True Colors

“Wait, you’re going where?” Kelley asks Tobin as they are seated in a booth at Kelley’s favorite taco place.

Things have been going really well between Alex and Tobin, so much so that Alex wanted Tobin to meet her friends, all 20 of them. Alex invited Tobin to one of her games and then to dinner with the team afterwards.

“Kell I know you heard me. I’m not going to repeat myself.” Tobin says as she takes a bite out of her fish taco. She looks up and Kelley has her mouth wide open with a taco in her hand, she is a still as stone.

“Kelley!” Tobin yells and snaps her fingers in front of Kelley’s face.

“Sorry, I am just a bit shocked that your best friend wasn’t invited.” Kelley says nonchalantly and continues to eat the taco that is occupying her hand.

“You did let me finish, squirrel.” Tobin says with a smile. “Of course you’re invited. Alex actually likes you and “wants to get to know you better” or something like that.” Tobin says trying to think back to the conversation she had on the phone with Alex.

“Awesome! I am so excited!” Kelley screams and Tobin shakes her head and laughs.

“I love you, Tobs.” Kelley says as she reaches across the table to grab Tobin’s hand.

“Thank you Kell, I love you too but I’m kind of taken, so I’m gonna take this back.” Tobin says as she takes her hand back from Kelley’s death grip.

.

“I am so excited that you finally get to see me play!” Alex screamed into the phone. Tobin pulled the phone from her ear and let Alex finish her screaming.

“Babe, I’ve seen you play before, lots of times actually.” Tobin says and Alex gets a warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Tobin started calling Alex “babe” soon after they made it official and Alex smiles like a fool every time she hears it come from Tobin lips.

“I know but this is the first time you’ll be watching your girlfriend play.” Alex says and Tobin laughs.

“I suppose you are right Ms. Morgan.”

“Okay, I have to go but I’ll see you in a couple hours.” Alex says as she walks around the locker room getting ready for her pre-game rituals.

“Of course, I will be the one in the stands with red, white, and blue on.” Tobin says and Alex rolls her eyes and shoots back with, “Don’t you dare forget Kelley.”

“I can’t even if I wanted too, she literally lives with me.” Tobin says and Alex laughs. They both say their goodbyes and hang the phone up.

Tobin is sitting in her office when her best friend storms through the door. “WHOOO! USA!” Kelley yells as she throws Tobin’s office door open.

“I am ready! Are you ready?” Kelley asks and Tobin just nods her head. Kelley is wearing an old US Soccer jersey and a red, white, and blue tutu topped off with her signature sunglasses. Tobin is trying to hold back her laughter but it’s not working for the photographer.

“Kelley, you look ridiculous.” Tobin says as she continues laughing.

“Thank you.” Kelley says as she does a spin for Tobin to see the entire outfit.

“Oh my gosh Kell, you do know we are going to eat with the team after right?” Tobin asks as she takes a seat on the couch in her office.

“Of course, that’s why I brought this!” Kelley yells and then holds up a backpack. “I have normal clothes in here silly.”

“Thank you Jesus.” Tobin says as she looks up at her ceiling.

“Come on! We have a game to attend!” Kelley yells and Tobin shakes her head and grabs her jacket and mutters, ‘Lord help me’ as they both walk out the door.

.

“That game was amazing!” Kelley yells the final whistle is blown. USA played Germany and it was a pretty incredible game. Germany score two quick goals but the gals had come back and beat them 3-2, all three goals coming in the last 15 minutes of play.

“It was pretty incredible.” Tobin says as they begin their journey out of the stadium to wait for Alex.

“And your girl scored the winning goal!” Kelley said and Tobin smiled at this. She was very proud of her girlfriend.

“Yeah that was one of the most incredible goals I’ve ever seen her score.” Tobin says as she clutches the game program in her hand.

“I can’t wait to congratulate her.” Kelley says when they make their way to the tunnel to wait for Alex. It was surprisingly easy to get down there, no one had stopped them actually.

“I can’t wait to eat.” Tobin says and Kelley rolls her eyes.

