Chapter 10 #3
Lily smiled, listening as her mom and Nell bickered about the correlation between cursing and intelligence.
She still didn’t really understand why they had broken up—they were basically the same person and seemed genuinely happy when they were together.
But when she had asked her mom about it, she had gone on a long-winded explanation about how every relationship, romantic or platonic, has a lifespan, and how different relationships can teach you different things about yourself, how not every relationship has to end in a big blow-up or a happy ever after, and sometimes relationships change shape and all of that.
To be honest, Lily had kind of tuned her out towards the end of her soapbox.
Selfishly, though, Lily was really, really glad they had remained friends.
Nell felt like family, and it would be weird if she suddenly wasn’t part of their lives.
The players from each team walked onto the field, taking their positions to start the match. Lily spotted Wren instantly. Freedom had won the coin toss, handing them the kickoff.
“Wren’s hair is definitely different,” her mom commented, and Lily immediately picked up on the fact that she was using her I think you made a mistake, but I’m not going to say anything tone, which was so obvious.
“I’m with Nell. I think it’s cool, but yeah, it’s different,” Lily said as the referee blew the whistle, starting the game.
Freedom and Pride left it all on the field for the entirety of regular play, leading the teams into heated extended play.
Two minutes before the end of the first half of overtime, Sydney stepped up to take a corner kick for Pride.
Lily watched Wren position herself, looking so focused. So locked in. So in her element.
“Oh, I have a good feeling about this,” her mom said, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. Nell paced next to her, her hands on her hips.
Sydney tapped the toe of her boot to the ground, her signature move, before stepping up and launching the ball in a perfect arc.
Lily sucked in a sharp breath, fists clenched, as Wren jumped, getting just enough of her head on the ball to flick it past the Freedom keeper’s hand into the back of the net.
The roar that filled the stadium was deafening.
Wren sprinted away from the goal, her fist in the air as she collided with Sydney, jumping up and down in joint excitement.
Lily’s stomach clenched—the discomfort of her jealousy.
It was stupid. She shouldn’t be jealous.
Wren and Sydney were celebrating what was objectively a freaking amazing goal.
And besides, Sydney was straight with a boyfriend.
But that didn’t stop the uneasy feeling of watching them together that was currently working its way through her entire body as she cheered for Wren.
Pride managed to hold on to their lead for the remainder of overtime, securing them the title of NWSL champions.
Back at Nell’s, where Lily and her mom were staying, Lily struggled to sleep.
After the post-game interviews and on-field celebrations had concluded, Lily had found Wren in the crowd. She tackled her with the biggest hug, squeezing her as hard as she could, wanting to transfer every ounce of pride she felt directly to Wren.
Wren’s excitement and wide, toothy smile were forever burned in her memory as Wren whispered in her ear, “I did it,” the words vibrating with adrenaline and pride.
After all the commotion, the two of them went their separate ways, Lily going back to Nell’s while Wren was no doubt celebrating the win with her teammates.
Lily flipped over in frustration. She couldn’t sleep—not for lack of comfort because this was one of the most comfortable beds she had ever slept in—but because she couldn’t turn her mind off.
Wren had said she would text her goodnight, but that text never came.
Lily knew that realistically, Wren was still probably enjoying post-win partying with her teammates, and she quietly hated herself for being annoyed by her success.
She reached for her phone from the bedside table, opening up Snapchat, tapping her way through video after video of Wren’s teammates’ celebrations, looking to see if she could spot Wren in the background.
When she got to Sydney’s account, that’s where she found Wren looking progressively wasted in each passing clip, the last one of Wren being helped onto the bed in their hotel room by whom Lily recognized to be the Pride’s keeper, Julie Jacobson, and center back, Henley Adams.
Well, that explains the lack of text. Wren was passed out—Lily was sure she’d be hurting in the morning. She tried to shake the feeling of delight in knowing that Wren was in for one hell of a hangover. Serves her right, she told herself before firing off a text to Wren.
Lily 2:37 AM
Goodnight superstar. I hope you’re having fun celebrating responsibly (or at least somewhat responsibly). See you back at home. I love you.
Okay, fine, maybe the text was a little passive-aggressive.
And maybe she had been banking on the late hour goodnight subtly highlighting the fact that Wren had forgotten to text her.
And perhaps the reminder to celebrate responsibly had been a small dig on her part.
Yeah, Lily had perfected the art of passive aggression.
But the I love you was sincere.
Again, that tiny feeling of a thread being pulled twinged in her chest. She knew it was wrong. She knew Wren probably didn’t mean not to text her. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.
Lily turned her phone off, setting it on the bedside table before rolling onto her side and willing sleep to come.
The following morning, she woke to a text from Wren.
Wren: 9:12 AM
I’M SO SORRY! I meant to text you, I really did, I got a little caught up in celebrating. I still can’t believe we won! Breakfast date tomorrow morning when we’re back home? I think we should go back to the Green Room. I really liked that place.
Lily read and reread Wren’s text. She appreciated that Wren’s follow-up had come so quickly, but still. Something about the whole exchange left her annoyed. Her phone buzzed in her hand, another text from Wren coming through.
Wren: 9:13 AM
ilysm
Lily looked at the phrase. I love you so much. She knew Wren meant it. She could feel how much Wren loved her whenever they were together. But why, in this moment, did Wren’s love feel like an afterthought?