best estimate is between 4 – 6 weeks.

C.J.: Crap! Any other options?

Kenz: Not right now, we have a deal in place with them for the current run. After it is finished then we may look elsewhere. I hate to ask this because I know you are extremely busy, but any additional thoughts on the third book?

C.J.: Kenz, right now my focus is on soccer and my girlfriend. When the time is right, I will finish the series. I already have the outline completed it's just a matter of taking the time to put it together.

Kenz: Don't suppose you would give me any spoilers, huh? When all is said and done, you better bring Mal home to meet us.

C.J.: Nope, sorry! You'll have to wait until the ending is ready to be known. Have to go, love U.

Kenz: Bad pun, kid. Love U 2.

Charlotte smiles when Mal calls her, "Ready to go, babe?"

"Lead the way."

Her and Mal grab their bags and then join their teammates on the bus before arriving at the field a short time later.

Once there, they are divided into teams and start to work on some positional and set plays. They do that for a while, before taking a break and finding out that they will be finishing out the day with a full team scrimmage.

Charlotte is disappointed to find that Mal and she will be going against each other, but she plans on showing off for her girlfriend and the coaches.

Paying close attention to the ball movement of the players on the opposing team, she waits for the opportune time to intercept one of their lazy passes between players. Once she has the ball at her feet, she 'megs the closest player and takes off behind her with the ball before sending a perfect diagonal cross into Ashley, who then makes no mistake in one-touching the ball past the keeper. A play that they had been working on prior to the scrimmage, that Charlotte knows will impress the coaches. Ashley comes over and high-fives her, "Nice setup." "Nice finish. Let's get some more." Ashley laughs as she jogs back to the middle with Charlotte.

The sides play back and forth, each getting several opportunities and capitalizing on a few of them. Mal scores a nice goal against Charlotte's side and smiles as she runs past her.

After taking another water break due to the Florida heat, the coaches start shifting some of the players around and Charlotte and Mal end up on the same team.

"You ready to show them how we play, Babe?" Mal winks and smiles at her and she shakes her head, "Damn that girl's going to be the death of me," she thinks as they restart off a goal kick.

Off the restart, the two seem to be able to read each other's thoughts and movements and soon Mal places the ball in the opening for Charlotte, who carries it deep into the end before sliding the pass through some legs and across the box and watching Mal tap it in for the easy goal.