The Couch At The End Of The Hall
"Uh alright I guess it's my turn. Never have I ever hooked up with someone from another college during spring break." Kelley says breaking the silence.
Hope groans as she puts a finger down and takes a shot making everyone laugh. The next person goes and more innocent questions fly by until it's Christen's turn.
"Okay...Never have I ever...um...had feelings for an ex after the break up" She says innocently.
Tobin looks at alex and puts a finger down. She stares at her for what feels like forever until Alex gets up.
"I'm out of here." Alex says angrily as she storms out of the room.
She lightly hits Christen with her leg on her way out of the circle of teammates. Tobin looks at Kelley with wide eyes, and mouths "should I go after her?" From across the circle Kelley answers with "yeah, but be quick. No funny business" After seeing that Tobin quickly gets up and makes an exit.
"Lex!" The midfielder calls out for the blue eyed forward.
"Leave me alone, Tobin." Alex says from the end of the hall where she sits on a small uncomfortable leather couch.
"Lex just tell me what's wrong" Tobin says approaching the younger girl.
"Do you really wanna know what's wrong Tobin?" Alex says looking up at Tobin who is now standing directly in front of her, less than a few feet away.
"Yes I do lex" Tobin says trying to sound as comforting as possible.
"What's wrong is I let you go!! I shouldn't have done it. It was one of the most stupid decisions in my life and I realize that now. I hate myself for giving you up every single day. But now I have to watch you with that little prissy ms.perfect girl in the world christen press, and it's all my fault because I left you!! And I can't do anything about it because you're happy now and I don't want to fuck that up. I already did that once, and I'm not going to do it again, no matter how much I miss you" Alex lets out while tears stream down her face.
Tobin now sitting next to alex, gives her a sad look. She had no idea that's how she felt. Maybe if she had something earlier. Uggh damn it alex you didn't have to make it this hard. Tobin thought to herself while staring at the girl. She eventually tried to come up with a response
"Alex I-I don't really know-"
"It's fine Tobin. There's nothing you can do. Just enjoy yourself with little Ms.Press and don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Alex cut Tobin off, almost sounding bitter.
"Are you sure Alex..." Tobin said not sounding complete convinced.
For a long while they looked at each other in silence, no one daring to break eye contact. Alex then realized how small the space between them was. Forgetting about everything else, she wrapped her arms around Tobin's neck and hesitated for a moment waiting to see if she would moved away. When Tobin didn't move that was all Alex needed to pull the midfielder in for searing kiss. Just as their lips locked, a worried Christen was walking down the wall, looking for them.
"Tobin...?" The green eyed forward asked with tears in her eyes.
"Chris...it's not what it looks like I promise" Tobin said pushing alex off her.
"It's exactly what it looks like!!"
"No listen you don't understand" the midfielder says trying to resolve the situation
"I do understand Tobin. You used me to get over Alex, but now that you know Alex isn't over you, you go running after her and leave me behind!!!" Christen yelled at Tobin, hurt and confusion thick in her voice.
"No Chris that's not it I promise!! Alex pulled me in for the kiss I didn't even kiss back!!" Tobin says trying to defend herself.
"Save it Heath. I saw what happened." Christen retorts angrily.
"Chris no hear me out please" Tobin pleads with her
"Christen I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have-"
Alex chimes in before getting cut off by Press
"Shut the fuck up Alex. You ruined everything. If you had just kept your little legs closed and not gone off and fucked Servando, you wouldn't even be in this situation. In fact you're cheating on him right now!! Can you be faithful for once and consider other people's happiness? No you can't. Everything revolves around you. So don't try and fix the situation, it's not centered around you for once" Christen looks at her teammates, her chest rapidly rising and falling now
"Chris you know I-" Tobin says trying to get a word in, but Christen cuts her off too.
"Tobin stop, please. I'm going to leave you two to your little love fest. If you care at all I'm spending the night in JJ's room. Ali can sleep in your room tonight...and for the rest of camp" Christen says turn around quickly and makes her way back to Syd's room.
"Tobin, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen I promise I'm so so sorry-" Alex starts to apologize to Tobin, but gets cut off for the second time that night.
"Save it Alex, and don't bother talking to me for the rest of camp" Tobin says as she starts to get off the couch.
"Tobin you have to hear me out" Alex pleads with the midfielder.
"No alex. I-I can't trust you!! I was happy. I was fucking happy for the first time, since you left and you ruined it!! You can't seem to stop ruining my happiness can you? Leave me alone Alex, please." Tobin lets out and walks away towards her room, leaving alex alone on the couch at the end of the hall.
Sitting there alone alex starts to sob. Her thoughts started to consume her as she leaned against the wall. I really messed up this time. Why couldn't I let her go?!?!? I was so naive to think this would all work it's self out. I miss her so much, but isn't her happiness worth more than mine at this point? I need a drink. I need a drink bad.
At that point Alex was done. She got up brushed herself off and walked to the elevator. She pushed the down button and stepped inside. When the elevator reached the first floor, she stepped out, and walked towards the bar. It was going to be a long night.
Christen walked into Syd's room with blood shot eyes and running mascara. Everyone looked at her with worried expressions. Something happened, and it wasn't something good.
