"Gabrielle," Athena called from the back of the locker room as most of team was done showering and changing in front of their lockers.
The young right back turned to look at her coach.
"I would like to speak with you," Athena called. "In the office," she turned her back to the team and walked through the short hallway to the small room.
"Ohhh, damn, look who's heading to the principal's office," Amarice called as everyone turned their attention to Gabrielle.
Minya groaned at her and Ephiny shook her head.
"After the game she just had?" Ephiny pointed out. "If it is anything other than good news, we are rioting."
"Agreed," Cyane called as Yakut nodded.
"Also," Varia added knowingly. "Anybody seen Xena lately?"
"True," Eve stated with a warm smile and nod to Gabrielle.
Gabrielle wasn't really sure what that meant but stood and walked to the office. The door was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open and stepped inside. She instantly felt underdressed for the impromptu meeting. Athena was wearing the expensive looking silver pants suit she was wearing during the game. Aphrodite was similarly cladded but in pink. Gabrielle felt slightly better about her team-issued t-shirt and sweatpants since Xena was still in her full uniform like she had not gotten a chance to change since the game ended.
"Please sit, Gabrielle," Athena stated as she pointed at the minimalistic office chair as she leaned back against the minimalistic desk. Aphrodite was sitting on a small grey coach against the wall to right and Xena was leaning against the wall behind Gabrielle with her arms crossed tightly across her chest.
Gabrielle could feel her legs shake as she sat in the chair that she was pretty sure was from Ikea and was also certain Lila and Joxer had in their apartment.
"Oh, sweetie," Aphrodite called compassionately as she leaned forward off the couch. "Don't be nervous." The media professional turned to Athena. "You never listen to me when I tell you that you will do this."
Athena sighed heavily. Xena chuckled and Gabrielle peered over her shoulder at her.
"Sorry, kid," Xena told her with a smile. "She sucks at givin' people good news."
"Xena," Athena stated forcefully locking eyes with her.
Xena pressed her lips together and bowed her head. "Sorry, coach."
Athena turned her gaze to Gabrielle. "That was a very impressive performance. I am unsure what got into you, but whatever it is, I like it. And I feel we can utilize it moving forward."
Gabrielle peered in shock. What got into her was wanting to make Xena happy, but she certainly could not say that. So, she decided to voice the next thought that came to her mind. "Moving forward?"
"Yes," Athena stated. "I hope that is alright with you. I know the next round of the qualifier tournament occurs during and slightly after Stanford's finals week. Are you all right with that possible disruption to your academic schedule?"
Gabrielle laughed nervously that it was even a question. "Wha-of course, yes," Gabrielle replied.
Athena smiled at her pleased. "If you need a…note or something to get a final or assignment deadline reschedule, pleased let me know," her coach told her. "I will be in touch with your coach at Stanford, so there is an understanding about how your training will be handled with your duel responsibilities."
Gabrielle nodded; her mind too blown to speak.
"Good," Athena stated as she stood up from her desk. "I will see you at camp in two months, Gabrielle."
Athena began to walk toward the door of her office.
"Coach Athena," Gabrielle called as she stood from her chair. The coach turned over her shoulder at her. "Thank you," she told her.
Athena simply smirked and shrugged as she continued out of the office. Aphrodite began to follow her but stopped in front of Gabrielle. She placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile on her face.
"Good job, sweetie," Aphrodite told her. "I knew you could do it." She also left the room.
Gabrielle remained standing by her chair and turned to look at Xena.
"Told ya you're better than ya think, Gabrielle," Xena told her while keeping her eyes on her despite shaking her head knowingly.
Gabrielle smiled back but still could not get herself to speak amongst all the praise and shock.
Xena pushed herself off the wall and also headed for the door.
"Wait," Gabrielle called. The striker stopped and peered back at her. "Thank you, Xena," Gabrielle told her seriously. "I really couldn't have done this without you."
Xena pressed her lips together and smirked again.