Tobin and Kelley wait for about half an hour and pass the time by talking about the game and playing childish games. Right now they are having a thumb war.

“You are going down squirrel.” Tobin says and Kelley lets out a bitter laugh.

“You wish Heath.” Kelley says and little do they both know that Alex is a couple feet away watching with her teammate Lauren.”

“Gotcha!” Kelley yells and begins to literally run circles around Tobin. “You won once, I beat you the other four times.” Tobin says a bit bitterly.

“Doesn’t matter, that was the championship.” Kelley says and stops when she sees Alex and waves at her. Alex comes up behind Tobin and wraps her arms around Tobin’s waist.

“Are you mad that you lost in a children’s game?” Alex asks and Tobin spins around.

“Of course not, it’s a stupid game. I couldn’t care less.” Tobin says as she tries to be cool.

“Sure Toby.” Alex says as she kisses Tobin on the lips and steps back to introduce both of them to Lauren.

“Tobin this is my teammate and good friend Lau-“ Alex begins but it cut off by Tobin.

“Lauren Cheney?” Tobin asks and Lauren finally takes a good look at Tobin and launches herself into Tobin’s arms.

Alex looks at Kelley with a shocked expression and Kelley shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders. They are both confused at what just happened in front of them.

Tobin and Lauren finally release each other and Lauren wipes the tears running down her face.

“What is going on?” Alex asks and Tobin looks at Alex and it brings her back to reality.

“Sorry babe, Lauren and I go way back.” Tobin says and Lauren nods her head in agreement.

“Yeah we were in the same foster home for a couple years before I got adopted.” Lauren says and the expressions on Kelley’s and Alex’s faces are identical. They are both showing signs of confusion and shock.

“Lauren was the only one who kept me sane.” Tobin says and Lauren laughs. Alex still is not sure what to think at this moment so she just sits back and watches the interaction between her girlfriend and her teammate.

“We kept each other sane in that house.” Lauren says and Tobin nods her head at this. “I haven’t seen Tobin since I was 15.” Lauren adds and Alex’s eyes go wide in shock.

“You look really good Cheney.” Tobin says and Lauren hits her on the arm. “You look pretty good yourself. What are you up to these days?” Lauren says and Sydney comes up to interrupt the reunion.

“You gals ready to go? The rest of us are about to eat our arms.” Sydney says as she dramatically tries to start biting Alex’s arm.

“Syd stop, yes we are ready to go.” Alex says and she and Kelley walk ahead together while Tobin and Lauren walk behind them.

“Did you know they knew each other?” Alex asks Kelley while they walk to Tobin’s car.

“No I didn’t. Tobin and I were even in the same foster home until graduation and she never mentioned Lauren.” Kelley says and Alex pauses to take in this new information.

Kelley’s parents died when she was a baby and she bounced around from foster home to foster home until she found Tobin. Tobin was her best friend and rock. They met when Kelley was in seventh grade and Tobin was a freshman. Despite the age and maturity difference they were best friends the moment they met.

“I didn’t know you and Tobin were in the same foster house?” Alex says and Kelley nods her head and smiles.

“Yeah Tobin was the one who straightened me out.” Kelley says thinking back to the day they met.

They get to Tobin’s car and Kelley and Alex hop in the back while Tobin and Lauren occupy the front seats. Tobin was smiling like she had never before and Alex noticed. It brought a smile to Alex’s face because Tobin has never seemed this at peace.

“Finally, I am starving!” Kelley says as they all sit down at a table. Alex was across from Tobin and Lauren with Kelley on her other side.

“You are always hungry, Kelley” Tobin says and Alex laughs at this.

“Because of that hurtful comment, I will take my apology in the form of dinner.” Kelley says and Tobin playfully rolls her eyes because she expected this anyway.

“So Kelley, rookie of the year last season, pretty impressive.” Lauren says and Kelley is stunned to the point of no words.

“Ah.. awesome, thank you.” Kelley says and Tobin laughs at her which earns her a kick under the table.

