SUNSHINE

fifty-seven

"Casey we're here." Alex chuckled with a nudge as they pulled up to the field, pulling her out of her thoughts. She laughed again as she saw Alex rewatching the video for the umpteenth time.

"Are you ever gonna stop watching that?" She asked her with a laugh.

"No, I don't think I will." She responded with a shake of her head, getting a light shove to the back from Casey as they got off the bus. Once everyone was off, they were guided through the back of the stadium and up into the field boxes so they could watch the game without being bombarded by the press and fans. There was an unlimited amount of food and beverages supplied for them. Casey, Alex, Megan, Ali, and Ashlyn got seats in the front row of seats along with a couple other teammates, and they were the life of the party as they waited for the game to begin, both teams just coming out to warm up. Music played in the stadium, and they all danced and sang along. After this game, they would head back to the hotel to discuss tactics based on the game they were watching, then they would be up and early to get a conditioning session in before breakfast, then head over to the stadium to get another light training in. After that afternoon, they would have four days until they played the winner of this quarter final match.

"Alright ladies group pic!" Vlatko called to them as he stepped out in front of the group, having just enough room in front of them to get everyone in. He loved to post his own pictures on Twitter and Instagram for his followers, so they obliged. They knew their media crew would be taking their own images while they enjoyed their day off.

Eventually the match began, and the twenty-three of them settled down to actually pay attention to some of the best soccer there was on the planet. Casey studied both teams, especially their offenses so they could see how they would defend against either team. Both teams were trying to put up high pressure like they typically played, which would force them to limit their mistakes on the backline. They had not conceded a goal yet, but anything could happen. She also studied the defensive lines of either team to see how they would need to line up offensively. Vlatko liked to pick her brain about these things due to her sports management studies and how much of a soccer brain she really had. She was extremely gifted when it came to talking tactics and studying the way teams played their games, and her teammates knew that. They all thought she was one of the smartest soccer players in the game, even at such a young age. She could not believe she was turning twenty-two in a little over a month, and they could not believe she was only going to be twenty-two.

The first half of the game came to a close, both teams frustrated as they went into the locker room scoreless. Chatter picked up among all of them as the music was kicked back on in the stadium.

"Hey Case, do you think you could go grab us some more Gatorades?" Alex asked, and Casey shrugged.

"What does everyone want?" She asked as she got up. They all said either red or blue. She chuckled, being one of the only players on the team who liked the yellow ones.

"What was that about?" Ali asked looking over to Alex as she made sure Casey was out of earshot.

"I just got a text from Alessio, and he told me not to say anything, but I think he's flying out if we make the final. He just asked what stadium we're supposed to be at if we make it to the championship." She told them.

"I thought he wasn't going to make it?" Ashlyn asked, and Alex shrugged.

"I don't know, but it sounds like he is! I know she's been a little bummed that her dad and Alessio weren't going to make it at all." She answered as Casey came back over, handing them all their requested colors. She sat back down and they fell back into comfortable conversation, discussing the half of soccer they just watched.