Today is our first Tournament of Nations game and it's against Japan. I'm a sub again which sucks, but I understand since I haven't played a minute since my debut. Right now we are siting in the locker room. I've already done my seal walk and now I'm making my blue and white intertwined pre-wrap headband.

"Hey Cairo?" Mal asks after the team gets quiet so whatever she is about to ask is going to be heard by the whole team.

"Yes?" I say while tying my headband and slipping it on.

"Why do you wear those two colors in your headband?"

"Thats a long story for a different day." I say then put my head phones on and sit back in my locker until Alex taps my leg letting me know Jill is talking. Since my number is 12 I sit in-between Mal and Alex. After Jill's pregame speech the rest of the subs and I go to the bench and after the anthems we sit and watch the game.

Alex decided to just ball out and she had a hat trick with her goals coming in the 18th, 26th, and 56th minute. I'm glad I don't play in defense. Pinoe scored in the 66th minute and I came on after her goal for Alex who got a standing ovation. 4 minutes later a Japanese player attempts to pass to a teammate, but the pass isn't very good so Tobin makes a break to get the ball before the Japanese player and as she does I take off running knowing she'll get to the ball first.

"TOBS TOBS TOBS" I yell.

Tobin notices my run so she crosses it into space. The Japanese keeper mistakenly saunters out to get the ball not thinking I was onside, but unfortunately for her I was onside and I touch the ball around the keeper, who started running for the ball, leaving the net open so I basically just pass the ball into the net making it 5-1. Man I need to get use to this many people cheering because fuck they are loud. After I scored I turn and walk back to our half and wait for the whistle. 6 minutes later Japan scored to make it 5-2. Well that's ironic. Nothing else really happened the rest of the game. I thought I had another goal, but apparently I was offside.

After the whistle blew for full time I shook hands with some players around me then walked to the tunnel where I was met by Jill.

"Nice job today Cairo." She says while handing me water

"Thanks." I say after taking a drink.

"I just wanted to let you know you're starting the next game."

"Wow. Thank you so much. I won't let you down." I say and Jill nods and walks away. What the hell if my life now?

After my conversation with Jill I walk to the locker room and sit in my locker and take a few moments to cool down and get my breathing back to normal. After 5 minutes of sitting I start to get changed when a ball with the teams signatures is handed to me from Mal. I sign it then hand it to Alex since it looks like I'm the last one to sign it.

"I believe this belongs to you." I say to Alex who takes the ball from my outstretched hand.

"I believe so. Nice goal Cairo."

"Thanks. Nice hat trick. I need to start eating whatever you eat." The team laughs.

As I go to put my stuff in my bag to take to the bus I notice Mal looking at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"You okay Mal?" I ask the young forward.

"You're an odd person you know." She says and the team gets quiet again for some reason.

"How so?"

"Well for one you are very secretive with anything that has to do with your past."

"If you knew what I've been through you'd be secretive as well, but continue."

"You also don't celebrate any of your goals."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No...it's just odd."

"Okay? Is that everything?"

"Yep."

"Alright I will work on those things." I say and she nods so I go back to packing my bag then head to the bus and sit down with Lindsey who leans her head on my shoulder and rests during the ride back to the hotel.

- - - - -

We flew into Connecticut after the game and today is the day before the Australia game and the team is doing defensive training. Basically defensive free kicks, defending crosses, defending free kicks, and defending corners. We are on our first drill which is corners. I'm in the box waiting for Pinoe to take the corner and when she does I see it coming right toward me so I run and jump up to header it.

"FUCK" I yell after hitting my head on something hard.

I look up and I squint my eyes and see a blonde down next to me who I think is Julie. Well that makes since as to why that header felt like I hit a rock. Mine and Julies heads collided with each other. I try to open my eyes again only to be met with a blinding light. I hear someone talking, but it just sounds like static. OOH I can hear now.

"Cairo, Dawn's on the way, but I need you to open your eyes for me." I think that's Christen. I try to talk, but nothing comes out.

Somebody put their hand into mine. "Cairo if you can hear me squeeze my hand." Yep that's Christen. I squeeze her hand.

"Good. Now I need to ask you a couple questions so for yes squeeze my hand once and for no squeeze my hand twice. Do you understand?" I squeeze her hand once.

"Alright good. Are you in any pain?" I squeeze her hand twice.

"That's good. Can you open your eyes?" I try to, but the lights very bright so I squeeze her hand twice.

"Is there too much light?" I squeeze her hand once and suddenly it becomes dark so I try to open my eyes and they finally flutter open. I look around and see the whole team standing over me. Julie, Sam, and Emily have towels with them that are casting a shadow on my face.

"Cairo do you need anything?" Christen says as Dawn approaches carrying the first aid kit with Jill right beside her. I squeeze Christen's hand once.

"What do you need?" I look around and see a water bottle lying around so I barely lift my other arm and point to the bottle. Tobin looks at what I'm pointing at and she grabs the closest one to her and comes and kneels down next to me. Someone else comes behind me and gently lifts my head up. Tobin then opens the water bottle and starts to pour water into my mouth.

After I swallow the water the person behind me lays my head back down gently and I notice it's Julie."Are you okay?" I ask and she raises her eyebrows at me as do the rest of the team.

