STANFORD

Right after team meeting - where it was announced that the championship resumed and that the team would face Wisconsin in three days - Christen energetically walks toward the head coach's office. She knows she only has a few minutes before Paul Riley shows up, but as far as he is concerned right now, he's debating with some players now. Knowing that Hope is out of custody and angry for revenge, Christen suspects the team to use Shelina's medical record against her.

Hence, she is now heading to Riley's office in order to stole the file containing evidences against her former teammate.

She closes the door right after going in, and starts looking around her, wondering where the head coach could've put those files. But as she is digging on the different cupboards, Christen hears the door open slowly and jumps. She only has the time to turn around, a bit SHIT invading her thoughts. But then, she immediately is relieved.

Melissa, on the other hand, is angry. Her bright blue eyes throwing daggers at Christen, she closes the door and walks toward the girl, her arms crossed against her chest.

"What are you doing here ?" she hisses, out of her mind.

The brunette only shrugs. "Probably the same thing than you."

"I told you not to get involved into this !" the blonde whispers, obviously frustrated that the other forward wouldn't listen to her for once. Mel then points at the door and says : "Get out of here !"

"Hell no" the Latina hisses as well, not ready to leave. "So instead of getting mad at me, help me find this stupid file before-"

But before she can get to the end of her sentence, both girls hear footsteps getting closer to them, as well as two voices chatting. Before Christen is able to even look around her, Melissa grabs the file she spotted, and then grabs Christen's wrist, getting her to enter the huge closet, entering it as well. She then manages to close the sliding door, rubbing her body on Christen's in order to do so.

A few seconds afterwards, the door opens, and the two girls see Christie Rampone and Paul Riley entering the room. Not even the sensation of their bodies so close to each other is going to distract the girls, even though Christen can't help but look down at the blonde, who is turning her back on her.

As soon as the door is closed, Christie wildly kisses Paul Riley, and Mel's jaw drops. Christen, on the other hand, is too shook to even react to this. When the head coach and the team captain are done kissing, they both smile at each other.

"You've been willing to do that all day long, you dirty boy" Christie says in a confident voice, winking at the older man.

"I've been willing to do much worse to you, to be honest" Paul lets out, smirking.

When Mel fakes puking, Christen has to hold a laugh back.

After pecking the coach's lips, Christie looks around her, before sitting down on the desk. Paul unties his usual tie, before throwing it on his desk chair. Then, when he tries to get to Christie, she only puts her foot on the man's lower body part, and he sighs.

He then shakes his head.

"You are really focused on business, aren't you ?" he asks, before walking away from his love.

The Stanford captain only shakes her head, before saying :

"We'll have fun later. Now, I need Zadorsky's medical record, as well as Kopmeyer's."

"I guess I don't have a word to say about this, do I ?" Paul asks, sighing.

"As I just told you, I'll take care of that dick of yours later, you animal. But first things first, I need you to find everything you can on those two girls, beginning with their files."

The man immediately walks toward the cupboard where Melissa stole Shelina's file, before frowning and rolling his eyes. He grabs a file anyway, handing it to Christie, who frowns. He then says :

"I guess those stupid employees from the medical center still have Shelina's, so I suggest you wait a few more days. But here's Haley's"

"Good boy"

With that said, the captain walks out of the room, leaving the door open. Understanding that she wants him to follow her - God knows where, Melissa thinks to herself, absolutely disgusted by what she just saw - Paul Riley exits as well, closing the door behind him. Well, at least now we have more than two minutes to get out of here. As soon as the sound of their voices vanishes, Melissa opens the sliding door and walks away from Christen, who somehow manages to make her feel nervous.

The dark-haired has still her mouth slightly opened, as she watches Melissa's reaction. But the blonde only is looking at the file, knowing that she just saved Shelina's ass. After a few seconds, Melissa says :

"That was disgusting"

Christen nods.

"At least now we have something to blackmail Rampone" she only comments, showing the picture she took of Christie and Paul kissing. When Melissa's eyes are wide open, she quickly adds in a funny tone : "I guess sleeping with your head coach is not really legal, is it ?"

"I gotta admit you were useful on that one" Melissa reluctantly admits, before taking the file under her arm and add : "We better go before they come back and have sex right in front of us."

"Yah."

Once they are out of the room, Melissa puts the medical file on her handbag, as her and Christen are exiting the building in total silence. The blonde, who still has butterflies in her stomach after the brief moment Christen and her spent that close to each other, suddenly stops walking and turns on the other girl.

She is determined to protect her from the others, which means she has to dissuade her from helping Kop and her out.

"I'm going to the hospital now. You, on the other hand, really should go get some rest. You'd be too much of a bother, and-"

"Excuse me ?" Christen interrupts her, frowning. "A bother ? To who ? You ?"

The forward shakes her head.

"Christen, look, we don't need you right now, and-"

"To be honest, I don't really care. I don't need your consent to save that team, especially since playing for Stanford has been a dream of mine since I was a child ! So with all the respect I have for you and your little protection excuse, fuck off !"

