Steph wakes up early today. It's gonna be a first.

Cuddling by her side is her girlfriend, still asleep. After looking around her to find a watch, Steph realizes it's already 8:30, which means that classes start in less than an hour. After sighing, she starts caressing Abby's back in order to wake her up. She doesn't need to say anything though, because when the blonde realizes what time it is, she jumps out of the bed. Steph, who never has been concerned about getting to classes on time, just watch her while she still can, before clothes are hiding her body.

After a few minutes, the defender turns around and gives her a reproaching look.

"Babe, you gotta hurry" she says, rolling her eyes.

"Mmh" is all Steph says before getting up.

Let's be clear : she is not getting up to be on time, but only to be able to go with Abby and spend a little more time with her. As her girlfriend is putting some makeup on in the bathroom, Steph checks her phone and immediately smirks : Gibby sent her a text, saying : yo, i'm lost, where r u steph ? That makes the forward smirk, but also lock her screen up : she doesn't want Abby to think she is hurrying for her new roommate.

Because as much as Steph is jealous, Abby also is, deep inside of her.

Once Abby is done with her makeup, she walks toward Steph, and before the brunette can open the door, she softly kisses her lips, before winking.

"Come on" Abby then says, grabbing her girl's hand.

After closing her apartment's door - Abby lives five minutes away from campus in a loft Steph basically lives in - they start walking. They talked about soccer, the newbies, the team in general.. and after all that, Abby starts wondering something :

"I don't know if you've been told, but two girls from Stanford came by at Ash's party last night, and basically threatened us."

Steph frowns.

"Yeah, Kelsey told me. What do they think they can achieve ?"

"I don't know, they're stupid." Abby says, looking down.

The forward, who can feel something is saddening her girlfriend, lets go of her hand to wrap her arm around Abby's waist. The blonde sighs, before Steph carefully asks :

"Babe, what is it ?"

Abby's eyes go darker. She then shakes her head and says :

"Sometimes I'm just wondering why Sam decided to go there." When she sees Steph's facial expression change, she sets her jaw : she knows how disappointed her girlfriend has been in Samantha Mewis. They were best friends, and now they're just enemies. Abby sighs. "I didn't mean to upset you baby, I'm sorry."

"Samantha is dead to me" Steph coldly says, pulling Abby closer to her. "And she should be to you too."

"She was my best friend, Stephanie. I'm sorry if I can't just turn the page on her like that. I need to talk to her, just the two of us." the defender insists.

Of course the forward wouldn't like that idea. Nevertheless, she says :

"You're a free woman, babe : do whatever you want. But I am never going near her again."

"Thanks for understanding. Love you."

With that said, Abby pecks Steph's lips, before something drawn her attention.

A lost Gibby suddenly appears in their field of view, and they both realize they already are on campus. When the newest defender spots them, she hesitates on whether she should go to them or run the other way. When Abby makes her a sign to come here, another newbie - Mallory - appears as well.

"Damn, those newbies are invading us" Steph mutters under her breath. That makes Abby giggle, and the brunette smiles at the two rookies. "Let me guess, you guys are lost ?"

Both girls nod.

"That's such a rookie thing to do" Abby sarcastically lets out, before asking : "What class are you guys heading ?"

They ended up going together for a while, before splitting right in front of the different buildings.

*

Ash lets herself fall on her chair, tired.

Today is the second day of class, but also the first team meeting of the season. Of course the team knows very well what it is going to be about : their game against who knows what team in two weeks, and also Stanford. The goalie exchanges a look with Kelsey, who probably haven't slept that much yesterday, and also with Kealia, who is on the other side of Kelsey. For the first time in ages, the team is all here.

Everyone.

When Jill enters the room, followed by Dawn. They both don't look very happy, so a tensed atmosphere settles in the room. The newbies, who don't really understand what it is all about yet, just imitate their older teammates. Even Julie, who usually is smiley and happy, has her face closed.

Jill takes her computer in her hands, and looks at her players.

"Two things for today : first thing is that the schedules have been announced. We are playing Virginia in two weeks, on Wednesday. I will chose the 14 players that will play the game given their performances this week on the pitch, so y'all better be good."

Everybody nod.

Ash looks at Kelsey : despite the fact that the two girls always are in competition - Jane won't play this year for sure, or for the reserve team, because she has to adapt to this new style of play - the short-haired can't help but care about the girl she considers as one of her people. When Kelsey looks back at her and nods, they both crack a smile.

Then, Dawn is taking over the talk, as Jill is preparing something to show the team on the screen.

"Tonight, we also received the different lineups of the other teams, including Stanford's. And it's bad."

Overall, a lot of faces are closed.

"As you may know, they didn't make the final four last year because of treachery. But this year, they are back and want to defend their title. And they have put the money in it." Jill softly explains, her face becoming pretty tensed. "They have made some off-season acquisitions, and overall we can say they got all the best players from foreign universities."

Few girls are already sighing : of course Stanford's way of doing things has never been about the love of the game. Money and greatness is the only thing that matters. They kicked out some players of the team because they missed one pass. One freaking pass, Ash thinks to herself, shaking her head.

From the corner of her eye, she sees Allie and Tobin arguing about something, before focusing back on the British women in front of them.

Dawn takes a look at a piece of paper and says :

"Keeper-wise, we can say it's pretty much the same brick wall as it was last year and two years ago : Solo is leading the back-line, and her reserves are not to be underestimated. Kopmeyer is just as good, and their rookie, Sheridan, has some under her sleeve. So when we will play against them, you won't be able to count on an individual mistake or luck."

Ash shakes her head once again, staring at Kelsey. Of course the other keeper is one of the only people that know about what Ash lived. Hope once was her mentor, during the first year in UCLA. But then, Hope stole the team bus with her boyfriend and killed someone with it, and from here it's history.

Every Senior (Ash, Becky and Kelley) know that story, but nobody else, since they have protected her and hidden the evidence of her being drunk or high. The only way Hope thanked them was by insulting them and turning her back on them.

After a tensed silence, Dawn says :

"Their defense has improved. They still have Rampone directing the whole back line, and also Krieger and Averbuch with them. Since Buehler graduated last year, they are now starting Zadorsky, who really has improved."

"We are so fucked" Kelley mutters under her breath.

Some girls look at her, and the rest just ignore that. Becky, on the other hand, is trying not to react by hearing the Canadian's name.

Dawn throws a death glare at her player, before continuing :

"Midfielder : Lloyd, Fishlock, Mewis" she says, and the girls don't dare looking at Kristie, who immediately tenses up. "In addition to that, freshman Andi Sullivan, who also appears to be very good."

"To sum it up, here is the full roster pictures" Jill announces.

All eyes are on the screen:

"As you can see underlined in pink, those are the starting positions. Their midfield-" Jill continues.

"Hold on" Becky interrupts her, pointing at the screen. "It's a joke, right ? Fucking Marta ?"

"Wait, the girl from Brazil who's already with the National Team ?" Kealia underlines, freaking out.

As the girls are freaking out, Dawn starts yelling and silence falls again. You can easily read the facial expressions of the girls : despair.

But the coach continues :

"And they're about to sign Morgan Brian and Andressa to improve their midfield"

This time, the whole room starts complaining.

And all Ash is thinking is : this is going to be a freaking long season.