Talia's POV
"So what are we doing the rest of the day?" I ask as I wait for Tobin.
"We're eating lunch here before we go to some place for team bonding and then I believe we're going to some place for dinner."
"Cool."
Tobin finishes getting ready so we head down to the meal room and once there we realize we are the first ones down for lunch, besides the coaching staff. The two of us get our food then we sit down and start eating. Eventually the rest of the team come to the meal room and sit around Tobin and I at the long table.
"So why don't you talk to anyone beside's the Utah girls, Alex, and Tobin." Pinoe asks, but I reman silent and eat my food. "Kelley help us out here."
"She doesn't trust you yet." Kelley says.
"Why not?" Emily asks.
Christen sighs, wipes her mouth, then she looks at me as does everybody else.
"Why don't you trust them Freckles?" Christen asks.
"It is hard to trust when all you have from the past is evidence of why you shouldn't." I say.
"Damn." I hear Alex mumble as I get up and dump my trash.
Once I dump my trash I return to my seat and grab my bag then I pull out my Mac.
"Hey Christen?" I say and open my Mac.
"Yeah Freckles?"
"I got a picture back from that modeling thing I did."
"Lemme see." Christen says then she looks at my Mac as I pull up the picture.
"Damn Freckles." Christen says.
"You model?" Alex asks as some people crowd around the screen.
"I was helping a friend with her portfolio for photography school." I say.
"You look hot." Kelley says.
"I've never seen you in heels." Becky says.
"Yeah because they suck to walk in." I say.
"And since when do you have a belly button ring?" Becky asks.
"I've had it since I was 14."
"Your friend is sending this to schools?" Christen questions and I nod. "I don't mean to be rude, but that looks like a bit too much boob showing to send to schools."
"She took more where the twins aren't showing and she's sending those in to wherever she's applying." I say. "This is the one she gave to me to post on social media."
"Good." Christen says. "You look good, but I just feel like schools don't wanna see that."
"I agree." I say.
"Woah." I hear Julie say which makes me blush.
I close my Mac then look at my soulmate.
"Would you like to talk?" I ask.
Julie nods then the two of us go sit away from everyone.
"So I guess I should explain my reaction today." I say. "So um my parents were soulmates and they both recently passed away and I guess it put me off of soulmates."
"I'm so sorry Talia." Julie says and rubs my arms.
"It's okay. I've come to terms with it." I admit.
The two of us sit in silence for a couple minutes then I speak up
"So I guess your my soulmate." I say making Julie laugh.
"Looks that way." Julie says then she smiles.
"Okay your smile may be the most beautiful I've ever seen." I say.
"SUCK UP." Kelley shouts.
"Well that may be one of the nicest things anybody's ever said to me." Julie says.
"Aww." Someone says.
Julie and I roll our eyes then we rejoin the team.
"So what does your mark say?" Kelley asks.
"Uh the one on my skin says I like your freckles." I answer.
"And the one on me says you have a beautiful smile." Julie says.
"Better than the one on me." Alex grumbles
"I still can't believe Kelley said that to you." Ash says while laughing.
"What? It's true." Kelley says. "Alex does have a nice ass."
Alex's soulmate mark on her body says 'Damn you have a nice ass'.
"At least it's able to be under clothing at all times." I say.
"Kelley's just lucky I lover her." Alex says.
"Yes. Yes I am." Kelley says then she kiss her forward.
"Alright everyone go grab what you need for the rest of the day then meet in the lobby." Someone says.
Tobin and I head up to our room and I put my computer away then grab everything I'll need for the rest of the day. When Tobin has what she needs the two of us leave the room and head down to the lobby and wait with the team. Once everybody gets down to the lobby we get in the cars and head to wherever we are going.
After we get to the place, which turns out to be an arcade/go kart place, we are all given fire-suits and gloves so we put them on. We then wait for someone to explain what we are doing.
"Alright." Jill says. "We've planed a tournament for everyone."
"What kind of tournament?" Pinoe asks.
"A racing tournament." Dawn says.
The coaching staff explain how the tournament is going to work then they give us our groups.
Basically there are 5 groups of 5 racers and you need to get first or second to automatically advance to the next round. My group is Alex, Christen, Moe, Ali, and myself.
"Well my group is screwed." Christen says.
"Why?" Moe asks.
"Just know you're all racing for second." Kelley says then she points to me. "She's gonna win."
While everyone talks amongst themselves I look for an employee.
"Excuse me." I say when I find one.
"Hi how can I help you?" The teenage girl asks.
"Do you guys have shower caps?" I ask.
"Yes we do."
The teenage girl disappears for a few seconds and comes back with a box
"This has fifty in it." She says and hands the box to me.
"Thank you so much." I say then walk back over to the team.
"Watcha got there Freckles?" Christen asks.
"Shower caps." I say and put one on.
"Why?" Becky asks.
"There's no possible way for them to wash the helmets."
"Oh." Alex says then she grabs the box and grabs one.
The rest of the team grab a shower cap and put them on then we head down to where the karts are.
"So who's racing first?" Kelley asks.
"Racing first is..." Dawn reads off her list. "Alex, Christen, Moe, Ali, and Talia."
"And how do we pick who starts where?" Alex asks.
"Here." Jill says and holds up five straws with their true lengths hidden. "Draw straws. Smallest straw starts first and so on and so forth.
"Talia you pick first." Christen says.
I draw a blue straw which is probably the biggest.
"I'm starting last." I say.
The order ends up being Moe, Christen, Ali, Alex, and lastly me.
"Let's go Racing." Kelley says.
- - - - -
"And the winner of the tournament is...Talia." Dawn says then everyone claps.
My first race I finished first followed by Christen, Moe, Ali, and Alex. Alex got last because she spun out. In the semi final I finished first followed by Christen again, Tobin in third, Kelley in fourth, and Pinoe finished in last. In the final I finished first again followed by Ash in second, Tobin in third, Christen in fourth, and Becky in last.
"We have this place for 2 more hours so you guys can race some more or play pool, table tennis, or any of the arcade games." Jill says. "There's also drinks and food if anyone's hungry."
"There's also tandem carts if anybody wants to ride in them." An employee says.
"I CALL TALIA." Kelley and Christen shout in unison then they latch onto my arms.
They then start bickering back and forth about who gets to ride with me.
"She's not a piece of meat guys." Becky says and removes the two women.
"Talia who do you wanna go with?" Christen asks.
"I don't really care." I say as Alex wraps an arm around Kelley.
"Well." Tobin says as she stands next to Christen. "Why don't we let Julie go with Talia."
"Fine." Kelley mumbles so I turn to Julie.
"Actually would you like to go get something to drink and talk somewhere?" I ask.
"Sure." The beautiful blonde defender/midfielder says.
Julie and I go order our drinks then we go sit down and get to know each other better.
"Can I ask you something?" Julie asks.
"Sure."
"Why did Christen tackle you at training today?"
"Um." I say then take a deep breath. "After my parents died I got depressed and I relied on Xanax. Christen, Becky, Amy and Kelley helped me get away from the medicine and I still have it for emergencies, but they won't let me use it unless one of them give it to me."
"Well I'm here if you ever need to talk." Julie says then she hugs me.
"Thank you." I whisper.
"LOAD UP SO WE CAN GO TO DINNER." Kelley shouts. "AND HURRY UP. I'M FUCKING HUNGRY."