Woso Stories

They thought that it was weird, but not out of the ordinary. Not at first anyway. Most of them had known Leah for a while so the were used to odd eating habits and honestly they didn't see much of a difference berween you and her. 

Well they hadn't until Leah said something. 

It happened one afternoon once practice had ended for the day. It was about 2 months after you joined the team and had already left the facility for the day. Leah walked over to Beth and Viv as she throw her shirt on. The two of them had taken you under their wing almost as soon as you had arrived on the team.

"Have either of you ever seen Y/N eat a vegtable? Or a fruit?"

Beth gave her a weird look, "Of course I have…" She trailed off after thinking about it for a moment. The rest of the girls on the locker room started looking at one another to see if anyone had. "Actually I don't think I have, why?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Leah responded. But no one belived her and all of the suden you noticed the whole team keeping a close eye on you. 

At first you hadn't really noticed, but it became very obvious very quickly. You noticed even when they were just watching you, it made you uncomfortable, but you didn't question it. You had learned to ignore stares from others a long time ago. 

But then the pushing started. It was small at first you would come in for breakfast and someone would push fruit on to your plate. You tried to ignore it and would just push it to the side and go about eating your peanut butter toast. But then at lunch the would make small comments about you not eating enough and would push even more fruits and vegtables on to your plate. They would come over to your apartment for dinner and bring dishes with fish or meat and look at you expectantly to eat them. 

You never said anything. You didn't want to bring attention to it. You hoped that if you ignored them all long enough they would just stop. But it didn't and your stomach continued to churn as you looked down at the food your teammates wanted you to eat. You tried not to throw up as the slid it closer to you when they thought you wouldn't notice. 

They tried to get you to eat more and more often. They didn't let you skip meals the way that you were used to. But it finally came to a head when they started trying to tell you what you couldn't eat. 

"SHUT UP!" You yell in the middle of the cafeteria. You had just been trying to eat your peanut butter and jelly sandwhich in peace when Katie tried taking it form your hands. 

"You already had toast as a crad load this morning. You should really have something else. Let's get more protein in you." And then she laughed like it would be the easiest thing in the world. 

This wasn't anything they hadn't already tried telling you over the last few weeks but this time they had taken you food directly from your hands. So you snapped. You could no longer ignore the way they were butting in. The way that 

"You're not helping. So all of you just shut up and stop. I don't need you telling me what I sould and should not be eating. And I sure as hell don't need you taking my safe foods away from me."

Your yelling made everyone freze. The team had never seen you like this before. 

Finally it was getting to you. All the comments and all of the pushing had sent you directly over the edge. You couldn't take it any more. 

"Don't you think if I could I wouldn't be eating the same things everyday. I have an eating disorder that makes that impossible and you guys aren't helping. So please… just stop." 

When dinner finally rolls around Tobin carries Y/N to the meeting room on her back. They aren't the first to arrive, but they still beat out most of the team. 

Tobin gets them both plates and Y/N kept her head down just taking more notes. She wants to get them done so she can share them with Becky. 

Becky and Abby silently join their table along with Ali and Christen taking up the last of the seats. 

Alyssa Neaher: 2nd Keeper in line up. Moves well on the line and reads the game very well. Quick reaction times. Communicates well with the back line in order to keep the game in hand. Need to see more. (Would like to see her start a game this camp).

Cristen Press: Forward, Always looking for the cross, prefers the ball at her feet. Has a cutback move that leaves defenders on their knees even if they know it's coming. Could work on making it quicker to give her more time and space on the strike. Need to see more. 

Becky Sauerbrunn: Center back, captian, leader on the pitch and has a great read on what needs to happen. Helps direct play. Is not inclined to make a goal scoring oppertunity for herself. Always looking for the pass. At least one time this was the wrong move during practice. Need to see more. 

'That makes sense for a center back.' Y/N thinks to herself. 'But…'

"Becky?" Y/N asks quietly.

"Yeah what's up?"

"Do you not like scoring?"

Becky tilts her head in thought. "It's not that I don't like it, I just don't see the need to. That's the forwards and midfields job not mine."

"Would you take the shot if it meant winning the game?"

"Of course I would."

"Then you need to practice." 

The whole table freezes, but it only takes second before Abby bursts out laughing. 

