by Nicole Shay
“Well, Joseph and I just made a deal to be friends!” Imogen said.
“Yes! We’re kind of like besties already.” Joseph joked.
“Oh” Lilith said with a nod thinking she had done something really well with setting the two of them up.
The three joked and laughed as they shared a giant piece of chocolate cake. It almost felt like the ‘pre-Olivia’ Imogen she thought as she went in for another forkful of cake. She felt carefree with no obligations, and more importantly no secrets. She wondered what Olivia was doing in that exact moment. Imogen wondered if Olivia was enjoying life without her. Was she laughing like they do when they’re together? Were her eyes lighting up like they did when she looked at Imogen?
Olivia’s eyelids felt heavier than usual and she could feel the dried tear stains on her face before she even opened her eyes. Sleep had somehow found her the previous night through the crying and then wishful thinking she’d drowned herself in. It was a Saturday and because they didn’t have a game her coach was holding morning a training session that morning to keep them intact. There was only a week or so left of season and they had to make it count. But Olivia didn’t want to go. She wasn’t sure if she’d momentarily lost her love for soccer or just her love for everything. She couldn’t feel anything but depression.
Once she reached the field with her teammates beginning to warm up, she tried to forget about anything and everything. It immediately deemed impossible as soon as she laced up her cleats and found herself thinking of the time she and Imogen played pick up. It didn’t get any easier from there. Her teammates were a constant reminder of Imogen and the rivalry and how she wasn’t as important as keeping up the front.
Olivia’s energy was gone. She hardly tried for any drill their coach put them through. Justine watched her with worried eyes, but Olivia pretended not to notice. She knew her teammates were quickly catching on to her attitude, but she didn’t look any of them in the eye unless necessary. Two hours was a long time for her to be under the concerned gazes from her girls.
Just as Olivia had taken off her cleats, Elaine took a seat next to her. Olivia didn’t acknowledge her presence at all.
“This rivalry isn’t worth shit,” Elaine said in a hushed tone, her intense gaze on Olivia.
Olivia’s whole body stiffened as she realized Elaine knew what was wrong without even asking. “Apparently it is to her,” she mumbled somewhat bitterly.
The keeper shook her head. “She’s stupid for that. This rivalry’s gone too far and I’m sick of it.”
The striker only nodded.
“She loves you,” Elaine continued. “She just needs to stop being so scared.”
Olivia shook her head. “You don’t get it,” she whispered, looking down at the cleats in her hands. “I saw her. Last night.”
“You two talked?”
“No. She was..with someone else?”
“A teammate?”
Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. “A date.”
Elaine looked at her with a confused expression. “Date?”
“With some guy,” the forward went on. It was the most she’d said in the past twelve hours. “They were having a good time.”
“Did she see you?”
“No, I left as soon as I saw.”
None of it made any sense to Elaine. From what Ornella had told her, it seemed like Imogen was as lost as Olivia had been the past week. “Are you sure?”
“It’s been a week Elaine,” she rasped, blinking back tears that were beginning to appear again. “She’s made up her mind.”
“You’re worth more than this damn rivalry Olivia,” Elaine promised, her eyes seeming to burn holes into Olivia’s skin for their intensity. “So much more.”
Olivia only hummed in response, believing that if she tried to open her mouth, no words would come out due to the tightness of her throat. Never in her life had she felt so empty and lost. Everything changed in a month and now she was back to zero.
Elaine put her hair up in a towel after pulling on some shorts and an old t-shirt. She’d just taken a hot shower after practice, trying to clear her head from everything that was going on with her team, especially Olivia. Suddenly her phone rang and she quickly picked it up realizing it was Ornella.
“Hey babe, what’s up?”
“Hey so you remember my friend from the party last weekend, the field hockey girl?”
The keeper thought for a moment, trying to recall an image of said girl. “Umm..yeah, what about her?”