Melissa is quite surprised by Christen's vocabulary - yes, Christen wouldn't be able to hurt a fly Press, who just used a swear word toward her - but only nods as an answer. So the dark-haired confidentially walks toward Melissa's car, the blonde sitting on the driving seat.

Of course Becky will be happy about that.

*

Tobin angrily walks toward a smirking Alex Morgan, who politely dismisses her friends in order to have a conversation with the midfielder. The only fact that Tobin is on Stanford's campus is a risk, but the brunette is not thinking clearly right now.

Once her friends are gone, Alex lets out :

"Look who's here, looking for problems"

Tobin sets her jaw. She then walks closer to the girl, grabbing the collar of her jacket, hissing :

"Right now, I am your problem, Morgan, so you better listen closely to what I have to say" as the other brunette is just looking at her with both eyebrows raised, Tobin goes on in a threatening yet calm voice : "You can do me all horrible things your awful mind is able to think about, that's fine. But if you touch any of Laure's hair, I swear I will come after you, and ruin your life. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear my dear" Alex sarcastically lets out, getting away from Tobin's grip.

The midfielder frowns.

"I don't think you got what I am trying to say-" she starts again, but this time is interrupted :

"No, you don't get the situation, Tobin." Alex says, confident. "We are in control because we found your weakness. Funny how love can destroy someone when it's one-sided, right ?"

Tobin is boiling in the inside, but the forward isn't done : instead, she taps Tobin's shoulder , a wicked smile on her lips.

And this forever smirking face that makes Tobin want to punch her.

"Be very careful, Tobin. It would be a shame that something happens to your beloved Laure, wouldn't it ?"

"Alex, I swear to God-"

"God won't help you with this one, Tobin" Alex goes on, proud of how much of a bitch sue can be. "What you have on me is no longer useful : Servando broke up with me. So now you're the one that gets to obey, because we have two targets that are very close to you..."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that, when we reach out to you, you will do exactly what we will tell you to, otherwise either Laure or Allie - or maybe both - will no longer be safe."

Tobin shakes her head.

"You're bluffing" she spits out, already more angry than before.

The other girl smirks, before shaking her head.

"I guess we'll see." Alex lets out, before starting to walk away. Without even turning around, she adds : "We'll call you in a few days, and it is in your best interest to pick up the phone. See you very soon, Tobin."

With that said, she disappears on the other end of the hallway, leaving Tobin in shock. Shit. She then shakes her head and takes her phone in her hand : she knows she can't warn Allie, because she'd want to sacrifice for the team or something, or neither Laure because God knows what Alex made her believe about her.

So Tobin calls the girl she considers as her best friend, and that person picks up the phone immediately.

"Yo?" A chill voice says, fast asleep.

"Kelsey, I'm in trouble." Tobin reluctantly admits, shaking her head. "I need your help."

There is a little silence, before the goalie says :

"Okay, where are you ? I'm on my way."

*

Right in the end of the first intensive day, Maro jogs toward Julie, who greeted everybody before quickly walking away from the group. But the German needed to talk to her, because ever since they kissed on the roof - several days ago - the blonde is avoiding her.

Of course Maro knows it has something to do with Zach, but from what she's seen in Julie's eyes that night, maybe she still stands a chance and that the defender hasn't been 100% honest with her - or with herself.

As soon as Maro catches up with Julie, the blonde rolls her eyes, before grabbing the brunette's wrist in order to bring her in a quiet place, safe from any curious eyes.

Julie doesn't seem really relax, as a matter of fact. Her eyes are quite worried, when she says :

"Look, I just-"

But Maro makes her stop talking by putting three fingers on her lips, casually. Julie's heart misses a few beats, and she has trouble breathing.

Nevertheless, she can't even put Maro's hand away, as the German says in a rather low voice :

"I know you like and respect that pretty boy a lot, Jules. Hence I will not try and convince you to drop his ass for me. But you really should think about that night, and think ; 'why did I let her kiss me without a fight ?'. And then, if you decide to stay with him because it's more simple, then okay. Just know something."

She stops talking, as Julie's throat turns sore.

"W-w-what ?" she stammers (a lot), before rolling her eyes at herself.

"I will always be waiting for you, Julie, because you mean everything to me."

"O-okay, t-thank-ks"

Oh my God, enough with the stammering ! Julie thinks to herself, iimmediately regretting the awkward sentence she just said.

As she shakes her head, Maro removes her fingers from Julie's lips, softly grabbing her jaw, before

adding :

"I mean, I never managed to forget you, even one ocean away. So I will not forget you any time soon. And I believe you feel the same way."

"I-uhh... N-no! I-I m-mean, I d-don't know, I-" Julie starts, but Maro only smirks.

"It's all right, I get that you don't want to admit it just yet" the brunette says, before letting go of Julie's jaw. She then takes several steps back, winking at the girl. "Take your time. Bye."

With that said, she disappears, leaving Julie breathless.

What do I do ?