"Wh-what's so funny?"

"Wonder Kid she's never going to need to make a shot to win a game. Do you know what the odds of that are?"

"A lot higher than you think."

Abby freezes, "Wait are you saying you know the odds?"

"Not exactly cause I haven't read the latest stat report from last year yet, but you don't know it's the game winning shot until the final whistle blows. And on top of that every goal in every game made by both teams is important not just the final one."

"So you're saying that I need to score more."

Y/N shakes her head, "Not necessarily, you just need to know when it is better to take the shot then it is to make the pass. I know you know how, you do it occasinally for your club teams and you did it in college."

"So take shots but not score? I think you're losing me kid."

Y/N turns to the last page in her notebook and sketches out half the field. Then she draws 11 x's that represent the USWNT and 10 o's that represent the defenders. 

"This was the set up today during one of your scrimages. Becky had the ball and did a long pass up to Kelley on the sideline. Kelley was then aproched by a defensive player. When she tried to go around another was waiting to pick up the pass Kelley made to herself. She was too close to the sideline and there looked like their was enough space so she took the inside path. This led to a turnover, and while you guys eventully got the ball back it was time wasted.

"If Becky had cut in more and at least acted like she was going to take a shot, she likely would have drawn that second defensive player to her in central field. That way when the pass was made to Kelley she would have been able to get further up the field without turning over the ball. She also could have just been further up the field altogether when she recived the ball. 

"Everyone knows you don't take many shots yourself and that you always look for the cross or pass, so even if it is subconscience they leave you with more space and instead stay a little closer to the girl likely to get the pass. In this case Kelley."

"So you're saying I need to act like a decoy."

Y/N bounces her head side to side, "I guess in a way that's what I'm saying. But you still have to take the shot sometimes otherwise we run in to the problem all over again just a little further down the field. But you still have to be smart about it. Don't just go sending shots towards net that have no hope of going in."

"Alright then no one say anything about this and we can try it at practise tomorrow." 

"You'll probably mess it up the first time, but you'll get it. There will be more defenders on you when you make the pass so just ready for that and don't worry to much if you lose the ball the first time or two you try it."

"Good to know. Thanks Kid."

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The next morning they are back on the pitch and just as Y/N said the first time they try Becky loses the ball. Everyone thinks that it's a fluke and Becky lost track of her positioning on the field. But then it happens again and this time she is succsessful in getting the ball to Tobin's feet. Tobin then cuts in a little more just as her sister sugested yesterday and sends the cross into Abby who manages to put it in the back of the net. 

It's not quite as clean as I was when Y/N demonstrated it the day before, but it worked and that's all that matters. 

Tobin looks up with a smile on her face and the three of them share a knowing look with one another before running over to Y/N who is watching from the sidline. 

Tobin picks her up and spins her around. 

"What do you know the Wonder Kid was right." Becky says with a grin. 

"I mean she never gave us a reason to doubt her did she?" Abby adds. 

You knew as soon as you walked into the meeting room exactly what was going to happen. You had known for weeks. Since they day you called Alex and told her you had gotten drunk at a party. 

You took a deep breath and walked into the room. You kept your head down knowing that you would not be able to look her in the eye. She had already expressed her disappointment in you over the phone. 

You were surprised that no one said anything to you as you walked in and found a seat. No one approached you the entire time that you were waiting for the meeting to start. That's when you knew. 

Everyone had heard what you had done. And everyone was disappointed in you. Immediately after the meeting you went straight to your hotel room. You curled up around one of your pillows and tried not to let it get to you. You tried not to cry, but you failed. You failed so badly that you couldn't hide the tears when you heard the door open. You tried to wipe them away but it was no use. 

"Y/N I think we need to talk." It was Alex. You had been so caught up in how she was going to react that you hadn't even checked who your roommate for the camp was. Of course it had to be Alex. 

You nod your head and feel the bed dip as she sits next to you. 

"Why'd you do it Angel?"

"I hadn't planned on it. I got invited along with the rest of the team so I thought I would just go and have fun with them. But then some of the people at the party just kept pushing and pushing for me to have drink so I did. And… and it was good so I had another and then it became too many and I…"

For the first time you look up tears streaming down your face. Alex can't help but pull the you into her arms. 