"You just collided heads pretty hard with her and you're asking if she is okay?" Kelley says and I nod.

"Yeah Cairo. I'm fine. How are you feeling?" Julie says.

"I'm okay. My throat hurts though." I barely get out.

"Alright well I need to test you for a concussion so I need someone to sit behind her and hold her up." Dawn says and Ali comes and sits behind me and holds me up.

"Alright Cairo I need you to follow my finger with just your eyes. Do not move your head." Dawn says and I do what she says. "Okay. What day is it?"

"July 28, 2018"

"How old are you?"

"22"

"Do you know where you are?"

"Training."

"What state are we in?"

"Connecticut."

"Alright. You don't have a concussion, but I'm taking you out of practice for precautionary measures." I nod and let Dawn help me up and lead me to a shaded area.

Not being able to train blows. All I did for two hours was watch everyone. After everyone got done training I walked to the bus and sat down. I was joined by a certain blonde midfielder a couple minutes later.

"Hey Cairo." She says.

"Hello"

"How do you feel?"

"I'm starving."

"Want to go get lunch with me?"

"I'd love to Lindsey." I say as we arrive back at the hotel.

Lindsey and I go change in our rooms and put on more comfortable clothing. We then meet down in the lobby and walk up the block to a deli. Once inside we both ordered sandwiches and then sat down and started talking. We talked about her time at PSG, my time in Spain and Italy, she talked about her family, Messi v Ronaldo, and we talked about our goals and ambitions we have in life. Lindsey is a very interesting woman.

"Oh wow we probably need to get back to the hotel." I say looking at the time on my phone.

"Wow we talked for 3 hours." Lindsey said as the check came.

"Time flies when your having fun." I say and she blushes.

"That it does." I reach for the check only for Lindsey to pull it towards her. " I asked so I pay"

"Then I will pay for the next one." I say and she nods and we leave and head back to the hotel. Once back at the hotel we had a team meeting. We went over tactics and what to watch for against Australia and then Jill told us the line up and not surprisingly I wasn't in the starting line-up. After the meeting Jill approached me.

"Cairo...I know I told you you would be starting, but I'm going to keep you out and only use you if needed."

"That's fine. I kinda expected that." I say

"But barring any setbacks you will start against Brazil." I just nod and head up to my room and relax before going down for dinner then coming back to my room and going to bed.

- - - - -

Today is our game against Australia and Lindsey and I are sitting next to each other. This has sort of become a habit of ours. Ever since the first camp we've always sat by each other. Weirdly she is able to calm my pregame jitters. I don't know how, but I'm not complaining.

Once we get to the stadium I put my stuff in my locker and then grab a ball and go do my seal walk. After my walk I go back into the changing room and put my kit and boots on then make my headband. After that's done I sit back in my locker and listen to music until Jill talks.

After Jill speaks the subs and I go to the bench and stand for the anthems and then sit down and watch the game. Australia got a goal in the 22nd minute which brought our spirits down a little. Halftime came and Jill wasn't happy and she let the team know. After halftime the subs and I went back to the bench and waited for Jill to call on us.

"Cairo" I hear Jill say and motion for me to talk to her in the 70th minute so I go stand next to her. "How do you feel?"

"Annoyed that they're ahead."

Jill laughs. "I meant your head."

"It feels fine."

"Great go warm up."

I do what Jill says and warm up until the 78th minute when Jill calls me back over and gives me instructions.

"Alright. Just play your game, hug that back line, make runs where you see fit. You're going in for Pinoe so watch for the runs into the box when you get the ball on the flank. If you don't see an option then you take on everyone and leave all of them on the floor. And if we get a corner you take it. Got it?"

"Got it"

"Good." She says and pats me on the back as Pinoe comes over.

Once I was allowed on the field I ran to my spot and high-fived Christen and Alex while going to my position. Nothing really materialized, but somehow we got a corner in the 90th minute. After the ball went out I look to the bench and saw Jill nod her head so I went to the corner and waited for the whistle. I think maybe only Alyssa and one of the defenders wasn't in the box. When the whistle blew I struck the ball into the box and waited for something to happen. The ball hung up just enough so that it missed the Australian defenders and Lindsey jumped and headed the ball into the back of net. After she scored she ran over to me and jumped into my arms and soon the rest of the players on the field joined us in the celebration. As we were walking back Lindsey put her arm around my shoulder and put my arm around her lower back.

"Nice cross Cairo." She says.

"Nice header Lindsey." I say and we smile at each other and holy shit her smile is gorgeous. Once back in our own half we remove our arms from around each other and get back into position.

In the last minute of stoppage time I get the ball on the left flank and take it down to the end line and then cross it, but the Australians clear the ball and that was the last action of the game.

After the whistle goes I shake some Australians hand who was close by then go to the locker room and change clothes. The team trickles in and once they do Mal keeps glancing at me.

"Hey Cairo." Mal says and once again it is very quiet. Why does she always talk to me when it's quiet?

"Yes Mal?"

"You celebrated."

"Yes I did."

"Nice." She says and high fives me as some of the team laugh. I then pack up and head to the bus and sit down only to be joined by Lindsey a few minutes later. We don't really talk we just sit there and rest the whole way back to the hotel.