“She’s throwing another party this weekend and told me to invite my soccer friends! So you’re coming, and I think we should invite some of our teammates!” Ornella excitedly said hopeful that peace between the two rival teams was possible.
“Wait wait, did you say our teammates, as in...bring our rivalry into the party?” the older girl asked for clarification, as if she hadn’t heard Ornella correctly.
Ornella knew it was risky and by all means it could blow up in their faces, but she also knew she had enough with the rivalry. “ I’m done with the rivalry, Elaine. And I know a lot of my teammates are as well. There’s no reason for us to continue the legacy of hating each other!”
Elaine let out a long sigh. “I know you want to just end all this stupid shit, but what do you really think is going to happen once our teammates see each other?”
“Things will always be bad before they get better!” She stated confidently.
“I feel like you’re too optimistic about this,” the older girl frowned. “but okay. We’ll go along with your idea and see how this goes. I’ll see you tonight baby,” she promised, smiling a little as she finished her sentence.
Ornella sensed Elaine’s hesitation as she tried her best to smile for reassurance. She had no idea how the night would play out, but she knew to expect the unexpected at the very least.
Three hours ago, Olivia had been notified in the team’s group text that there was a party going on and everyone who could needed to be there. Of course, the forward was ready to opt out of the party, but Elaine had immediately ordered Maeve and Kerrie over to Olivia’s house to get ready and make sure she didn’t stay at home. Olivia had simply laid on her bed, knowing her two teammates would be over in less than twenty minutes. She didn’t want to go anywhere; she hadn’t felt like doing anything in a long time. Nothing seemed right without Imogen, especially since Imogen seemed to be happy without her.
But there Olivia was, at some place she wasn’t familiar with surrounded by teammates who were all doing their part to try to cheer the girl up. It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful for them - she was, really - it was just that no matter how hard she tried, nothing ever seemed fun or motivating for her.
Imogen had just put some sweats on when she heard a loud rap on her front door. Before she could reach the stair to see who it was, her mom had opened it and Ornella was flying up the stairs like nothing else mattered.
“Whoa Nella? What are you doing-?” Imogen began but was stopped as her friend grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back into her room.
She hurriedly began to dig through Imogen’s closet looking for something.
“Ornella?” Imogen exclaimed confused as to what her best friend was up to now.
“Hmmm this won’t work” Ornella said as she held up a shirt to Imogen.
“Where are we going?” Imogen asked a little louder, demanding an explanation.
“Here, put this on, we’re going to a party!” Ornella excitedly said knowing Imogen needed to get out.
“A party? Dude, I’m already in my sweats, I’m not going to a party tonight!” Imogen stated.
“You never know who you’ll meet at a party.” Ornella suggested with a smirk and a wink.
“Oh shut it squirrel” Imogen said turning red as the memory of the masquerade popped back into her head.
“Come on, just get dressed, it’ll be fun!”
Imogen sighed not willing to fight this one, she gave in “Fine, but promis
e me no drama, okay?”
Ornella put her hands up innocently “No drama, promise!” she said hoping she would be able to keep that promise.
“Have fun and don’t drink too much,” Elaine ordered her teammates who were taking in the new scene.
“Wait, where are you going?” Willow asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elaine smirked, feeling a bit of confidence in her answer. “I know a few people here,” she replied vaguely before slipping into the crowd to look for her girlfriend.
“Come on Olivia, it’s girls night!” Maeve announced, linking her arm through Olivia’s.
Olivia sighed, dropping her shoulders. “I really don’t want to be here.”
“Ollie, you need to get out of the house,” Justine said gently, looking at the striker. “This is good for you, I promise.”
“I think I need a drink,” Olivia moaned, tugging at Maeve who dutifully led her to the first drinks they could find.
I wonder what Imogen’s up to right now, she thought, then suddenly wanted to take the thought back as the image of Imogen and the guy from the restaurant flashed through her mind.