"I'm sorry Al. I'm so sorry. I won't do it again promise. Just please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad at you Angel. Was it a dumb decision, yes, but I know you. I know you are going to learn and grow from this."

So that's how you sit. For hours Alex just holds the you. You the younger girl that she had taken under her wing the moment you stepped on the field together. 

Eventually you manage to cry yourself to sleep, but Alex doesn't go anywhere. She just continues to hold you. 

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You are only pulled from your slumber when Alex finally wakes you to go downstairs to get dinner. You follow behind and keep your head down knowing the other girls may not be as forgiving as Alex has been about the whole thing. It's like Sophia said you are young, but the new prodigy which means you aren't allowed to mess up. 

"Go ahead and sit down I'll grab you a plate." You nod and do as your told. With your head still down you barely register when someone sits down beside you. 

"Team bonding is in my room after dinner. Don't be late." It was Kelley. With that she gets up and leaves you again to wait for Alex on your own. Throughout dinner you barely say anything. You just relay what Kelley had told you and nothing more. 

You follow after Alex to Kelley's room when dinner finally finished up. You could barely taste anything and it all felt heavy in your mouth. You make it up to Kelley's room and knock on the door. 

The door swings open in seconds. "Shit kid why'd you bring Alex?'

"Uh you said it was team bonding."

"I just said that to get you to come. Why'd you have to bring the buzz kill?"

You look up at her a confused expression plastered on your face. "But the whole team is supposed to come to team bonding."

"We're not actually having team bonding Y/N. We're going to talk about you getting drunk. More specifically what you got up to while you were drunk." Kelley says with a smile while dragging you into her room. 

Now that Alex was there and knew what was going on there was no way that she was leaving, but she lets Kelley continue her antics for now and followed you inside. 

Kelley pushes you down on to one of the beds and sits on the opposite bed with Sonny. Rose, Sam, Mal, and Sophia are all spread out throughout the room. Alex sits behind you and pulls you in to her lap. 

"So how was getting drunk for the first time?"

"Uh fine I guess." You respond still a little confused on what is going on. 

"Fine? That's all you have to say? You, against all better judgment, go to a party and get drunk, and all you have to say is that it was fine?"

"I didn't plan on getting drunk. I didn't plan on drinking at all."

"But you did so tell us about it." Kelley insists. 

You look down and blush a little before mumbling something.

"What was that?"

"I don't really remember anything."

The three girls all looked at one another for a good five minutes. None of them moved, they just stood in the hallway with their mouths agape. 

Not long after Rapinoe leads the rest of the girls down the hallway to the rookies room. "Are we ready for a good time or what?"

The three girls who had been kicked out looked at the rest of the team with a dumbfounded expression of their faces. 

"I don't think we are having team bonding in the rookies room today." Chaney says. 

"Why not?" Becky asks. She already knows the next words out of their mouths are going to make her frustrated. 

"We kind of, maybe sort of got kicked out of her room like five minutes ago." Kelley says in a tone that indicates that she did something wrong. 

"And what exactly was it that you did to get yourselves kicked out?"

"Honestly I not exactly sure." Chaney says. This makes the rest of the girls stop in their tracks. If Lauren Chaney the most responsible of the group doesn't know what happened then it must have been bad. 

"Ok what were you doing right before you got kicked out?" Krieger asked. 

"We were just talking and messing around with the wonder kid. Did you know that she's been taking detailed notes on all of us and how we can improve our game? She is a fucking genius!"

"What did you do to Y/N Kelley?"

"Come on Cap, why do you always assume I did something?"

Becky didn't answer and just continued to stare down Kelley. 

"Ok alright not much. I took her note book, but Tobin gave it back to her right away. Then I through my arm around her and we were just joking around. You know talking and stuff. So I'm not really sure."

"Hasn't Tobin told you not to touch her sister like at least 10 times in the last two days we've been at camp?" Christen asks. 

"Well I guess maybe she's said something like that once or twice."

Becky sighs, "Ok everyone we'll have to postpone team bonding. Everyone go ahead and have some down time before dinner. Abby stay with me let's see if we can figure out what happened."

Everyone disperses with differing levels of grumbles and moans. 

Once everyone is gone Becky gently knocks on the door. After waiting a minute and not getting a response she knocks on the door again this time a little louder. 

