"Kelley, stop being nervous! You're making me nervous!" Alex said, looking at her girlfriend anxiously.

The freckled girl next to her threw up her hands in defeat. "I'm not nervous! You're just freaking out. Keep two eyes on the road, Al."

Alex groaned and glared at the pavement through the window. "Am I going the right way?" the forward finally asked, eyeing the map Kelley was holding. Kelley nodded shortly. "If there's not any extra traffic, we'll be there is one hour."

A heavy silence fell between the couple once again. Kelley sat crossed leg in the passenger seat of Alex's Subaru, a coffee in her hand and a blanket in her lap.

"How are you not nervous?" Alex asked, politely declining when Kelley offered her a sip of coffee. She didn't understand how the forward could function this early in the morning without caffeine. It wasn't really early. Nine.

"Kels, I think we should call your Mom and Dad and tell them what happened and where we're going."

The girls had decided they wouldn't tell either of their parents until after the first meeting. It wasn't to exclude the parents, they just wanted to make sure their decision was set. It was something they needed to do on their own.

To Alex's surprise, the Irish girl next to her nodded weakly. "The sooner the better."

The forward bit her lip, glancing at Kelley who had her finger hovering over the O'Hara's contact number.

"Just do it," Alex muttered, feeling her heart speed up in her rib cage. Taking a deep breath, Kelley pressed the call button and turned the phone to speaker.

"Hello?" the muffled voice of Karen O'Hara, Kelley's mother said, picking up on the first ring. "Kelley?"

The girl paused. Alex placed a hand on her forearm and gave a short nod. "Hi mom," Kelley said, gulping her fear down to her stomach.

"What's up, hun?" Karen asked cheerfully.

"Uh, Is Dad there?" Kelley said, no hint of happiness in her voice.

"Yeah, he's sitting next to me. We're heading back from dinner. Do you need something?"

Kelley bit her lip nervously. "Uh, could you please put your phone on speaker?"

Karen did, and a moment later the voice of Dan O'Hara rang through. "Honey, who is it?" he asked his wife.

"Hi Dad."

"Kelley!" the older man boomed, making both girls flinch at his volume.

"Guys, I need to tell you a few things," she started, pausing to take another sip of her Starbucks.

"Yes?" the couple asked in unison.

"I... I tr-tried..."

"Honey, what did you try? And what's that noise?"

Kelley looked up to see her girlfriend with hot tears running down her pink cheeks. She rubbed Alex's hand on the wheel, knowing if it was Alex making the call, Kelley's reaction would be the same.

"I tr-tried to ki-kill myself."

Those were the words. Alex let out an audible sob next to her and the car swerved dangerously. Kelley's parents clammed up on the other end of the phone, neither making any noise.

"You did?" Her father said, his voice hovering only above a whisper. Kelley nodded, not caring that they couldn't know. If she said another word, she would break down into tears.

"Yes," Kelley whispered. "But my Alex came and stopped me."

"Who's Alex?" Karen asked. She was obviously sobbing. The sound broke Kelley's heart, and made her want to start crying in her mother's arms. The

"Sh-she's now my girlfriend. And I love her very much."

-

"Kel."

"Kels."

"Kelley."

"Kelley O'Hara."

The girl's eyes snapped open and she shot up in her seat, a panicked expression on her face. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she realized it was only Alex, gently shaking her awake.

"We're here?" Kelley assumed, looking around the parking lot tiredly.

Alex nodded next to her. "You ready?"

Kelley gave a weak smile, stepping out of the car and picking up the manila folder filled with paperwork out of the backseat.

"Ready," she said, sliding a hand into Alex's and staring up at the building entitled Suicidal Therapy Prevention.

-

"Allie, why aren't you talking to me?"

The blonde ignored her friend and picked up the pile of paper and text books that was balancing on the her work stool.

Tobin sighed, frustrated. Everything seemed fine between the two of them yesterday, even after Jerramy arrived. But that morning, Allie refused to talk to the mid; only occasionally sending unsettling glances her way.

Allie stuffed her work into her backpack and sped out of their classroom, Tobin sprinting after her.

"Allie, please," she said, desperate. "I need to know. Did I upset you?" When the mid didn't respond, Tobin racked her brain for anything that might've hurt the blonde. She came back empty handed.

Allie didn't even look at her friend, just kept walking straight to the building where her Exercise and Sports Science class was held. It started in five minutes.

Realizing getting the blonde to try at talk to her was pointless, Tobin said a quick bye and walked the other way, heading to her Communications class.

Leaves had mostly fallen off the trees, leaving bare branches swaying above the sidewalk and a crunching sound every time the girl took a step. She wished she had brought a sweatshirt with her- the temperature had dropped below forty five and Tobin only wore a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

The date was November third and the soccer season ended in two weeks. Though disappointed it was about to be over, Tobin was excited for the freedom as well. Without practice almost every day after classes and games on weekends, she could spend more time with her friends and even go to church on Saturday nights like she used to with her family, instead of spending time on the field.

She arrived in the Communications department about fifteen minutes later and was greeted by Hope Solo, dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a NYU sweatshirt.

"Hey Tobs," she greeted her, smiling kindly. Tobin looked at the goalkeeper wearily, unsure of whether to bring up her boyfriend or Allie's weird behavior.

Thankfully, she was saved by the professor, who's voice rang out through the room. "Okay class, let's get started."

-