The one word to describe a Solo family gathering was deranged.

A young woman, a few years older than Hope, was in the midst of an argument over what type of crackers to use with Hope's mother, Judy. The young woman was Hope's half sister, Teresa. The two had never been impeccably close, or friendly with each other, and they seemed to be drifting apart even more (if that was possible) as they aged.

Hope's older brother Marcus held hands with his new girlfriend Nicole as he chatted with Gerry, Hope's father, and Glenn, her step father. Gerry and Glenn seemed to get along very well, most likely because they had both been divorced from the same woman.

Hope was sitting with her Grandma Alice on the sofa that overlooked the fireplace and the kitchen table, where stockings, gingerbread and an array of crackers and cheese were spread out. A plump evergreen tree was situated in the corner of the living room, covered with popcorn strands, tinsel, blinking lights and glass ornaments, that were in danger of being knocked to the ground by the Solo's family dogs, Sasha and Onyx.

"How's your knee doing?" Grandma Alice gestured to the girl's cast as she spoke through a bite of the gingerbread man she had just beheaded.

Hope shrugged. "I'm off all medication," she said, smiling at the elderly woman. "But it still hurts a lot, and I won't be able to play soccer until after spring break. I should be good for next season, though."

"How's New York?" Alice asked again, this time, removing the arms off of the gingerbread guy.

"Much more humid, and less cloudy. Fall and winter are beautiful, though. I guess all the seasons are more extreme."

Alice nodded, imagining the city. She had never been to the north east of America; her travels usually took her to Oregon, California or Montana.

"Guys, have some crackers," Teresa called from the kitchen, lifting up a tray filled with cheddar cheese and whole grain crackers.

"Looks good," a few people mumbled as everyone made their way into the kitchen. Hope crutched behind them, occupying the seat next to her step father, Glenn. Her mother took her crutches and leaned them against the wall.

A conversation started up around the table about the ranking of the Seattle Seahawks, a common topic in the Solo household, as everyone except Hope was a big fan of football. The keeper chose not to take part in this discussion, instead snacking on the hors d'oeuvres.

The conversation finally came around to Hope, who was asked how was her boyfriend Jerramy doing. She paused, not sure how to answer.

Truth was, the couple had broken up the day after Hope had been released from the hospital. Only Alex and whoever Jerramy might of told knew. Obviously, the Solos did not.

"Jerramy is good, I think. I don't really know. You should ask him," she finally said.

Judy and Gerry looked at her in confusion. "Honey, shouldn't you know? You talk to him everyday, right?"

Hope looked down. "We- we actually aren't together anymore."

A heavy silence unfolded itself around the table at these words, as Judy, Glenn, Marcus and Teresa all stared at her in shock.

"What the fuck?" Marcus asked incredulously.

"Marc, watch your language," Judy warned, not removing her eyes from her embarrassed daughter.

Turning back to the goalie, Judy opened her mouth. "What the hell, Hope?! You guys were great together. We'll liked him! Shouldn't you of talked to us before you made your decision?!"

Hope looked up, a glare resting on her face as she addressed the family sitting around her. "I'm 18. I can handle my own love life," she set down her half cracker and reached for the crutches balanced against the wall behind her. "Your input isn't important to me this time," she said, standing up on one foot and hopping until she was able to walk with the crutches. She hobbled out of the room and all the Solos flinched as they heard Hope's bedroom door slam minutes later.

In her room, Hope dropped the crutches to the carpeted floor, which for one she hated for the fact that the softness silenced the bang of them hitting the ground. Laying back against her bed, Hope closed her eyes and then opened them, looking around her room angrily.

The walls of the room were a dark brown, one white with a matching flower design. Various soccer trophies and medals hung around the room, most noticeably on the wall where she had taped up (to her mother's disliking) pictures of Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach and Brianna Scurry, as well as some of her other soccer idols.

When Hope had begged to re do her room in eleventh grade, Judy Solo had agreed very easily, wanting to take charge and make sure everything was matching and aesthetically pleasing. Hope, who didn't mind (for once) her mother's leadership, let the older woman design it, and the brown flowers was what she had come up with. The keeper actually liked it- it comforted her and made her feel at peace.

Hope picked up the miniature stuffed soccer ball she kept on her nightstand and threw it into the air, caught it, and placed it back on the table, having already lost interest.

Her leg had begun to throb inside the cast and Hope wanted, well needed, to go downstairs and get an Advil from the medicine cabinet in the downstairs. But, she couldn't bare to face her family again and show weakness.

Instead, the keeper hobbled to her white desk and put on her yellow headphones, which she really liked because they didn't fit in at all, and blasted Hey Violet, her favorite band, at full volume.

When her mother knocked on her door, Hope physically couldn't get up to answer, and she couldn't hear the noise. Judy let herself in and had to smile at the sight before her. Hope with her bright yellow headphones in, reading The Passenger by Lisa Lutz. The scene reminded her of when Hope was in middle and high school, and got teased and bullied for dressing like a tom boy.

Judy cleared her throat, but Hope didn't even look her way or make any obvious movement to acknowledge her mother.

Judy sighed and left the room.