"Hey Tobin. It's Becky can we chat a sec?" The two women hear stumbling and a loud thud before the door is cracked open just enough for Tobin to peek her head out.

"Uh hey Cap what's up?" 

"May we come in?" She asks gesturing to Abby beside her. 

Tobin looks back into the room, "I-I don't really know if that's a good idea right now?"

"Is everything ok? Did something happen to Y/N?"

Tobin doesn't say anything and opens the door a little wider to let them in. "You can't tell anyone else. Please?"

"Tell them what?" Abby asks. 

Tobin lets out a long sigh as she walks back over to her sister and pulls her on to her lap. 

"Y/N is my kid. Legally I mean. I adopted her after out parents died." Tobin shakes her head, "That's not quite true. They haven't let me adopt her yet. I only got custody of her two years ago. I am currently only fostering her."

Neither Becky or Abby said anything to the younger girl. They just waited patiently for her to continue. 

"Y/N was two when our parents died, and I was thirteen so there wasn't much I could do then. We both went into foster care and over all we didn't spend much of that time together. I petitioned the court for custody the day I turned eighteen, but Y/N's social worker fought me on it. He said that I couldn't provide for her." 

Y/N shifts in Tobin's lap and it's only then that Becky realizes that the child is not asleep. She looks at her closely and notices the tear marks on her face. 

"So she spent even more time without me." Tobin takes a breath. "The system wasn't good to either of us. But it was even worse to Y/N then it was to me. Maybe it was because she was so young, maybe I was just lucky, but she's been left with a lot of scars, physical and emotional."

"So when Kelley put her hands on her…?"

Tobin nods, "Y/N has a hard time when people who aren't me touch her. I tried to tell Kelley to stop, but she didn't hear me so I…" Tobin trails off lowering her head in shame at her actions. 

"Tobin." Tobin's eyes snap up at the sharpness of Abby's tone. "Kelley is young just like you, and she doesn't listen very well, but that doesn't mean she should ignore what you say. You told her multiple times not to touch Y/N and she didn't listen. That's on her not you."

"But I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"Maybe, maybe not, but you acted to keep Y/N safe and that's not something that anyone on this team will fault you for."

"Tobin what specifically happened that made you push them all out of the room?" Becky asks calmly.

Tobin feels Y/N tense up in her arms, "She was having a flashback. She was stuck in her head."

"So she thought she was about to get hurt?" Tobin nods. "Then the you did the only responsible thing that a big sister could do in that moment. So please have a little more faith in your teammates. We trust you and know you wouldn't do anything with out a good reason."

Tobin gulps down a sob and nods her head. "Thanks." She whispers. 

Y/N was asleep by the time they made it back to the hotel. Instead of waking her Tobin just lifted her on to her back before grabbing their bags. 

"Do you need any help with that?" Christen asks the older girl. 

"Uh no I've got it."

"Are you sure? It's no problem." 

Tobin nods slowly, "That would be great then. Thanks." Tobin hands off one of their bags and they make their way off of the bus. 

Most of the girls head straight to the meeting room where they would eat while going over some film. Tobin grabbed a plate for Y/N before bringing it up to their room. She left Y/N to sleep on the bed with the plate of food sitting on the night stand with a note reminding her to do her school work when she woke. 

After Tobin made her way back downstairs. 

"Is the superstar not joining us?" A Rod asks as Tobin grabs her own food. 

"No she's still asleep. Then she's got some school work to take care of."

"She's on vacation and you're still making her do work? That's just cruel man." Cheney says. 

"I might agree if she was actually on vacation. She's home schooled through an online program so she can work at her own pace. She's slated to be done with high school by this time next year, but she'll probably be done before summer is over if she has her way."

"What do you mean done with high school. Isn't she just started middle school?" 

"Life would be like a million times easier if that were the case. But no my sister stole all the smarts and is a genius both on and off the pitch."

"So what's she going to do about college?" 

"Well we haven't talked too much about specifics yet. We're waiting to see where I'll get drafted. And it's a lot of work to set up for a minor to be in college, no matter how smart they are."

"Aren't you being slated to go first over all? So you'll end up in Atlanta right?"

