"So, tell me what's going on in that head of yours." Kyle breaks the silence that fell over us as we watch the water. It's a calm ripple in the lake, the birds singing in the trees, leaves rustle due to the slight breeze. The place screams calm and peace, things I don't feel on the inside.

"I don't know where to start." I mumble, playing with my fingers as I feel Kyle glancing at me.

"Start from the easiest thing to tell me." He tells me softly.

"I miss my mom." I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "I know she has a job, and I know she loves it, but I miss her. I want to tell her everything, about the bullshit that happened at school, to my cravings. I want to be able to just talk to her when I'm having a bad day but I...I feel like I'm a burden, like I can't just call her out of the blue."

"Okay, what else?" He asks, like he knows I'm only getting started.

"I'm dating Kristie." I pause as my brows furrow.

"For how long?"

"A few months." I mumble, feeling guilty about keeping it from everyone. "It's...not the way I thought it'd be. Long distance is hard, and only seeing her a few days every now and then is tough. When I'm with her now...it's like we're one move away from having sex and it makes me uncomfortable." I don't explain why it makes me uneasy but judging by the look on his face, I can tell Ali has already told him about my 'dad'. "She's pulling away, I can feel it. I hate keeping it from my mom, Jack and Hope...from everyone."

"What else?"

"I have dreams...nightmares about using. They didn't really bother me at first, they didn't happen often but...they're pretty much everynight now and I wake up with the taste of them in my mouth. I'm trying my hardest but it feels like any minute I could snap and start using again."

"You need help, Cody. Are you seeing a therapist or anything? Have you thought about joining a group?"

"I haven't seen my therapist in a while...I feel bad that Alex pays for it. I don't like spending her money, it makes me..."

"Uncomfortable?" Kyle asks, cracking a smile at my predictability.

"Mhmm." I hum, stopping when my phone goes off and I see it's a notification for Ellie's IG.

"Damn. I miss her, too." I show Kyle my phone when he raises a quizzical brow at me.

"A friend or something more?"

"Dude, I just said I was with Kristie." I glare at him, slightly joking about being angry.

"Kids these days, you never know." He laughs, and before I can speak up, he lifts me to my feet and instructs me to start the run back home. It only took 20 minutes for us to get here, so we get home in no time.

I let Kyle get himself sorted as I take a shower, only to interrupted on my way out, by Jack.

"Fucking hell. A little privacy, bitch." I groan, tightening the towel that's wrapped around my body.

"So, Ellie's in Australia." She starts, but trails off and I catch the sad look on her face before she wipes it off for a blank stare.

"Yeah, I seen her post. Have you two talked yet?" I ask, already knowing the answer as I grab some clean clothes.

"No. But you knew that. Why would she talk to me and not you? It wouldn't happen. I just...wish she would talk to me." She rambles as I excuse myself and head back into my bathroom to get dressed.

When I come back out, Jack is gone and my room is quiet, until my laptop starts to ding. I answer the video call from my mom almost immediately, and take my laptop down to the kitchen to get some coffee.

"Hey mom." I greet her, she's smiling like always, and shifts in her seat. I catch a glance of Ali when my mom moves. "And hi, Ma!"

"Hey, baby girl. How are you?" Alex asks, and I laugh when I hear Ali yelling in the background.

"I'm good, actually. How are you?"

"I'm great. Why 'actually'?" She asks, making me wonder if I should tell her about everything, but before I can, the only male in the house make his voice heard.

"That would be because of me!" He slides into the seat next to me, and his presence attracts Ali to my mom's screen.

"Kyle?"

"Yes. Glad you remember." I laugh at their dynamic as I look at my mom. She seems genuinely happy, and in that moment I decide that I can't bother her with my issues.

I excuse myself, leaving the three talking as I brew some coffee and by the time it's ready, Hope and Jack enter the kitchen, searching for their coffee cups which I fill for them and accept the kiss on the head from Hope as a thank you.

"Why are you in Idaho, Kyle?" Ash asks as she joins the now group chat considering all of the people crowded on both sides of the call.

"I wanted to meet my sister's kid, you know, the one she doesn't shut up about."

"Aww, You talk about me?" I join Kyle's ribbing and laugh when Ali glares through the camera. I take notice of my mom, who's face is staring at her phone.

"Mom, you okay?"

"Yeah." Her head snaps back up to the screen, her phone face down in her lap. I don't question it, much like she doesn't question me about the semi-colon. "We have camp in a few days, will I see you there?"

"Of course you will." Ash interrupts, catching my attention. "Because a certain Mewis got called up."

"She did?" I ask, completely taken by surprise.

"She didn't tell you?" Ali asks, and I shake my head

I zone out, wondering why I haven't heard from my girlfriend. She's been waiting for this moment, working hard to get back to match fitness, and to not hear a word seriously worries me. I hear Hope tell my mom that we'll see them all in a few days, and Kyle would be joining us, much to Ali's joy.

Three days flew by and I hadn't heard from Kristie at all, despite calling her and texting her. It got to the point where I convinced myself to have some dignity and stop, if she wanted to talk then she would reach out to me.

