Chapter Text
Christen Press hated the rain. She absolutely despises it. She also hates the days where rain would be needed but was never found. I guess, she just hated the unpredictability of weather. Today though was a day where Christen HATED not having rain. It was 6:45 am on a Thursday, and the sun was burning through each and every one of the players on the field.
The grass looked and felt like it could catch on fire at any point. The crossbars felt like lava dripping down a pole. The girls felt like they were roasted alive.
The team got to meet their coaching staff and team today and it wasn't exactly the best way to meet as the weather has got everyone on their toes. Coach Ellis was clear on how she wanted the team as she practically reiterates what Pineo, Hope, and Becky had to say.
Christen was definitely upset with the conditions and she let that anger and aggravation out the best she knew how to. Firing those balls straight for the back of the net.
"Jeez Pressy, you're gonna actually break Ashlyn's hands if you keep firing those shots." Christen sighed and chugged your water as she fell onto Julie's shoulder, feeling defeated by the scolding sun. "I don't want to feel like this. The sun is going to kill everyone before we even get to play our first game."
Julie rolled her eyes and patted her overly dramatic friend's head playfully. "Calm down. I don't think that's gonna happen. I gotta ask though, why is one of the only native California girls getting so impacted by the sun?"
Christen groaned and buried herself deeper into Julie and was able to mumble some barely audible words. "My eyes aren't huge fans of the sun." A whistle blew and Christen looked up with squinting eyes to see what was everyone jogging back into the bench to finish and pack up.
"Wow. The girls really can't seem to steer away from trouble huh?" Christen looked up to see what Julie was referring to and finally saw Emily, Lindsey, and Tobin being talked to by the couch that they had only met today. "Trouble is their middle name, Jules." Julie nods.
"I know. That's why I like them. Still, they need to have some restrains here. They have absolutely no self-control." Christen nodded. She couldn't agree more. "That's unfortunate. I like them too." Christen 'them' might be tat different from Julie's 'them' but it ultimately meant the same thing.
Even with her eyes being attacked by the harsh sunlight, she was able to spot a familiar lanky figure coming towards her. Christen had been trying so hard to avoid the girl but she had failed every time. Tobin always found a way to spark a smile on Christen's face or push a laugh out of her mouth. It was tough seeing how they were only 3 rooms apart. Why she avoided the girl was beyond her reach. She didn't like the effect that Tobin had on her, but at the same time, it's addictive and unstoppable.
"Hey Chris, are you okay?" Christen snapped out of her thoughts and realized that the subject of the thoughts was standing right in front of her. "Yeah, I'm fine. The sun is being a bit of an asshole, though."
Tobin chuckled and wiped away some of the sweat from the early morning bake in the Sun and sat next to Christen, who has detached herself from Julie.
"Damn. That's not good is it?" Christen shook her head as she moved closer to Tobin, falling into her spiral again. She knew that she was going to scold herself after this but for now all she feels is safety and comfort with the girl sitting next to her. She closed her eyes as she felt herself wanting to lean her forehead on Tobin's shoulder, feeling herself lose it once again. She really wanted to lose it, she wanted to be the way that they were when we were just riding the bus together. Now that was simple.
She sighed and forced herself off the thought of Tobin and stood up in a hurry, grabbing her bag and cleats. "We should head back." Tobin nodded and turned around to grab her things as well. "Yea let me just grab my-... bag." Before Tobin could finish her sentence, Christen was already walking away. Tobin, being Tobin, didn't really think anything of it, but was surprised by the girl's quick shift.
-
The team had made their way back to the house. Some had classes that they had to run to, but others stayed back and decided to take advantage of their open house. "COOKIE TIME!" Kelley and Emily was quick to take charge of the whole 'operation' and wasted no time grabbing anything with more than 50grams of sugar out of cabinets and the fridge and snapped on obnoxiously colorful aprons from the kitchen. They were ready and loaded until they realized... "How on earth are cookies made anyways?" Kelley shrugged, leaning on the kitchen bench. "I thought you knew how to make them."
Emily shook her head. "No, no I thought you knew."
Kelley repeated the same action as Emily. "No, no, no, I thought you knew."
"NO. No, no I thought you-"
"OKAY! We got it you both have no clue to make cookies." Tobin shook her head and sat across from the two clueless girls. Christen followed in with Allie by her side and immediately starts giggling at the girls' appearances. "You two look horrible and how do you not know how to make cookies they're the easiest thing to make." Kelley sighed, feeling defeated by a bunch of random ingredients.
"Since you are so good at this, you mind making us cookies Press?" Emily questioned with her hands clasped together and her bottom lip sticking out. Christen rolled her eyes and tied her hair up to a bun. "Move you amateurs. Let me make you the best cookies, you've ever seen in your entire life."
Christen grabbed baking trays and large mixing bowls and placed them on the counter. She was determined to stand by her words and make the best cookies they have ever seen in their entire life. She moved around the kitchen gracefully and made sure that she was getting everything right, down to the very last grain of ingredient she would put in.
She had made both Kelley and Emily to help her by making them do small tasks and chores here and there to make her job easier and quicker. She made sure to attempt to make the cookies all in the same shape and size while not letting any batter go to waste.
Tobin couldn't help but stare. The girl could be any more perfect than she already was. She was scared by how Christen could effortlessly make her feel things that isn't familiar to her. It was new, exciting and so, so scary.