"That's the most likely case, but…" Tobin shrugs her shoulder, "you guys know the league. Players are getting traded left and right with no say. I can't leave Y/N in a city with out me."

Before either of the others could respond their attention was brought to the front screen. 

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Y/N bolts up in bed. Sweat shining on her face and her breathing heavy. She frantically looks around the room for her sister hoping that Tobin will be there to help calm her down. 

After realizing that she is not there Y/N lies back down and curls herself into a ball trying to sooth herself. 

"Its ok. You're ok Y/N. You're ok. Everything is ok. Toby's just in a meeting she'll be back soon. It's ok." 

When Y/N finally controlled her breathing she started to smell the food coming from the side table. She peeked up at it and noticed the sandwich and the note. 

"Hey kid, hope you got some rest. I'm downstairs in the meeting room if you need me, but try to eat something and get some work done. Be up later. Love ya!"

- Toby

Y/N sighs and pulls the plate into her lap. She takes a few bites before getting up to grab her school stuff. She opens one of her note books and her computer. She finishes the rest of her sand which while she waits for it to decide whether or not it wants to boot up. 

The laptop was one that Tobin had picked up second hand at a garage sale and was about 12 years old. This meant that it was hard sometimes for Y/N to get her work done if the computer decided that it did not want to work. 

When Y/N finally got logged into her course she made a plan of everything that she wanted to get done during the two weeks that she was with her sister at camp. 

Once she is done with her plan she jumps in to her math work. She isn't a fan of the complicated statistics that she has to do despite being very good at it. 

Once she finishes the two lessons she wanted to get done for the week she pulls out her battered copy of The Great Gatsby. She started on the third chapter hoping to be over halfway done by the time Tobin came back to their room. 

About an hour and a half later Y/N closes the book at the half way point. Tobin wasn't back yet, but Y/N was done doing her work for the day. 

She goes over to her backpack and pulls out another note book. This one is a little smaller and more resembles a journal. 

She flips it open to the next blank page and makes a list of every player at camp. She then writes down notes and observations about each one of them based on what she saw at the first training session. 

Tobin Heath- Needs to come in for crosses to Wambach. She is a taller player so it needs to be higher when headed. Stay wider for passes to Press, need to connect right in front of goal. 

Abby Wambach- Most goals are scored by headers. 5'11, hangs out in front/to side of goal waiting for crosses in. Big goal scorer and always has some one on her. Need to see more. 

Most of the players have a 'need to see more' note ending Y/N's observations of them. She gets through five players before the door opens and Tobin walks in. A few very loud teammates following behind her. 

"Hey kid. Get some work done?" Tobin asks ignoring the girls following her. 

"Ya." Y/N nods. "Got a few stats lessons done and got about half way through my book for english." 

"Awesome. You working on your notes now?"

"Ya there was a lot that happened at practice today and I wanted to get it down before I forgot." Y/N looks up, "What's the loud one's name again?" She points to Kelley who is standing behind Tobin.

"Kelley?"

"Ya her. I was just about to start her page. I know coach has her playing in the midfield, and she's great at it and all, but I think if we at least moved her a little bit higher on the field it would be better. I also think having her on the wing is good. She's fast and has a lot of energy so if her positioning is tweaked and we get her to have a better read of the field she can literally just appear where she is needed before the defense can catch up."

.

.

.

"Who the fuck even are you kid? Where did you come from?"

Y/N flinches a little at her tone. "I came with Toby."

"That's not what I meant."

Y/N shrugs and goes to write everything she just said down in her note book. Before she can though it is snatched out of her hands. 

"H-hey…"

"Holy shit kid! Do you have notes on every person you have ever seen play soccer?"

Tobin takes the book out of her hands and gives it back to her sister. "Kelley if you are going to hang around my sister you have to be nice and respect her stuff. If you can't I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Yeah Kelley be nice." A Rod says sarcastically. 

"I just wanted to see. And what if I don't want her taking notes on me?"

"Trust me Kelley you want her taking notes on you. It might seem like she takes notes on everyone, but that's not the case." Tobin explains. 

"Ok then who does she take notes on?" Chaney asks.

Tobin looks at Y/N but she simply shrugs. 

"Is there some type of criteria that needs to be met or something?" 

