"Where have you three been?" Coach Howard asked as soon as the three girls made it to him, Emily tripping over a bag.
"Way too long of a story to tell you," Stacie said putting her hair up in a pony tail. "Are we good to start?"
"I'd say yes, but we already made a play," he said turning to look at all three players.
From his furrowed eyebrows and wrinkled forehead, anyone within a good distance could see how pissed he really was and that was never good.
Beca looked up just in time to see Chloe and Aubrey take a seat beside Jesse and Benji, the redhead waving at her.
"We're three of your starting 11!" Beca exclaimed.
"And you're late so you three will be sitting bench until I say," he said and walked away. "Actions have consequences, ladies!"
"I blame you," Beca said turning to Stacie who's mouth dropped and eyes widened.
"What? Why me?" She questioned.
"You're the one who insisted on me playing the piano!"
"Oh you wanted to and you know it," she smiled. "You can never pass up the opportunity to create music."
"Maybe, but still," Beca laughed. "I need someone to blame and right now, that's you."
"Why not Miss. I've-Never-Got-A-Speeding-Ticket-In-My-Life-And-I'm-Not-Going-To-Start-Now? She didn't pass 75 once."
"Hey, in her defense, the speed limit is 70 so technically she was speeding," Emily said and Stacie rolled her eyes and Beca laughed.
"Break!" They heard the team yell and Stacie groaned dramatically.
"This is so not fair."
"Maybe now everyone will see just how much the three of us carry the team," Emily said and both girls turned to her with furrowed eyebrows.
"A little cocky there, Em," Beca said and the taller brunette shrugged.
"I bet ten dollars we'll all be in before halftime," she said.
"I'll take that bet," Beca said shaking her hand and they turned to Stacie who puckered her lips in thought before shaking her hand.
"Psst," Beca heard and she turned to see Jesse leaning over the railing.
"What on Earth are you doing?" She laughed, her arms going to her sides.
"We all wanna know why the coach didn't put you guys in," he answered and Beca leaned to the left to see her three other friends.
"We were late," she simply said. "Now let me focus on the game."
Jesse just solutes her before sitting back down on the first row of bleachers on the end beside Benji.
"Damn it, Steggler!" The coach yelled and Beca shook her head.
Madison had got fouled and completely missed the free kick by a mile.
"That should be you," Stacie said and Beca shrugged as she began juggling a ball.
"She was the one who wanted to take shots," Emily said catching the ball with her foot before passing it to Stacie in their little circle. A little game they did to practice footwork. "Now she's embarrassing herself."
Fifteen minutes passed and Barden was already down 2-0.
"This is horrifying," someone in the bleachers said and Beca tried ignoring the comment, too afraid to watch the game.
Emily and Stacie had eventually left to talk to their benched teammates so Beca was just messing around with the ball, doing rainbows and other tricks. Not only was she doing it out of boredom, but she was also doing it to impress a certain redhead.Â
Not that she really needed to; Chloe already thought she was an amazing soccer player but just watching her do tricks was fascinating to her. However, she did smile at Beca having 'Conrad' on the back of her jersey.
"Jesus Christ," the coach said. "Alright, you three, get ready to get subbed in."
Beca smiled and dropped the soccer ball, jogging over to the sidelines where Emily and Stacie already were, huge smiles plastered on their faces.
"I want the Unholy Trinity out there," he said to the three girls and looked confused. "Why are your guys' jersey's switched?"
"Oh, it was a mishap in a car," Beca said. "Really long story."
The three girls smiled as they tried not to laugh.
"Can you two please switch them back? I'm not trying to be a dick, but I need you two in your own positions, doing your own work in the plays we've practiced. I don't want to lose this game."
"Alright," Stacie said weirdly. "We'll switch."
The two women quickly pulled off their jerseys and traded them back, spectators without a doubt checking them out.
"What I was saying earlier about the unholy trinity," he started again. "I want you three at your fastest, most stealthiest, smartest okay? Be smart and fast about your moves. We need you to be the best you can be. Play dirty, but don't foul unless you need to but even then try to get it called on them."
"Wow, no pressure," Emily stated and the whistle was blown.
