| Kristie |

I'm at starbucks with Rachel, I had hoped she would visit family for the holidays but, I guess not. She told me that we don't spend enough time together as it is. If I'm being honest, it feels like I spend all my time with her.

I'm scrolling through my social media apps, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram. Each time I come across Cody's page. I never mean to but it's always the end destination. I start on my own page, check my teammates pages, which leads to Alex which then leads to Cody.

"You're on her page again?" I lock my phone, stuffing it back in my pocket as my girlfriend sits across from me, I didn't even hear her approaching.

"I was scrolling through a lot of different pages, you just happened to see one that you don't like. Don't read anything into it." I snap at Rachel, who doesn't flinch. It's been happening a lot lately. Ever since we seen Cody and the girls at the mall passing a ball around, Rachel was able to get a decent look at Alex's kid...since then it's been constant petty comments, jealous remarks and so on.

"You're always on her page. I don't know why you can't get over it. She's basically a child and you can do so much better." Rachel tells me as she takes a sip of her iced mocha. I don't know where to start with that sentence.

"Okay. Well, there's nothing to get over because nothing happened." Lie. "I don't have feelings for her." Another lie. "She's not a child, don't make it disgusting, she's almost 17." That didn't sound as good as it did in my head. "And lastly, what do you mean by I 'Can do better'? Does that mean you? Because from where I'm sitting, you're acting like a jealous bitch." I stand, abandoning my coffee and leaving her sitting in the booth alone. Or at least, I thought I had. I reach for the handle of my car door and I'm pulled back.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I'm only being honest."

"No, Rachel. You're not. You've hated her ever since I told you that I had feelings for her, and I wouldn't even have told you if my national teammates didn't give me shit for breaking her heart!"

"Boo-Hoo. She'll get over it. You're lucky I was there for you because your 'friends' certainly weren't." She states and her words cut through me. One, because she's right - my friends weren't there for me. Two, because...what have I gotten myself into?

"You know what, Rachel? We're done. Get your stuff out of my apartment, and leave me alone." I didn't wait for her reply, I snatched my wrist from her grasp, got into my car and drove away.

| Cody |

"So. How are you liking Cali? Is it true that there's always hot girls walking around wearing bikinis?" I look at Jack with disbelief, beginning to wish that I hadn't accepted her Skype call. "Has the call frozen? Helloooo?!"

"No, it hasn't frozen." I sigh. "I don't think it's true, sorry to burst your bubble." I take a drink of my water as I roll my eyes at my friend as she pouts.

"But the women are beautiful, right?"

"Beautiful is a relative term, Jack. Everyone has different concepts of what beauty is."

"Ugh. Don't go Nerd Cody on me." Jack grumbles just as my aunt Jeri enters the kitchen. "Cody!" Jack whispers, but because of the volume that my laptop is set at, it's more of a yell, which captures my aunt's attention.

"What?"

"There's a hot girl behind you! Did you hook up with her?" Jack asks in typically blunt fashion. Jeri hears her, bursting out in laughter as my face scrunches in disgust.

"Dude, that's my Aunt, that's so fucking gross!" I yell at her as my Jeni walks into the kitchen, asking what's so funny. "Don't say a word, Jack! She's my Aunt too!" It grows awkward as my friend just looks embarrassed, Jeri still hasn't stopped laughing and Jeni is straight up confused.

Once Jeri finally calms down, she sits next to me, Jeni taking up the other side.

"Damn. You all look alike." Jack says, wide-eyed. "Don't take this the wrong way Cody, but...are all your relatives this attractive?"

"I like how you ask me not to take it the wrong way, but say nothing to my aunts." I mumble, but I know she hears when she laughs and shrugs. "You shouldn't be hitting on anyone anyway, or asking about 'hot Cali girls in bikinis'." I use hand quotes, mostly so that my Aunt's know that those are Jack's words, not mine.

"Uh, what do you mean?" My friend asks, and I can tell by the confused look on her face that she has no clue about the talk I had with Ellie.

"Nothing. I'm just happy you're not here and I don't have to play wingwoman as you hit on the entire female populace of California." I grin at my friend who acts hurt. "Anyway, Jeri, Jeni, this is my idiotic best friend, but best friend nonetheless, Jack. Jack, these are my Aunts."

"Hi. It's nice to meet you, and uh...sorry about before." Jeri laughs at my friend again and I hesitantly leave them to talk to Jack when my mom yells for me. I climb the steps looking for her, finding her in her room getting ready for the day.

"Hey mom, you yelled?" I asked, leaning on the doorframe.

"I did." Alex starts, putting the last of her makeup away and turning to face me. "You'll be meeting my dad today, are you ready for that?" She asks, watching me carefully for any hesitations.

"I'm...half and half? I'm actually excited to meet him. Jeni and Jeri told me he was a big influence on your career."

"Yeah, he was my coach."

"But...I'm torn, the 'dad' I grew up with was horrible...trusting any guy has been a challenge but I want to meet him, mom. He's family, right?" I ask her, and I watch with glee as my mom starts to smile, a genuine smile.

