Every year there is a competition between freshmen from different colleges, to make sure they get the school's spirit. Alex is a freshman, Marissa is the sophomore in charged of training the girls soccer team.

Don't own anything.

Thoughts are in italic.

Flashbacks are in bold.

AN: Thanks to ?, kookookachoo, silverscreen crush, TheLyricsThatComposeXMyLifeX, ILUVU4870, kelsey, shassy25, s3xy-Lady, Lang, bigblusky, palex80, drumstiix, Elanor90 and DD for the reviews.

Lang, can you be sure of that? who am i kidding, i'm sucker for happy endings ;)

Elanor90, glad u liked it, but i must say thats not gonna be like that forever. but i'm not sure if i should have told u that.

And DD, they are not teenagers. They are very responsible and calm young adults. Nah! You are right, they shouldn't get away with it.

Now, on with the story.

Chapter 11

"Alex, hey, wait up" The blonde said joining Alex.

"Anna, hi."

"Where have you been? It seems like ever since we got here, I haven't talked to my best friend anymore."

"I guess I got kinda busy with all the games and stuff" Alex had no intention of informing Anna of what 'stuff' she was referring to.

"Well, now we are gonna spend some time together."

"Shouldn't we be heading to some game?" Alex already knew the answer but she figured that if she kept Anna's mind busy, the other girl wouldn't ask what was wrong with her.

"It's men's football, but by the time we get there it will probably over. What took you so long anyway?"

"My wounds needed dressing. But if it took this long, why did you wait for me?"

" 'cause it seems like we haven't seen each other since we got here." Anna replied matter of factually "Besides why didn't you call me to help you with you wounds? You didn't need to do it yourself."

"I didn't, Marissa did it for me." Alex said, trying to be as casual as possible, but Marissa's words still echoed in her mind "So what did you have in mind for us?"

"I heard of this ice cream shop that's just amazing."

"Anna, it's freezing"

"And what's your point?"

Marissa had walked out a while later, she needed a moment to fully understand what she had just done. She had made a decision out of fear, but a conscious one none the less. Marissa knew that if she lived in a perfect world, she probably would have given whatever Marissa and Alex had a chance.

But they didn't live in a perfect world and Marissa had no intention of being different, being pointed at, being whispered about, being the thing mothers warn their children against.

No, Marissa wanted to be normal. She wanted a husband, a house with a white picket fence, 2.5 children and a dog. That's all she wanted, that's all she was supposed to want. Well, maybe a car and bunch of clothes too.

Besides who was to that everything that they had already had wasn't it. What if they gave it a shot only to find out they were completely different people that knew how to kiss? That they couldn't hold a conversation with each other? Would they base their entire relationship on great sex? And not even that Marissa could be sure of, as they hadn't done it. The brunette only assumed that the sex would be good, based on the way the Alex had made her feel the night before.

We probably wouldn't even have lasted a day. Marissa reasoned with herself.

That's why the brunette was so sure she had made the right decision. But as she watched Anna teasing Alex as they walked away, Marissa couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

Eventually Anna had convinced Alex to go to the ice cream shop, much to the girl's protests, but getting there Alex could thank whoever looked out for her that the place had a very good heater.

"So, tell me Alex, what's been going on with your life?"

"Nothing much, you know games, games and games. And oh, yes, I almost forgot: I got beaten up" Alex desperately needed to talk to someone about what happened with Marissa, but she wasn't sure if she could discuss it with Anna. After all, they only knew each other for a few months.

"It sucked. You know, when I found out you were already playing volleyball. If someone had told me, I would have gone to find you"

"I know, don't worry. Last night, I was pretty much out of it. Don't even know how I got back"

"Yeah. Then maybe that's why you sucked that bad in the game" Anna said laughing

"Hey. Watch it"

"But seriously, how are you feeling?"

"Better I guess" If I just ignore my heart.

"If you need something, let me know."

Then there was a moment of silence, where they both enjoyed their own ice creams. But Alex had something in her mind, something she wasn't quite sure how to approach.

"Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you…" Alex took a deep breath before continuing "Have you ever felt something for a girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, have you ever felt like you wanted to kiss another girl?"

The other girl took a moment to respond, not that the question had taken her by surprise but she knew she couldn't say the wrong thing.

"Well, I guess that what I can say is that I have thought about it, I have always wanted to find out what it would be like. Like going bung jumping, I would think: I've always wanted to try it but I probably never will." Anna answered truthfully.

"Eww, that's just gross." The answer came from a girl that had overheard their conversation. "That just isn't right. There is a reason to why other species don't do it with the same sex. Because it's WRONG. And you two would do well to remember it."

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Anna responded and the girl left with a huff and a few unlady-like words. "Why did you wanna know, Alex?"

Alex had been quiet during the whole interaction, she had recognized the girl that had interrupted their conversation, they had a class together. And the girl's reaction was exactly why she was so afraid of talking to anyone about her feelings.