"Press where's Tobin and Alex?" Crystal spoke out. She wasn't sure if it was her place to say anything, but she was worried.
"Tobin went to her room, I don't know about Alex" The forward said with a shaky voice.
She sat down next to JJ and Ali while everyone else talked amongst themselves, curious about what could've happened. Christen whispered something to JJ. After a nod and a sympathetic look JJ turned towards Ali and whispered something in her ear. Ali nodded and the three of them stood up.
"Alright guys I think we're gonna call it a night." JJ told everyone and started making her way out of the room with Christen and Ali following her.
"See ya tomorrow morning gals!" Syd called out after them.
Squirrelly: what the fuck did you do Tobin?
Tobs: why don't you ask your little roommate what happened.
Squirrelly: she's not even here. I have no idea where she went. Do you know where she is?
Tobs: no idea, and honestly I could care less right now.
Squirrelly: alright something happened and one of you are going to have to explain.
Tobs: why don't you go find alex then.
Squirrelly: fine I will
After looking at Kelley's last text, Tobin set her phone down and laid back on her bed sighing. She was exhausted and she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her at this point. She was getting lost in her thoughts until she heard a knock on the door. Getting up she realized it was probably Ali. She opened the door to see non other than Ali Krieger.
"Hey Ali come on in, JJ and Christen sent you here huh?" Tobin says stepping aside to let the defender in.
"Yeah they did, I'm grabbing Christen's stuff and heading back to my room to drop it off, but I'll be back later." She says as she walks toward's Christen's side of the room.
"Oh alright I guess I'll just go to bed then, do you have a key?" Tobin says making her way back towards her bed.
"Yeah I Christen gave me her key...but um Tobin...?"
"Yeah Kriegs?"
"Stay up... I want to talk to you"
"Okay Ali, I'll stay up" Tobin says as she sits down on her bed and turns on the TV.
After Ali had gathered most of Christen's belongings she found one article of clothing that she wasn't so sure about bringing back. She held up one of Tobin's UNC sweatshirts and turned towards the midfielder.
"Tobin? Should I just give this back to you...or should I give it her...or...?" Ali asks confused about what to do.
"Oh...I guess you can just give it to her" Tobin replies sadly.
"Alright well that's everything, I'm going to head out. I still need to get my things from my room, but hopefully JJ put everything together for me so it shouldn't take that long. I'll see you in a bit Tobin" Ali says picking up christen's U.S soccer duffle and dragging her suitcase behind her as she leaves the room.
After a short while Ali comes back hauling more bags and suitcases than Tobin thought was even possible. Tobin couldn't help but laugh at the defender who was struggling and groaning profusely.
"Need a little help there Ali?" Tobin chuckled as she watched the girl struggle to get through the door.
"No I, ugh, I think I got it. Ugh actually yes please help me" Ali groans out.
Tobin just laughs as she walks over to Ali and takes a few of her bags. Once all of Ali's stuff is somewhat put away they sit on the edge of the beds facing each other.
"I don't know how Ashlyn deals with this every camp. Props to her for being a trooper." Tobin teases as she lightly laughs at the defender.
"Yeah well she's pretty whipped so I don't think she minds too much" Ali laughs back with a wink.
"Yeah I understand what it feels like to be whipped." Tobin half laughs half means it.
"Oh Tobin...about that... do you want to tell me what happened? I promise I won't judge you or be mad at you. I want to help." Ali says softly looking at Tobin.
"Yeah sure..." Tobin said before explaining everything that happened, including all the details of her short relationship with christen, the arguments with Alex, how alex initiated the kiss, how christen walked in on it, and the aftermath with her and Alex.
"Tobin listen to me. I don't blame you at all. I know you're caught up in a really difficult situation, but you do know this is not your fault right? Look if people find out what happened based on Christen's side of the story they're going to blame you. I want you to know that it's not your fault. And Chris...she'll come around soon. I promise. She just needs time to think this all through. She'll want to talk to talk to you I promise" Ali says looking at Tobin who had tears rolling down her face at this point.
"Ali I just. I don't know what to do. I care about Christen, I care about her a lot, and she actually makes me happy. She's not just a rebound. And I'm so afraid of losing her. I just can't lose her after I've lost so much already. She makes me feel at home Ali. I know it's only been what? A few days maybe, but these past few days have been the happiest days of my life. I haven't felt this happy since I started dating Alex. But even then I wasn't as happy as I was during this camp. I look into those beautiful green eyes and I see my home." Tobin confesses, looking at a now teary eyed Ali.
"Tobin I understand. The second I met ash I felt something. I felt free. I felt happy. I felt at home. I know what you're feeling for christen is real Tobs. Don't give up on her. If she makes you feel that way, she's worth fighting for"
"Ali what if I don't forget about Alex? We have so many memories together. We've done so much together. What if the memories never fade?"
"Trust me Tobin, they will, and when they do, that's when you know that Christen is meant for you."
"Thanks Ali, I needed this"
"No problem, but it's getting late. We should probably get to bed. Good night Tobs, you'll feel better when you wake up"
"Night Ali"