"Ali, please talk to me!" Ashlyn begged, touching her girlfriend's shoulder, agitated. 

"I am talking to you! You're not understanding me!" Ali complained, pulling away from the goalkeeper's touch, making a frustrated groan. 

Ashlyn sighed. "Sorry, honey. What? You're just not making any sense."

"Why am I in the picture?"

"I already told you! I don't know anything about the picture!?" Ashlyn begged, a glare of confusion evident behind her angry gaze. 

"Why wouldn't you tell me if you knew we had been friends at a young age! I know that you moved to Satellite Beach when you were five, and I moved from Orlando when I was three, but wouldn't I recall meeting the love of my life when I was that young?" Ali lectured, her vexed tone raising in volume. 

"Jesus, Ali, I'm sorry! But wouldn't I remember it also?! Besides, honestly, how much can you remember from when you were three?! I'm sorry I can't give you the answer you're looking for, but the photo must of been photoshopped. It's all just a prank, I'm sure!"

Ali went silent, a glare stabbing Ash in the face, her lips pressed into a thin, flat line and her cheeks as white as snow. It was the angriest the keeper had ever seen her defender counterpart, and to be honest, she was terrified. 

"Is that what you think this is?" she growled quietly.

"Ali I-" 

"Are you saying that the biggest are most painful secret I think anyone has ever kept from me is a prank?"

"Al, I-"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME! You think this is a prank? If you think this picture is a prank, you should take a step back and listen to yourself."

Ashlyn bit her lip nervously, her cheeks turning a peachy pink from the stress. A shaky hand ran through her bleach blonde hair, twisting and pulling at the ends, a anxious habit she had kept throughout her life. Ali instantly noticed this, and felt maybe the smallest ounce of guilt, but tried to push it aside. 

"I'm sorry," Ashlyn whispered, her stare burning through the matted carpet. 

"Ashlyn," Ali said quietly, her voice hard. "You know honesty is the most important thing in the world to me. I can't- I just can't..."

"Are you breaking up with me?" the goalkeeper blurted out, her eyes widening as she shifted her gaze onto the brunette. 

"No!" Ali promised, taking a step towards the woman. "I'm not. I... I just want you to be honest with me. I want to know if you really have never seen that picture before."

Ash shook her head furiously. "I haven't, Al, I swear."

A moment of heavy silence followed, tears prickling in Ashlyn's eyes, Ali simply staring at her.

"Do you believe me?"

"I love you."

"So?" Ashlyn tilted her head. 

"That says it all."

-

The brown haired goalkeeper was almost serious as she stormed out of her dorm building, tracking her way through the slippery sidewalk and crowds of people passing, clutching laptops and steaming coffees from the newly opened college cafe. Muttering "excuse me"s, Hope pushed her way into the classroom building where Kelley was at.

The freckled girl's Psychology class was just let out, about sixteen students, mainly girls, passed Hope in the hallway. Kelley was the last to exit, sharing a quick word with the professor before muttering a goodbye as well. When she laid eyes on Hope, the look on her face was indescribable. She knew why the keeper was there, and she also knew there was no way she could take all the shit Hope was about to send her way. 

"Uh, hi?" Kelley greeted through clenched teeth, a strained gaze looking at the taller girl. 

"Hello," Hope replied coldly, any past hint of welcoming or happiness to see her gone. The keeper's hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, dirt spotted her black jacket and a glare rested on her face. 

"What's up?" the freckled woman asked casually, sliding her textbook into the navy backpack she had slung over her shoulder. 

"Oh, I think you know what's up."

Kelley flinched. She had never heard Hope so angry, and her initial thought at the girl's voice was, I'm going to die. Kelley gave the older girl a look, hoisting the bag onto both shoulders and walking out of the building. Hope followed, Kelley sensing her presence. 

"What do you want?" Kelley finally demanded, stopping in the middle of the concrete path that led through the campus green. 

"To know why."

She sighed. "I'm sure you know why."

"But I want to hear it from you," Hope said, placing a hand on Kelley's blue backpack strap warningly.

Kelley rolled her green eyes in response. "Hope, it's none of your business."

Hope frowned. "It is my business! Alex is my best friend, and now she has a broken heart and it's my job to figure out why and fix it!" 

"But you know why!" Kelley protested, walking faster as to get out of Hope's reach. 

"Speak. You can tell me, we're friends."

Kelley stopped walking. Both were silent, Kelley staring at the ground and Hope staring at Kelley. 

After a very pregnant pause, "Fine."

"Okay, good." 

Kelley stared at her "friend". 

"Hope, I love Alex so much. And I always will! It's..." Kelley took a deep breath. "It's just that I-I think I love someone else... more..." 

"Allie." 

Kelley winced, running a hand through her thick, auburn ponytail. "Is it that obvious?"

Hope chuckled, "Totally. 100%," before returning to her solemn, angry gaze. "But that aside, you still broke my best friend's heart." 

The former defender groaned. "You suck." 

She could've sworn she saw Hope smile.