"I mean, I wouldn't have had the confidence or the technical knowledge or like certainly the experience to have played that well against Canada if it hadn't been for you," Gabrielle admitted. She realized she had started sounding excited but ended with a hint of desperation in her voice.
Xena took a few steps back into the room until she was only inches from Gabrielle. The right back peered up at her intensely feeling the same heat setting her insides on fire as she did when she jumped on her in celebration. Xena reached a hand up to her face for a second then pulled it back. She exhaled deeply and meet Gabrielle's eyes. Gabrielle was at a fucking loss for what any of this could mean. How could Xena, Xena of the U.S. Women's National team be looking at her like that? Xena reached a hand toward her waist for a moment but also abruptly pulled it back.
Xena then turned and abruptly walked out of the coach's office. Gabrielle wasn't sure what to do in that moment. So, she let Xena walk away. But she did not want it to end there. To have whatever was happening between them to linger in that moment for almost two months. So, she collected her gear into her bag and sat on one of the chairs in the small corridor between their locker room and the doors that led to the parking lot outside the Orlando teams' locker rooms.
Shortly after Gabrielle had pulled the battered copy of "Antigone" out of her bag, which she had only remembered because of Athena's mention of her finals, a good majority of her teammates walked past her. They were all fully dressed and clearly heading back to the hotel.
"Hey, kid," Minya called her at. "We all know you are waiting for Xena, but when you guys are done, party in mine and Paulina's room to celebrate this win. And you need to be there since you facilitated this win."
Gabrielle peered up at her.
Amarice laughed as she walked through her confused gaze. "Oh, come on."
Ephiny laughed. "Aphrodite thinks she is stealth. But she can't fool us for a moment. You're staying through the end of the qualifiers?" the veteran player stated at her. She nodded in response to Gabrielle's stunned expression. "So, come to Minya and Paulina's when you are done here."
Gabrielle stayed in her spot for another half hour or so. She was not sure. Her concentration was only broken when she heard soft footsteps and looked up to find their source. The U.S. National Team captain was wearing black vans, incredibly tight fitted grey jeans, and a black U.S. Soccer branded muscle tank. Gabrielle felt her breathing increase just by looking at her. This really wasn't fair. How was she supposed to act like a person when she was that already so attractive and then dressed like that?
"Did you wait for me?" Xena questioned as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Incredibly toned arms, Gabrielle thought. God, I need to stop this.
"Maybe," Gabrielle told her with a smile.
Xena laughed to herself. "Okay. You wanna hop in my Uber. I think the team bus has stopped running rounds."
Gabrielle really had not thought that part through. "Yes," she stated, rather embarrassed. "Thank you."
They got in the back of the Prius and sat in silence for a while.
"So, uh," Gabrielle started to break to silence. "Minya and Paulina are having a thing in their room. You going?"
Xena shrugged. "Yeah, I'll probably go for a bit," Xena answered with a shrugged. "Only a few doors down from mine, what's the harm? And it's a celebration of the team's success, so as captain…"
"You are only going out of obligation?" Gabrielle asked as the Uber stopped outside the hotel. She opened the door nearest to the sidewalk and got out. She waited for Xena to slide across the back seat and join her on the sidewalk.
Xena waited to respond since the lobby was oddly crowded and she assumed at least a few of the people linger around the couches and at the bar where in town for the game. She turned to Gabrielle once the doors closed and sealed the two of them alone in the elevator.
"It's not only an obligation," Xena told her. "I'm sure you've already been told but this win is on you and your performance tonight. If we are celebratin' that, I wanna be there," Xena peered down at her with a warm smile.
The elevator stopped and dinged as the doors opened to Gabrielle's floor. A group of slightly drunk twenty-somethings clearly heading for the rooftop patio entered. Gabrielle had to awkwardly duck around them.
"See you in a bit," Xena called and winked at Gabrielle as the doors closed.
One of the drunk elevator riders peered at Xena for a moment until she locked eyes with him and raised her eyebrows.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked.
Xena also laughed since she was wearing at least three logos that could have given him the answer.
"Probably," she stated as the doors opened, and she walked out and to her room.