Y/N shakes her head. "No… well kinda I guess. It's just a feeling I get. When something or someone might be important. So I write it down. It's kind of different right now though. I'm taking notes on all of you cause you're my sisters teammates, so I guess that automatically makes you important. No feeling needed."

Kelley wraps her arm around the kids neck, "So you think I'm important. Hear that guys? Wonder kid said I'm important."

"She thinks we're all important." A Rod says. 

They continue to bicker between the three of them. They are so caught up that none of them notice that Y/N stopped breathing the moment Kelley put her arm on her. 

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep herself as still as possible. 

You knew it was wrong. Not only did you know that it was wrong you knew everything that could go wrong for you as a result. But you did it any way. Why? Because honestly you didn't care. Well that's not completely true. You had cared at first. 

When you were invited out to a by one of your upperclassman you knew that you should have said no. But you had just earned your way into the division one post season. And not to sound stuck up, but a lot of it was thanks to you. 

With at least one goal in every game of the season you had made sure that your team finished as one of the top five schools in the entire nation. And you were damn proud of yourself and your teammates. So when you were asked to go to a victory party you didn't hesitate to say yes. 

You told yourself that you were just going to go and hang with the team. That you weren't going to drink, but just going to have a good time. That was the plan. 

But that's not what happened. When you got there you were immediately swept away by the drunk party goers. They congratulated you more like a hero then a freshman on the soccer team. 

The first time someone tried to hand you a beer you pushed it away. Stating that you were too young and that you had to stay fit for the post season. But they kept pushing and pushing, until finally you gave in and had one beer. 

One became two became three and soon enough you weren't quite sure how many you had had. You didn't care. The good feeling made you wonder why you had pushed them away in the first place. Everything was going fine, you were drunk, dancing, and overall having the time of your life. 

And then you heard the sirens. Well you hadn't heard them. Not at first. But you felt the rush of the crowd trying to get out of the house. Before you knew it you had been lifted up over someone's shoulder and were being carried away. 

"I can't believe you Y/N. So drunk that you can't even tell which way is up can you?"

All you could do was let out a moan. Everything was to loud, to bright. You are pretty sure you recognize the voice, but you can't quite place it. 

"Wh-whass goin' on…?" You manage to mumble out.

"We are running from the cops."

"Wh-whaa why?" 

"Cause you got drunk at a college party even though you are only 18."

"Is not drun, yous is." 

"No Y/N I am perfectly sober. Because as soon as I saw you pick up a drink I knew I would need to watch you."

It's at this point when you figured out who was carrying you. 

"You such a goo fiend Sophie." 

"I know. I also hope you know that I am going to have to tell the girls about this."

"They there. Alreay know."

"Not the college girls. The national team girls." Sophia Smith finally sets you down on the side walk. You look around trying to take in your surroundings. You don't recognize anything so you figure your friend must have gotten you far enough away from the party that you were safe from being caught.

"This could have ended very badly Y/N. You know that right? If you had been caught? And you better hope you aren't in any social media photos."

You suddenly freeze and become very tense. Even in your drunken state the seriousness of your actions fall over you. 

"If this gets out it could not only ruin your playoff run with the team, but this could have consequences with the national team as well. We are supposed to go to camp a week after the finals. They could take back your call up. Do you want that?"

You look up at her for the first time. You don't even notice that you started crying. You shake your head so hard that it makes you dizzy and you stumble even though you are standing still. 

"Y/N I know you are still young, but you are smart enough to know that you have to be careful. You are 18 and have been the young star of the national team for a whole year now. Every spotlight is on you. I know it's not fair but you can't mess up. You have to be perfect." 

Sophia brings you into a hug and just holds you well you cry. 

"Here's what we are going to do. I'm going to get you back to the dorms. Then you are going to drink some water and go to bed. Then in the morning when you are inevitably hung over I will help you through it. We are going to pray that no pictures of you drinking end up online. Then you are going to call Alex and tell her all the stupid decisions you made."

"Bu she gunna be mad at me."

"I know she is. But she is going to be mad about things that you did. And you have to live with the consequences of your actions. Got it." 

"Ostay."

With that Sophia helps you back to your dorm and gets you in clean clothes before guiding you to bed. 

"Alexs gunna be so mad."

"I know."

By the time that the team breaks for lunch Y/N is perched on a soccer ball watching the older girls practice. 