"I'm counting on you three!" He screamed as they ran out on the pitch, the crowd going crazy as they did.
"You had your chance, Madison so do you see why we're cautious about you taking shots?" Beca asked and the girl rolled her eyes. "You did great though."
"Thanks," Madison said before running off the pitch followed by their two other teammates.
"You guys ready?" Stacie called out and the three women looked at each other with a smile and nod.
Beca turned to the bleachers and saw Chloe watching with interest and gave her a thumbs up which only boosted Beca's confidence.
The whistle was blown and both teams were off, fighting for the ball. Within the first few minutes of them being in the game, Stacie had already assisted Beca with a goal bringing the score 2-1.
Not much time after that passed before the halftime whistle was blown and the team had ran off the pitch.
"We have ten minutes let's go," the coach said and they all made their way to the locker room, Beca smiling up at her friends, sending them all a wave.
Her dad couldn't be here tonight and honestly, she didn't want him to be. Not after him yelling at her for spending the remainder of the day with Chloe.
"Now the last game we had a few disagreements but I think seeing as how we were on the verge of losing the game before Beca, Stacie and Emily showed up, proved they're important to the team," the coach said.
"Way to make everyone else feel special," Sarah, a freshman, spoke out.
"Shit, I forgot my playbook," coach Howard said and turned to the short brunette. "Could you get it?"
She nodded and got up and left the locker room before jogging her way over to the bench where the small book was sat.
"Hey, Becs," She heard and looked up to see her dad right beside Aubrey.
Beca didn't want to say anything to him; she didn't even want to look at him so she just shook her head with a disappointed look and jogged back to the green and yellow painted building.
"Thanks," he said and for the remainder of the ten minutes they had, they went over plays as the players drank from their water bottles and fanned themselves to try to cool off. Beca was too busy thinking about the argument with her dad the other night.
"Let's go kick some yellow jacket ass!" Coach yelled and the team went back on the field.
"Are you okay?" Emily gently nudged her friend who hadn't looked up from the ground since they walked out.
"Oh, yeah," she said looking up. "I'm good."
The opposing team was Barden's rival school so every time they played them in any sport, there was always an even bigger crowd than usually so the stands were packed and going crazy which got Beca more excited then she let on.
22 players stepped on the field and were waiting on the ball to be kicked off by Barden. Stacie ran down the side and almost immediately saw where Beca was headed and kicked the ball almost laterally.
The striker ran for the ball but so did Jessica, Barden's defense midfielder. It was like perfect clockwork; Beca stuck out her foot as she moved to kick the soccer ball, but Jessica did the same only tripping the brunette in the process, sending her tumbling a few yards due to the amount of speed and strength that was put behind it all.
"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" Jessica frantically apologized, helping the striker up.
"It's fine," she said and left the team members who started walking towards them to see what happened.
"Beca!" Stacie yelled, jogging up to the girl. "What's wrong?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" She said louder than she had hoped. "Let's just play the game."
No one knew how to react so the whistle was blown and the two teams battle it out once more.
Beca was not a violent person by any means; she only really got violent when the people she cared about were getting hurt or threatened in which she would step in. She didn't even know why she was letting that argument with her dad get to her so easily.
Maybe it was because he made her feel like shit for wanting to help Chloe with her loss. Maybe it was because she remembered telling him that morning that she would be home after school and never told him something had popped up. Or maybe it's because she was still mad at him for not telling her about his engagement to Emily's mother.
Another failed attempt at a steal from Barden sent the girl flying through the air and landing on her back.
"Jesus, Beca," Emily spoke up this time, kneeling down beside the girl. "Do you need a break?"
The brunette shook her head and allowed herself to be helped up, taking in a breath after.
Both teams set up for the penalty and Beca took a few paces back, running her hands along side her shorts. Beads of sweat dripped down her face as her breathing steadied out and she looked at the net.
You can do this, she told herself and her foot left the ground, sending the ball wizzing past the defenders and barely touching the keeper's hands and into the back of the net so hard, they thought it broke.
"Something's wrong," She heard someone say and looked up to see a yellow jersey with the number 1, lying on the ground.
Everyone went quiet and stayed on the field before watching the girl stand up and carefully sliding the glove off.