"Nothing really, just curious." At that moment Anna wanted to kill the girl that had interrupted them. She was sure Alex was starting to open up to her new friend, and now she had put up her defenses again.

Marissa wasn't in a very good mood, nope she REALLY wasn't. You see, the brunette was having an abstinence syndrome. Abstinence of a beautiful, sweet and intelligent blonde girl named Alex that she hadn't seen ever since morning.

It was weird that Marissa felt like this after all she said to Alex, but it had been over 24 hours that she had last kissed the blonde, and yes, she was suffering from a very severe abstinence syndrome.

Marissa had missed the blonde girl all day long. She longed to see Alex, but the girl seemed to have vanished into thin air. No one knew where she was, and Marissa had asked, asked the people Marissa usually hung out with, people that had become her fans, people that might have seen her. But nothing, no one had seen the blonde.

Alex hadn't been at any of the games, even the ones she was supposed to play. Marissa had even asked Jodie about Alex's whereabouts, but only got an angry 'shove it' in response. It worried Marissa, because the blonde was adamant that morning to get to the games, and besides the last time Alex went missing Marissa found her being beaten up.

It wasn't until she saw the blonde leaning against a tree in a local park nearby that Marissa calmed down. Not exactly calmed down, she wanted to beat Alex up for making her so worried and then, well then, Marissa would kiss her senseless. But the brunette would have probably given Alex a piece of her mind if Jodie hadn't beaten her to the punch.

It was already dark, and Alex was walking around at a small park that was a couple of blocks away from their room/basketball court. Anna had left a while ago, as she had a game to play. Actually, it was female football, and Alex was also on the team but she didn't feel like giving a repeat performance of the night before, as she was so sure she would. Alex was just glad that Anna didn't insist all that much for her to go too, the other girl seemed to understand that Alex wasn't feeling all that well.

But it was about time that the others got back from the games and Alex had sinking feeling that not everyone would be as understanding as Anna.

"Alex, where have you been?"

"Here." Was the blonde's short response, one that Jodie didn't like one bit.

"Well, don't give me this smart ass remarks. You knew you had a game tonight. Actually, not one but two games." Actually, Alex had completely forgotten about the basketball game.

"I didn't see the point in me going. I would suck anyway."

"That's for me to decide. By the way we lost."

"Both games?"

"No, only the basketball one."

"Sorry"

"Don't tell me you are sorry. You should have been there."

"Why I wouldn't have played anyway."

"Look, I know what happened with Marissa and I know it sucked, but it was no reason to skip a game, you had to be there."

"Why? Are you gonna make me go? Oh, wait. You can't"

"I can't make you go, but I thought you were responsible enough not to leave your team. They needed the moral support, just like you needed it not so long ago to play your first soccer game, or did you forgot about that?"

"I just can't play"

"Fine, then go and sit at the bench. Let them know you are there. It helps. And if you want my advice, don't let that girl run your life"

"I don't think I need anyone's advices on how to live my life, and I have no idea what you're talking about." Alex said, thinking back to the reaction the girl had when Alex and Anna had been talking at the ice cream shop earlier.

"Marissa told me about what happened with the two of you."

"Look, nothing happened. I don't know what you are talking about"

"You two getting hot and heavy last night, ring any bells? Marissa told me"

"What do you mean she told you? She told me not to tell anyone."

"Really, she told you not to tell anyone? Then I guess I just have to share theses news with some of my friends."

"Please, don't"

"Alex, don't let her run your life. It's yours."

"I know, you've already said it. But please don't tell anyone, I can't deal with people knowing."

"Okay then. If you are the one that wants to keep it quiet, I will. But if I find out that you are just doing this to protect her, I'm telling everyone. You need to start making decisions for your own life"

"It's all me."

"Okay. Now, let's get back. Tomorrow you are going to all the games, even if it is just to watch."

"Fine."

"Good, by the way, you heard what happened to those people that beat you?"

"Not really"

"They spent the night in jail, a little worse for wear. I guess after you felt, we didn't feel like just like just letting them getting away with it, and gave them a little of their own medicine. Anyway, you need to press charges or they will walk"

"I don't want to, I just wanna forget that that day ever happened." Alex meant that in more ways than one.

"If you say so. Anyway Princeton will get some punishment for it. Maybe money, some games without anyone but the team watching, or even those girls being forbidden from ever playing on this league again."

"Good. Jodie, can I change with you?"

"Excuse me?"

"The sleeping bags. Apparently, my sleeping bag is next to Marissa's and I really don't feel like sleeping next to her."

"Sure, I guess I can do it."

"Thanks"

"By the way, she was asking if anyone had seen you earlier."

"Look I don't wanna talk about her or hear one sentense that mentions her right now, okay?"

"As you wish"

I know, not much Malex action on this one, but somethings gotta happen.

Hey, I just realized that we are almost done with the beginning of the story, i cant say how happy i am. But we still have a long way to go. I'll try write faster.

Please review.