Tobin grabs her water before walking over to her sister. 

"You're too wide." Y/N says. "You need to tuck in more before you make the cross. Or you need to make the cross go farther before curling in, but that's harder so just tuck in more." 

"Yeah ok, that makes sense." Tobin nods along. 

"Y/N why would she do that? Her cross is landing where it needs to so why?" Alex asks. 

Y/N just looks up at her confused. "Because the cross isn't landing where it needs to. On that last try Wambach missed the header because it came down to low before she could get to it."

"Ya but that was because I was a step behind, not because Tobin didn't make a good cross." 

"No it's because it was too far from you. If Tobin had moved in a little more before sending it the ball would have been at the perfect height when you got to the front of the net."

"So then she just need more height in the cross right."

Y/N shakes her head, "No cause that gives more time for the defense to get on the attacking player. You don't make the run when the ball is that far out until it's crossed in, otherwise you are likely to get an off sides call, so you lose the defender in the run and the ball comes perfectly to you for the header."

"You're saying all of this as if you could do it." Carli says with an annoyed tone. 

"I-I mean I can show you if you want." Y/N says her eyes darting down to her boots. 

"Alright everyone back on the field I want to see what the kid means." Abby calls. 

They set back up in the crossing drill. Y/N gets passed the ball. She megs the defender on her before sending in the cross. She is little further infield then what her sister had been before. The ball lands perfectly for a signature Wambach header. 

When the team looks back up Y/N is already talking to Tobin about how to get around the defender if a meg isn't an option. 

"Also make sure not to curl it in to much just because you are moving in closer. You want the ball to go out a little bit further so it's closer to her from the start. The less she has to run onto it the better. But you can stay wider if you want to put it at Christen's feet. If you do that though be careful of…" 

"What the hell was that?" Abby asks running over to the younger girl. 

"A cross into the box." Y/N responds. 

"Ya I know that, but I've never had an easier time getting to a headed ball." 

Y/N just shrugs and turns back to her sister. Abby grabs her shoulders and turns Y/N to face her. "Do that again." 

"U-uh yeah ok…" 

They set it up a little differently so that there will be multiple runners in the box. Y/N also takes the cross from a different part of the field. 

This time Y/N sends it to Christen's feet to show what she had been trying to tell her sister before. 

Y/N doesn't have the opportunity to get as wide as she wants to send the ball into her so she makes the curl back in more aggressive. The ball tucks itself right into a gap of defenders as Christen runs on to the ball. The ball finds her instead of her finding the ball. It was like Y/N knew exactly where she was going to be at the exact right moment. Neaher saves it off the line despite the amazing strike. 

"Ok yeah, I agree with Abby. What the hell was that?" But as they turn back to Y/N she is apologizing. 

"Sorry about that. Should have let it hang another half second on the curl. That would have gotten you a little further in front of net and more options on where to slot it."

"What are you talking about Y/N? That was perfect."

"B-but it got saved. A perfect cross leads to a shot that can't be saved." 

"Tobin," Becky says quietly as she approaches from the other side of the field, "just what kind of pressure are you putting on your sister? You do remember that she is 11 right?"

"Of course I know how old my sister is. It's not my fault she is a genius." She pauses and turns to her sister, "Which reminds me no soccer after lunch. You have to get started on your school work."

Y/N lets out a sigh. "Ok…" she says a little dejected digging her boot into the grass.

"Oh come on you're almost done. You'll be done with high school in like a year. So just get it done now so you don't have to worry about it over summer alright. Then we can play all the soccer you want."

"Alright." Y/N runs back over to her stuff and the team finally makes their way back on the bus to go back to the hotel for lunch. 

"It's not like normal for all of you guys to be late." Coach says as they get on the bus. 

"Oh we went back on the field for a minute. Y/N was showing us how to improve our crosses into the box." Abby tells her. 

"Oh yeah that makes sense."

"Wait no it doesn't. You were getting advise from an 11 year old on how to improve your crosses?"

"Yeah!" Kelley says. "And then we went on the field so she could show us and it was awesome. It was like there was a magnet in the ball and it just floated to exactly where it needed to be in the box."

Coach looked back to where Y/N was sitting with her sister on the bus. She was curled up against her chest eyes drooping closed. 