Beca watched with furrowed eyes and was conflicted when she saw the bent finger.
"I'm not a doctor or anything," Stacie said walking up to Beca with her arms crossed over her chest. "But that looks like a broken finger to me."
Barden was now tied up thanks to Beca and the other team had called a timeout sending both teams off the pitch.
Beca went straight for her water bottle and chugged down half of it before standing up. "I keep getting fouled and I'm not seeing a way in."
"There's been chances," Madison pointed out.
"You're not even on the field, Madison!" Beca yelled once again, attracting attention to the team. "You couldn't make one single shot within the first 20 minutes of the game and I already made two!"
"They're doing nothing but making opening after opening for you," she replied. "Whatever's going on with you, you should probably figure it out before you cost us the game."
Beca sighed and put her hands on her head before walking around. She had to calm down, for the team and for herself so in order to do that, she had to think about something other than her dad.
The brunette turned around and looked up at Chloe who was watching her, a smile that never seemed to fade, showing and Beca made a mental note to tell her how good she looked in her jacket. Beca involuntarily smiled back but it wasn't like she was complaining about the small action.
And just like that, she had calmed down.
"Can you finish out the game?" She heard someone ask and she turned to find the coach and the rest of the team staring at her.
"Yeah," She said smiling and walking over. "I'm good now."
"Great, now get on that field," he said and they all made their way back onto the pitch.
"Have you found yourself a girl who's willing to be a dirty dyke just like you?" the girl on the other team said when she stopped in front of Beca the both of them pushing one another as they tried to make an opening for a shot.
"I'm getting really tired of your mouth, Jenson," Beca stated catching the name on the back of her jersey. As soon as the brunette replied, the whistle was blown and yet another foul to the Yellow Jackets. "You guys were getting a little too cocky so we had to take you're team down a notch."
The two soccer players quit pushing and stared at each other before the blonde called her another degrading name revolving around her sexuality.
"I hate to break it to you, babe," Beca sighed like it was hurting her to say this when in reality, it was her smarts mouth. "But I've heard that one before so do yourself a favor and find something more I don't know," she said moving her hands around as if she were trying to find the right word. "Original."
That statement must have really got to the taller girl because the next thing Beca knew, she was lying on the ground getting an insane punch right to the nose.
For what seemed like the millionth time this game, the whistle was blown and number 10 had received a red card. As soon as she was pulled of Beca, the striker pulled her hand up to her bleeding nose.
"Jesus, Beca," she heard Emily say. "What is it with you and getting injured at literally every game we've had this year?"
Beca laughed and stood up from the ground. "She's not a fan," she replied, the blood from her nose dripping everywhere.
"Go see your coach," she heard and didn't protest, instead walking over, her left hand now almost completely covered in blood.
"Is it broken?" her coach asked and she shook her head.
"No, but can I get back in the game?" she asked removing her hand for the team doctor to make sure it wasn't broken.
"Go to the locker room and clean it up, then we'll talk," he answered. "Do you have another jersey? Yours is covered in blood."
Beca looked down before nodding her head. The striker looked up into the stands at Aubrey and signaled that she needed in her car by pulling on her jersey. Almost immediately, Aubrey reached in her pocket for her keys and stood up. The two of them walked off the pitch and out of the bleachers and met at the end.
"Are you okay?" The senior asked clearly worried about the younger woman.
"Yeah, Aubs," she replied with a laugh. "Can you grab my bag out of your car and meet me in the locker room?"
"Sure," she said and the two women went their separate ways.
Beca's bloody nose was a bitch to clean up so when she finally managed to make herself look like she wasn't just mauled by a lion, she pulled her jersey off and tossed it to the side, leaving herself only in her bra.
"Here," Aubrey said handing the soccer player's bag to her and she immediately found her extra jersey and slid it on over her head and mumbled a thank you before fixing her hair.
Aubrey watched Beca begin to unlace her shoes to tighten them before she spoke up. "I've been meaning to ask you," she started trying to not make a fool of herself and Beca looked up at her. "Is Jesse seeing anyone?"
The brunette sat up with a raised eyebrow and smirked at her newest friend. "Do you have a crush on that giant ass nerd?"