I get to the hotel with Jack, Hope and Kyle and immediately recognize some of the Women's team that are loitering in the lobby.

"MOM!" I yell, dropping my bag and sprinting to my mom, who spins around just in time to catch me as I jump into her arms.

"Hey, baby girl. I missed you so much." She mumbles into my ear as she squeezes me, refusing to let go.

"I missed you too, mom."

"What about me?" I pull away from Alex and grin at Tobin.

"I missed you, too. You're my favorite player, after all." I state, and hug Tobin, ignoring the glare I get from my mom when I admit that she's not my favorite player.

I leave the team to get settled into my room, sharing again with Jack, but at least my mom is nearby.

"Have you seen her yet?" Jack asks, putting the last of her clothes away.

"Seen who?" I question her, playing dumb.

"You know who. Your girlfriend." She answers, and my head snaps to her so quickly that I'm sure I got whiplash. "I know you, Codes. It's pretty obvious."

"You're not mad that I didn't tell you?" I ask, suddenly worried.

"Not really. I didn't tell you about Ellie so I can't really be mad." She laughs, but sobers up when she quite clearly thinks about her ex. "So, you and Mewis, huh?"

"Yeah." I try and fight the grin, but when my best friend smiles at me, all my attempts fail.

"I love seeing you so happy, Maxi." She tells me, pulling me into a hug before instructing me to the balcony, returning a second later with a USA flag and telling me to turn around. I'm completely confused until I hear the shutter sound going off.

"Really?"

"Yeah, gotta rep the moms!" She tells me, typing away on her phone. I put my shoes on, preparing to go look for my girlfriend, when my phone goes off. "AWW, YOU HAVE ME ON YOUR NOTIFICATIONS?" She asks as if she didn't already know.

"Don't make me change it."

"Are you ever gonna change your name on social media? I mean, you are a Morgan now..."

"Maybe, I don't know. I honestly haven't thought about it. I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Say hi to Mewis for me." She waves as she flops down on her bed with an exaggerated sigh.

I'm wandering the halls of the hotel when I stumble on my mom and Tobin, playfully arguing. I try and pivot and leave but they catch me.

"Cody? What are you doing?" My mom asks.

"I'm...looking for someone." I admit, vaguely but Tobin's grin throws me off.

"Kristie?" She asks, smugly.

"What's going on with you two?" My mom asks after taking notice of my hesitation. I audibly gulp, knowing now is the time to verbally admit it.

"She...uh. We are dating." I mumble, immediately looking to the ground. I look up after a few minutes of silence, to be met with my mom's stare. I can't read it, which makes me nervous.

"Are you happy?" She asks, and I nod. "Well...okay then."

"Okay?" I ask, only for her to nod this time. I hug my mom tight, knowing it could be awkward for her, with my dating her teammate.

"I'll help you look for her, I want to have a talk with her. Tobin, you can follow or go back to do...you know, Tobin things."

"Fuck no, I want to see this." Tobin laughs and I walk with the two players as we search for my girlfriend, who is definitely in for a surprise when she sees Alex.

We search everywhere, it's almost as if she's disappeared. After a phonecall with Sonnett, Tobin leads us to an adults only pool, and it's us that get the surprise. I feel my heart fall until it hits the ground as I watch Kristie with the guy that hurt her but she doesn't look scared or intimidated as she makes out with him in the pool. The water clear enough to see his hands all over her.

"What the fuck?!" I hear someone yell and for a second I think it's from my own mouth, but it's not. It's my mom, and I've never seen her so angry. Her outburst gains the attention of the other teammates that were there, but knew nothing of my relationship with Mewis, so to them nothing was wrong.

By the time I zone back in, Kristie is out of the pool, trying to approach, until Alex walks to her threateningly, only stopping when Tobin pulls her back.

"Cody-" Kristie starts, but I can't respond for two reasons. 1 - My mouth is dry and I feel sick, and 2 - my mom and Tobin are busy yelling.

"What the hell, Mewis?" That's Tobin.

"That's my daughter, that's my fucking daughter, Mewis!" That's Alex, and she continues when Kristie starts to walk towards me, "You better stay the fuck away from her, I fucking mean it!"

"What's going on?" Kelley asks, other teammates also voicing their confusion. As Tobin and my mom start to catch everyone up on the details, I flee. It's embarrassing enough to catch your partner being unfaithful when you're standing there, with your mother. I don't need to hear everyone's opinions on it. I go to the one place I know I'll always feel safe, welcome and loved - my best friend.

I practically fly through the door, making Jack fall off the bed in surprise. She groans as she stands and rubs her head.

"The hell, Maxi?" She starts, before she sees my face. The mascara stains running down my face. "What the fuck happened? Who-" She starts before she puts the jigsaw together. "I'm gonna fucking kill her." She tries to walk past me and straight out the door, but I grab her arm and stop her.

"Please, Jack. Just stay." She doesn't hesistate to nod, she takes my hand and pulls me to her bed, taking my shoes off and cuddling with me. She runs her fingers through my hair effortlessly.

"I'm still kicking her ass later." I chuckle weakly, but don't argue with her.