"Are you okay, though?" She asks after a few moments of silence, I can tell she's asking for multiple reasons - finally meeting family, not having pills for almost a week now, missing Jack and Hope.

"I'm fine mom. Your sisters made it easy to feel at home, and I can't believe I was nervous to meet grandma." I explain, and Alex smiles, knowing I'm feeling comfortable. "I can't lie, I'm...having cravings but being here, I dunno, it's easier to push it aside and I was talking with Jack before you yelled for me."

"Thank you, baby." My mom stands, walks over to me and wraps her arms around me.

"For what?"

"For being honest with me." She lets me go after I hug her back.

"I asked if you were okay for another reason though..."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. Actually...that might depend on you." She tells me and I grow even more confused than before, she takes note of my utterly confused facial expression. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what, mom?"

I watch in silence as she sighs, walking over to her bed and lifting her phone. She types a few things and before I know it she's standing before me, holding her phone out for me to take.

"Just read it for yourself." Alex says before she leaves the room.

"ESPN - BREAKING NEWS!

NWSL'S VERY OWN 'IT' COUPLE SPLITS.

Huge news coming from Houston today, as it's being rumored that Dash's own Kristie Mewis and Rachel Daly have decided to call it quits.

Sources close to the couple suggest that their relationship wasn't always 'sunshine and rainbows', and that the couple had been arguing a lot lately.

Both Mewis and Daly refused to comment, but sources tell us it was possibly due to a third-party involvement while others suggest that the couple simply weren't happy together.

It remains to be seen whether or not both players will remain at the Dash this coming season and if their alleged break-up will influence any transfers to take place."

"Holy shit..." I mumble to myself, as I scroll down the rest of the page, it's mostly just rumors, about how Krissy and Rachel have unfollowed each other's social media accounts, other people speculating on who the 'third-party' was.

I walk down to the kitchen like a woman on a mission, I see that my aunts are still talking with Jack, my mom too.

"Sorry Jack, gotta go." I end the Skype call and close my laptop before my best friend can utter a single word. My Aunt's tell my mom and I that they'll give us a minute alone which I'm thankful for.

"Is this true?" I ask my mom, handing her back her phone.

"Yeah. I've already spoken to Kristie."

"Who is the supposed 'third party'?"

"I think you already know, baby."

"I haven't done anything though!" I meant to inform my mom, but I end up yelling at her. "We don't even talk."

"I know, Cody. Don't worry. Just continue to do what you've been doing, taking care of yourself. Everything else will sort itself out."

_____

It's been a few hours since my mom and I had our talk and now we're on the way to a small coffee shop to meet her dad - my grandpa. To say that I'm nervous is a huge understatement. I wasn't lying when I told my mom that being around men is difficult for me. I try my hardest not to paint every man I meet with the same brush as my 'dad', but after meeting my sperm donor to see he's just as much of an asshole, I'm having a tough time believing that not all men are bad.

When we arrive, mom scans the small coffee shop. I can see why she chose this place, it's quiet and all the seats away from the window offer a lot of privacy. I'm guessing she's easily recognizable here, just like everywhere else.

"There he is." Alex points out an older looking man nursing a cup of coffee before she turns to me. "Are you ready, baby?" My mom takes my hand, squeezes it as she asks me and searches my eyes for the 'real' answer.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, mom. Let's go before I change my mind." I squeeze her hand back and she guides me towards the man.

"Hi dad, sorry we're late. I forgot traffic here was a disaster." I watch my mom hugging her father and I can't help but smile at the sight.

"It's more than okay." He says before he turns to me and my mom takes it upon herself to introduce me to my grandfather.

"I've waited a long, long time to meet you, Cody." He smiles at me. He moves to hug me and I tense but despite it, I hug him back. I have to give this man a chance, I can't let my past control my future, not when it comes to family.

"It's nice to finally meet you, grandpa." I tell him quite honestly. I notice that he has the same reaction as my grandma, only he's trying his best not to cry. I don't really understand why they're so emotional, but I put it down to the fact that they had to live their lives knowing I was stolen away, whereas I only found out when Alex told me - I didn't have to go a single day with the knowledge of knowing I was somewhere I didn't belong with no idea how to get back home.

Mom and I spend the next hour, almost two, chatting with her father. He and my mom were catching up, while he and I were finally getting to know each other. While I was anxious to meet him, I'm glad I did. By the time that we're leaving the coffee shop, I don't tense when my grandpa wraps me up in a hug.

"You should work things out with grandma, she misses you. I haven't known her long but I can already tell she's needs you." I whisper in his ear before he lets me go, nodding before he bids us goodbye.

"What did you say?" Alex asks me, an eyebrow raised in a questioning manner.

"I didn't say anything."

"I really hope I'm a better liar than you."

I'm about to respond when I my phone starts ringing. I fish it out of my pocket, looking to the screen to see the last name I expected to see right now.

Incoming call - Kristie 🧡