Aubrey opened her mouth to deny it but realized she couldn't. "Is it crazy? Am I crazy for liking him?"
Beca smiled and more gentle smile and shook her head. "No, not at all. Jesse is an amazing guy. I even had a crush on him in the fourth grade but it didn't go anywhere and thank God because I'm gay."
The two women laughed. "Did you want me to put in a good word for you?" Beca asked and Aubrey looked at her hopefully.
"Would you?" she asked and the soccer player nodded her head.
"Of course but you're a strong woman, Aubrey and you'd be surprised at how easy it is to talk to him. Fair warning though," she said standing up. "He's really annoying."
Aubrey nodded her head before pulling the smaller girl in for a hug. "Thank you," she said and they started walking back out to the field. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Chloe may or may not have a thing for you."
Beca's lips immediately turned up into a smile she couldn't control. "Really?"
Aubrey nodded her head. "Yup. She thinks you're an incredible kisser by the way but don't tell her I told you."
"I promise," Beca said holding out her pinky which Aubrey intertwined with her own.
"Go win the game," she said nodding the girl off and Beca ran back out when the whistle for the substitutions was blown, smiling to herself.
In the end, Barden won 4-3 which was really close considering it would have ended in a tie had it not been for Emily making it into the net at the last possible second.
"Another one won," the coach said and the girls ran into the locker room except for Stacie, Emily and Beca due to all of their belongings being in Aubrey's car.
"That was a good game," Stacie said. "We should all go out for a celebration."
"What?" Emily asked as they caught site of the silver car. "This is only the second game of the season."
"Yes," she nodded. "But if Beca keeps getting injured, she probably won't even make it to the qualifiers."
Beca laughed at the comment, knowing the taller girl was probably right. "I really do need to take it easy."
The girls finally made it to the car where Aubrey and Beca were talking to a few of their friends.
"You smell terrible," Chloe said scrunching her nose up at Beca.
"Wow thank you. You're so sweet," Beca smiled. "Just keep smelling my jacket."
"Here," she said pulling the leather jacket off. "You can have it back."
Beca shook her head and pulled it back up the redhead's arms. "I don't want my favorite jacket smelling terrible."
Chloe went to say something but Beca's dad had walked up to them.
"You girls did great," he said turning to the three soccer players. "I'm sorry about your nose, Beca."
"Don't worry about it," she said staring at him and no one said anything until Dr. Mitchell clapped his hands.
"Well I thought you, Emily and I could pick Katherine up at her work and go out to eat."
"See, I would dad," beca said. "But I've already made plans with my friends." The four girls as well as Jesse and Benji looked at her. "I'm telling you this now so I don't get yelled at again."
"We did?" Chloe asked and Beca sent her a pleading look. "That's right," she said playing it off. "I heard Stacie say something about celebrating the big win."
Thank you, Beca mouthed to the woman who just smiled back.
"Oh, you two are new," he realized. "I'm Dr. Mitchell, Beca's dad."
Aubrey and Chloe both shook his hands introducing themselves.
"I'm Chloe and this is Aubrey," the redhead said. "It's nice to meet you."
He nodded and turned back to his daughter and soon to be daughter. "We should really go, I already told Katherine we'd be there."
"Without even bothering to ask Emily and I?" Beca asked and he sighed.
"I'm not doing this with you, Beca. You two are my daughters and I say what you do and when."
Beca furrowed her eyebrows and nodded. "Huh, that's funny because Emily's not your daughter so you can't make her do shit. Not until you say 'I do.'"
Chloe had managed to make her way over to Beca and grab her hand which was hidden behind her back so no one saw it. The small action caused Beca to fight the urge to smile but ultimately calmed her down.
"You are just like your mother, Beca," he said was caused Beca's hand to go limp in Chloe's and the girl brought her eyes down. "Since you insist on you and Emily not going, fine but be in by midnight."
Beca's chest started rising and falling as she tried not to cry. "Okay," she said and turned to Aubrey. "Can we leave?"
She looked at Beca's dad before averting her gaze back on Beca who nodded her head and unlocked the door.
"Can we at least jump in the shower for three minutes before we do anything else?" Stacie asked and they all agreed before grabbing their clothes and going back into the locker room.