She dropped her bags beside her bed and grabbed the bottles from a local Orlando cidery that her mom had recommended before she headed for the door again. She guessed Ephiny was already down the hall in Minya and Paulina's room.
Xena could hear the erupting laughter and music set to a respectful volume as she entered the room.
"Captain," Minya called as she entered into the small kitchen area behind Xena. "You have graced us with your presence," she stated as she dramatically bowed to her.
Xena shook her head at her. "Yeah, yeah, I got to slum it with you idiots at some point," Xena shot back as she reached for a plastic cup off the stack on the counter.
Minya hit her on the shoulder with a smile. "Oh, and you brought the fancy alcohol," she jeered as she watched her open one of the cider bottles.
"My mom suggested it," Xena stated.
Minya moved closer to her to peer at it. "Oh shit, really?" she called in a much more serious tone. "Can I have some?"
"No, I only brought it for myself," Xena deadpan as she poured some into a cup and passed it to Minya.
They both turned toward the warm laugh behind them.
"Is your mom some sort of beer god?" Gabrielle questioned Xena.
Xena peered at her and smiled.
"Her mom owns a bottle shop," Minya almost shouted at Gabrielle. "It's amazing. She hasn't told you?"
Gabrielle held her hands up, despite the wine bottle in her right hand. "She has," she replied with a nod. "I just didn't realize how popular it was."
"Make her take you," Minya pointed at Gabrielle as she walked toward her and back to the rest of the party in the main area of the hotel. "Cyrene is a beer god."
Xena crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter. "So, looks like I'm taking you to Lexington at some point?"
"I would like that," Gabrielle stated, not sure what had come over her and compelled her to be that bold.
She must have blushed after she said it causing Xena's reaction. She smirked as she bowed and shook her head. "You're bein' real cute about this, Gabrielle. Maybe too cute."
Gabrielle swallowed nervously as she made her way to the counter beside her and fumbled at opening the wine bottle. "Yeah?" Gabrielle questioned as she finally got the wine bottle opener to work. "Does-does that even matter?"
"What are you—oh yeah," Xena interrupted herself, remembering everything her newest teammates had witnessed and said. "I…well, well shit," Xena trailed off and grabbed her cup of cider and took a long drink.
Gabrielle had finally gotten the wine bottle open and poured some into a cup. "I'm sorry I even brought it up. That was probably dumb on my part. I just…" she took an intense sip of her wine, "I overheard her talking in the lobby that last day in Atlanta and you looked really upset on the bus. And then I don't know, I just kept thinking about it during the game. And…and us losing it would have made you more upset and I didn't want that, so…"
Gabrielle felt her entire face turn red with embarrassment as she tired to hide her face in her cup of wine as she finished it and turned to pour herself more.
"Fuck," Xena whispered under her breath. "Gabrielle, are you really saying…"
"Yeah," Gabrielle answered, keeping her back to Xena as she finished filling her wine cup and slowly turning around to face her. The right back took a deep nervous breath and shrugged. "Yeah," she repeated. "That's what I'm saying."
Xena gave a stunned laugh and peered at the floor between them as she shook her head.
"God damnit," Xena stated softly as she turned her eyes up to Gabrielle and took a few steps toward her. "If I didn't already like you, Gabrielle."
Gabrielle peered at her stunned. "Wait, what? Really?"
Warm, caring, crystal blue eyes peered back at her. "Come on, Gabrielle."
They lingered in that moment for a while, both of them trying to determine who should step closer first.
"Ahh, fuck, fuck, fuck!" someone called out of the main area of the hotel room.
Amarice scurried into the kitchen and grabbed their arms to pull them into the living room. "Your guys' goal! It's the ESPN number one play! Come look!"
"Oh my! Ialous commentary called out of the television. "The United States has taken the lead with less than three minutes of stoppage time remaining. Xena scores the possible game winner from a first professional career assist from newcomer Gabrielle."
Xena placed her arm around Gabrielle's shoulders and peered down at her with a smile that suddenly felt like something much more than encouraging and proudful. "I told ya."