Imogen hopped out of the car and looked at the bustling house getting more uneasy as she regretted ever saying yes in the first place. Before she could moan and groan about coming her eyes found some of her teammates in the front window. She turned her head to a group walking into the party ahead of her and Ornella. It was Elaine, Olivia, Maeve, and Kerrie.
Her eyes widened “You told me there would be no drama, Nella.” Imogen hissed nervously as she kept her eyes on Olivia’s figure in her perfect outfit choice for the night.
“Yeah, there’s won’t be any drama!” Ornella said not looking at what Imogen was looking at.
“Look! That looks a lot like drama right there!” Imogen said pointing to the rivals entering the party. “Come on, it’s going to be like World War Three in there, we have to stop it!” she stated as she took the lead and grabbed Ornella’s arm this time to drag her into the party.
Olivia was taking her sweet time with her alcohol intake, just barely finishing off one drink as Maeve grabbed a third. She couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You okay there?”
“I’m great!” Maeve chirped, beginning to chug down the newly acquired drink.
“Slow down there,” Kerrie warned, tension evident in her voice. “We’ve got company.”
The two forwards turned their heads to where Kerrie was facing. Olivia gulped as she spotted Imogen with her teammates.
Oh my god.
“Is that Allie Long?” Maeve spat, almost dropping her drink. “What the hell are they doing here?”
“Out of all nights,” Olivia mumbled to herself. “Out of all parties,” she went on, then was immediately reminded of the night she kissed Imogen.
“You know what? It’s about time that bitch gets what she deserves,” Maeve suddenly told them, getting up and leaving her drink on the table.
“Maeve,” Kerrie let out an exasperated sigh, watching at Maeve shook up Justine’s gentle touch.
“The alcohol is giving her too much of a buzz,” Hailey frowned, shaking her head as she took another swig. “Nothing holding her back tonight.”
“Here we go,” Kerrie muttered, grabbing Olivia’s wrist and dragging her after Maeve.
“No Kerrie!” Olivia hissed, tugging her arm but failing to get rid of Kerrie’s grasp. “Let me stay over there,” she begged as they approached Imogen.
“It’s Maeve,” Kerrie informed her, grip tightening. “She needs us.”
“Funny seeing you here,” Maeve said loudly as she strode towards Allie and her teammates.
Allie turned slowly at the familiar sound of Thenard’s voice, like an itch that wouldn’t go away.
“Go home Thenard, you’re sloppy” Allie scoffed as she took a step toward the girl.
Maeve let out a sound of disbelief. “You’re a bitch.”
Kerrie looked at Olivia for help, but the girl kept her head low to avoid looking at Imogen.
The midfielder clenched her jaw as she looked hard at Olivia waiting for those blue eyes to look at her. But they didn’t. She heard Allie and Maeve bickering and it was just dead noise at that point compared to the overwhelming beating of her heart as she watched Olivia’s head hang low.
Ornella was lingering in a corner with Elaine until the both of them heard the familiar voices of their teammates.
“Oh no,” Ornella said as she looked over to see the scene breaking out.
Elaine turned her head away from the freckled face she’d been admiring and frowned. “So how bad were you expecting this to get?”
Ornella hadn’t thought her plan through this far ahead. She knew the bickering and fighting would happen, but she had no idea how to get to the ‘better’ after the ‘bad’.
“Oh, this was a bad idea..” she murmured feeling ashamed that she should’ve known better.
Elaine watched the Allie and Maeve go back and forth with short interjections from other teammates to either back of or to add their own comments. She saw Olivia’s head down and noticed Imogen’s eyes on her as if willing for her to look up.
“I will slap you!” she heard Maeve threaten. Elaine looked back at Maeve to see the girl’s hand drawing back.
“Ornella!” Kerrie exclaimed from her side, grabbing her shoulder.
The keeper’s eyes widened and she grabbed Ornella’s hand. “Time for us to show up,” she said, leading the smaller girl towards the group of soccer players.