You could feel the pain as soon as you landed from going for the header. Your foot landed wrong and you came down twisting your ankle in the process. The grimace on your face would have been obvious to anyone who saw it. Lucky for you no one did. 

You repositioned your foot on the ground wincing a little as you made it weight bearing. 

“You good kid?” Your captain, Horan, called to you as you were taking too long to get back into the play. 

“Ya, just landed funny. I’m good now though.”

“You need to see the trainer.”

You shook your head at her. You knew if you went to see the trainer that Vlatko would bench you even if there was nothing wrong. Which there wasn’t. “No, I'm good.”

“Alright just let someone know if you aren't.” You nodded and ran back into practice keeping the pain you were feeling out of your expression. 

You finished up training and made your way back to the locker room. 

“Hey Bubs you doing ok? You were a bit slow that second half of training?” Lynn asks you. She is your teammate on Gotham FC and like a big sister to you. 

“Oh uh ya. I’m fine, just a little tired I think. Long tournament. Just need to get some rest tonight and I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

“If you're sure. But come to me if you need anything. You know I’ll do anything I can to help.”

You nod, “I know. Thank you.” You get your gear back in your bag and start heading to the bus to get back to the hotel. 

“Y/N!” You stop and sigh. You turn to face the trainer. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Do we have to do this now?” You ask.

“You’re lucky we didn’t do this an hour ago when I wanted to pull you from training. Did you really think that we weren’t going to notice the pain you were in.”

“WHAT!” You turn around and find Lynn, Kristie, Soph, and Trinity also trying to go to the bus. 

“You just told me that you were fine.” 

“That’s because I am.”

“I think I’m going to be the judge of that.” You are forced to follow the physio to the training room. Followed closely by Lynn who, “Obviously can’t trust you to take care of yourself on your own. But what should I have expected from a 16 year old?”

Her statement hurt you more than you care to admit so you followed silently not wanting to disappoint her anymore. You hop up on the table and the trainer starts poking and prodding at your ankle. 

You let out multiple grunts of pain and tears start welling in your eyes. 

“Why didn’t you tell someone that you were in this much pain?” Lynn asks, clearly annoyed with you. 

She cut you off before you could answer. “Is she going to be ok?” Lynn asks the trainer. 

The trainer sighs but nods. “I want her to ice it and she won’t be participating in practice tomorrow. We’ll re-evaluate before the game to see if she can play.”

Now Lynn sighs and you wipe at your tears. “Did she make it worse by not coming off the field when it happened?” 

“I can’t say absolutely but it is very likely, yes.” 

Lynn sighs again and nods. She steps out of the room while the trainer wraps your ankle. 

Once Lynn steps out you can’t help but let the tears fall. Less from the pain and more from the thought that you disappointed the person that you see as your big sister. The trainer doesn’t comment and gives you some ice while they finish packing up their things. 

The trainer is the one who ends up driving you back to the hotel and helping you up to your room. Lynn wasn’t there and you figured that she was hanging out with Kristie. You knew that you disappointed her and that she probably didn’t even want to look at you right now. 

You grab a pillow and curl up around it as you hold it to your chest. You end up crying yourself to sleep wishing that you had told someone when it happened if only so Lynn wouldn’t be mad at you. So that she would hold you and reassure you that everything was going to be ok. 

Your back is turned to the door so when Lynn does finally come back she doesn’t notice the tear streaks staining your face. It’s only a few hours later when she wakes you for dinner that it even dawns on her that something is wrong. 

“Bubs come on wake up. It’s time to get dinner. Your ankle won’t be able to get better if you don’t eat.” You sit up slowly and rub at your eyes. It's no use though when more tears well up when you notice that it’s Lynn waking you up.

“Y-you came back?” You wrap your arms around her tightly. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and that I didn’t come off the field when it happened. I’m sorry.”

Lynn stands there shocked for a moment before she wraps her arms around you. You let out a sob of relief at the gesture. 

“You’re ok Bubs. It’s alright.” Lynn wipes the tears from your eyes. “It’s going to be ok. I’m sorry I left the way I did. I wasn’t thinking about how it would make you feel. I’m sorry.”

After another minute of holding you Lynn lifts you into her arms.

“What are you doing?” You ask, wiping away the last of your tears.