“I have never seen you like this before Kelley.” Tobin says and Kelley mouths ‘Shut up’ to her which causes Tobin to laugh even harder.

“No but really Kelley, I wouldn’t be surprised to see you on the national team soon.” Alex chimes in and Kelley’s face turns red.

“Thank you so much.” Kelley responds back and Alex and Lauren smile at her.

“Let’s get down to business, shall we?” Sydney says and Alex immediately hides her head in embarrassment.

“I told them not to do this.” Alex leans over and whispers to Tobin who tries to play it cool but on the inside she is shaking with fear.

“Ladies you have the floor. Proceed with caution.” Lauren says and everyone laughs expect for Alex and Tobin.

“What are your intentions with baby horse?” Abby asks and Tobin looks at Alex and mouths ‘baby horse?’.

“Well I like her very much and I think she feels the same way.” Tobin says and most everyone laughs at this. “I don’t plan on hurting her or anything like that.” Tobin finishes and Abby nods her head in approval.

“Next!” Sydney yells and Alex sinks lower into her seat.

“How did you guys meet?” Heather O’Reilly asks as she hears some hoots and hollers.

“Well, I am a photographer and I was shooting Alex for a cover spread and I was a stuttering mess around. She somehow got my number and asked me out the next day and the rest is kinda history.” Tobin says as she takes Alex’s hand from across the table, there is a collective ‘aww’ and Tobin laughed at how flushed Alex was.

More questions were asked and memories were shared between all the girls. Everyone seemed to really like Tobin and that was a huge weight off of Tobin’s shoulders. Alex was very happy with the win on the pitch and the win off the pitch.

“Kelley, we have got to hang out sometime.” Alex says and Kelley nods her head furiously. Kelley has had Alex rolling with laughter all night and Alex sees a good friendship sprouting.

“Yeah absolutely, but please don’t just give this out I am much too famous for that.” Kelley says as she removes her glasses from the top of her head and places them over her eyes. Tobin sees the interaction between her best friend and girlfriend and she couldn’t be happier in this moment.

“So, I’ve noticed your infamous stutter is gone.” Lauren points out and Tobin nods her head trying to hide the smile forming on her lips.

“Yeah, I worked really hard to get rid of it in college and now it comes and goes but I can control it.” Tobin says and Lauren places her hand on Tobin’s shoulder.

“I am really glad we bumped into each other tonight.” Lauren says and leans over to wrap Tobin in a hug.

“Hey! How do you guys know each other?” Megan Rapinoe yells from the other end of the table.

“We lived in the same foster house for a couple years.” Lauren says and the team nods their heads and some say ‘wow’.

“What happened to your parents, Tobin?” Amy, who is sitting on the other side on Lauren, asks.

“Amy, you can’t just ask people what happened to their parents.” Christie asks and Tobin laughs at the mean girls quote.

“No it’s OK, they bailed on my siblings and I when I was young.” Tobin says as she looks down at her hands on the table. Alex reaches over and intertwines their fingers to offer support.

“Do you still keep in touch with your siblings?” Christie asks and the rest of the team hounds in on the conversation taking place.

“No, I haven’t seen them since I was like 13, I think?” Tobin says looking at Lauren who nods her head to affirm her statement.

“Wow, I am really sorry. That was probably too personable.” Christie says and Tobin waves her off. “No, it’s not a big deal.” Tobin says as she looks at Christie.

The conversation is steered away from Tobin and not much later the team starts to head their separate ways. Lauren and Tobin exchange numbers and hug one last time before the midfielder leaves. Kelley, Alex and Tobin are the only ones left.

“You ready?” Tobin asks Alex who nods her head.

“Stay at mine tonight.” Tobin says and Alex doesn’t protest and the three of them make their way to the car.

“SLEEPOVER!” Kelley yells at the top of her lungs as they walk out of the fancy restaurant.

The night was a successful one, the team won and Alex found more out about the mysterious Tobin Heath. She knew that she had to talk to Tobin about being a bit more open about things but she wanted to keep their perfect relationship perfect, little did Alex know that not everything stays perfect.