“Dare you Thenard, You won’t touch me!” Allie spat back.
The fight between Allie and Maeve seemed to be coming to a point-of-no-return as were Imogen’s growing feeling in her gut about Olivia. She suddenly realized that all she wanted was to go over and hold her girl without fear. She knew the only thing holding her back was the stigma of being with her supposed rival. And that just wasn’t enough anymore.
Olivia knew she should stop what was going on before someone got hurt. She knew Maeve wasn’t afraid of doing it - she’d done it once before and it left scars on the wrong person. But she also felt Imogen’s eyes on her. She felt the warm brown eyes almost making her skin burn. The surrounding silence between the two of them was too much to bear and Olivia was sure she’d go crazy soon.
She wanted to end the rivalry; in fact she needed to, but how could she do it when Imogen had chosen it over her? It was almost like Imogen was daring her to say something this time. The forward knew if she opened her mouth, she wouldn’t know what would come from Imogen as a response, and she wouldn’t know how much truth it held.
Where the hell is Elaine when I need her? Olivia thought, unsure if she had anything in her to stop what was happening.
Imogen had enough. Enough of the rivalry, enough of being away from Olivia, and enough of being in her own head. She pushed past Allie, ignoring the girl’s exclamation “What the hell” as she made her way to Olivia .Imogen grabbed the girl’s face in her hands and kissed her before anything else made sense.
At Allie’s indignant “What the hell”, Olivia had known something had shifted in the scene. She’d looked up just in time to feel Imogen’s hands on her face. The next thing she felt was Imogen’s lips on hers and she was in complete shock. It had been awhile since she’d felt so alive with something so familiar. Her initial shock over, Olivia kissed the girl back as her hands found Imogen’s waist. She didn’t care about the fact that everyone was probably watching them. She didn’t stop to think about their reactions. She didn’t even think about the boy she’d seen Imogen with. All she was able to process was that it was Imogen in her grasp and on her lips, and she didn’t want her to leave.
Another exclamation came from Allie but this time even more pronounced and louder “What the hell?” she nearly yelled as her eyes widened.
The room grew quiet as they all stared wide eyed at their two captains. Maeve’s jaw was open and most of the girls on either side were bewildered at the scene.
&nbs
p; Ornella squeezed Elaine’s hand as she held her breath not knowing what to do, especially now. Before anyone else could comment on what was happening, Elaine was dragging her the rest of the way to the group of girls.
Olivia pulled away slowly, not looking Imogen in the eye, instead she wrapped her arms around Imogen’s waist all the way and dug her head into the crook of her neck as a few tears escaped.
Imogen held Olivia close as she felt the girl bury herself in her. “I’m sorry Olivia, I love you” Imogen softly whispered as she held her even tighter. Imogen pondered how she ever thought she could live without Olivia when this moment was everything.
“I love you too,” Olivia managed to mumble even though her voice was raspy and softer with a sob being held back. She stayed buried into Imogen, not ready to face what was waiting for them.
“Well to answer your question Long,” Elaine started and soon all eyes were on her. She stood about a foot in front of Ornella, eyes focused on the blonde. She almost laughed at the girl’s disbelief.
“Our captains here have been together for almost the whole season,” she smirked.
“WHAT?” she heard from both sides and this time the keeper actually laughed.
“Guys really, this rivalry’s stupid. What are we even fighting for anymore? Do you have more of a reason to hate each other than the fact we both play good soccer and there are a few fouls here and there?” Elaine asked, looking at all her teammates specifically.
Hailey stared at her dumfounded. “What the hell are you saying, Elaine?”
“If Olivia and Imogen can look past it, then can’t we all? I’m so sick of all the fights and having to do some damage control every time Maeve opens her big mouth and Allie or Chloe says something to provoke her,” the keeper stated, looking at both Allie and Chloe as if to dare them to say something back at her.
“Can someone tell me what’s going on here?” Allie heatedly shouted.