Yet Tobin doesn't mind scary, this girl loved the thrill and excitement of danger and risks. She would jump into shark-infested water if she could, just to ride a good wave. She didn't know the girl for that long, but she feels as though she misses her a little. She felt a bit selfish for wanting Christen to herself like when they would ride the bus together. That felt easy and frankly, amazing. But now she can't seem to find a time where she could talk to Christen without someone popping out of nowhere, let alone hang out with her for more than 10 minutes.
Seeing how Christen had just finished with the cookies as she closed the oven door, Tobin decided that maybe it was time for them to talk. She jogged behind Christen as the girl was walking up the stairs towards her room. "Hey, Christen!" Christen stopped in her step and turned around giving Tobin a small closed-lip smile. "Hey. What's up?"
"Nothing really. I just was wondering are you free to hang out later. We haven't been able to do that in a while and I just thought it would be fun ya know?"
Christen wanted nothing more than to fling herself at Tobin and say yes, okay maybe not fling but she definitely wanted to accept her invitation. She wanted to be able to hang out like old times but she knew that it wouldn't be like old times. Everything was the same; same Christen, same Tobin, same town, but different heart. And that was enough for Christen to bite her tongue and clunch her fist and say, "I actually have to be in class soon and I don't know if I will have time afterward. Sorry, Tobin... maybe some other time?" Tobin gave Christen a closed-lip smile and nodded slowly. She was disappointed but she didn't want to overstep any lines with the girl. "Yea, yea of course. I just have to ask...are you okay? Like is something bothering you? Me perhaps?"
Christen was quick to object, not wanting the girl to think that she was at fault. "No, no, no! Of course not, Tobs. It's definitely not you." It's me. It's all me. "I'm just busy with... things. I promise we will hang out as soon as possible. Okay?" Tobin smiled softly. She knows she has only known the girl for a few weeks but she could tell whenever something was up with her. Today was no different. She didn't push Christen any further and accepted what she had to say.
Once Tobin had walked back into the kitchen, Christen made her way up into her room. She closed the door behind her and immediately flung herself into her bed. She wanted to scream, shout, hit something. She just wanted to make some noise; she told herself that maybe the loud sounds could make up for her suppressed thoughts. This is for the best, I am doing this for both of us. No one deserves to get hurt.
-
Christen ran straight towards the building entrance, hoping to get class as soon as possible and away from the house as soon as possible. She sat down in class, finally feeling at ease about everything. Christen wasn't the biggest fan of school, but she loves learning. You give her a book on something exciting and new and she will be a master at it by the next 2 days. She loved the idea of understanding, learning and developing, which then pushed her into taking this class; psychology.
"Alright. I got 3 words for you guys today. 'theories of perception'." Dr. Mato sat down on the edge of her table and stared out into her class. "Anyone got any ideas or clues on what the hell I just said? Or are we all blank right now?" She took one last look and nodded. "Yup okay. All blank. Open up to page 93, please."
The class rustled around and dug out pieces of equipment and textbooks. Christen sat there and was already ready for the class, waiting on her class to get settled.
AND Kelley, who has just arrived in class using soccer training as an excuse for her lateness. Dr. Mato excused her, knowing that there's no point as of this moment to argue and discuss her unpunctuality. 4
"You were out of the house quickly, you didn't even wait for me, I'm truly hurt Christen." Kelley pouted and placed a hand over her heart. Christen couldn't help but grew a small smile at her friend's childlike behaviors.
"I'm sorry, I'll be sure to wait for you next time. But to my defense, if I had waited we both would've walked through those doors late once again." Kelley grabbed her equipment out of her backpack and rolled her eyes. "Yea, yea, yea..."
Their conversation ended as Dr. Matos interrupts and continues on with her lesson. "Ms. O'Hara, since you have blessed us with your presence, could you please read the following passage for us?" Kelley silently scold herself for being late and reads the passage out.
"Perception is essentially how we gather and recognize information through our senses and also how we react and treat a situation with the given information. Perception in psychology is basically our behavior towards that situation and how past experiences and prior knowledge influence our actions and emotions." Kelley finished her words with a smug smile like she had done something extremely difficult without struggle. "Thank you, Kelley. Now, does anyone have anything to say? Anything at all?" Everyone was silent. Everyone seemed to be whispering among one another but no one actually spoke up.
"I have a question for you people. If one were to make up their mind about a certain situation beforehand, does the same theory apply as the behavior of the person was set prior to the event? So the surroundings and environment had no part in their decision-making process." The class stopped their small whispers as Dr. Matos waited patiently for someone in her class to speak up. "Well... I have another question. If one had made up their mind before actually having any solid idea of the situation. From a 1 to 10 scale, how right do you think they are about the situation?" Once again. Silence.
Christen's gear and brain were running though. She had all these thoughts rushing through her mind as she thinks of a particular situation that she removed herself from before it even has a chance to start.
"B-but doesn't past experiences and emotions influence the way the human mind reacts to the situation?"
"I'm sorry Christen, but could you please repeat that?"
Christen cleared her voice and spoke in a volume that was audible. "Don't past experiences and emotions influence the way the human mind reacts to the situation? If you are faced with a situation with potentially the same outcomes, doesn't your mind react in a way that prevents you from being affected by the situation? I mean, the whole idea of behaviorism clearly presents the notion that one's response to its environment and surrounding shapes their actions. Your mind is a prison and you don't want to lose control."
The class was silent. And Kelley was clenching onto Christen's arm tightly with her mouth agape. There was no doubt that Christen was smart, but never in her life has Christen presented her perspective like this.
"Very impressive Christen. That is exactly what I was hoping for. A challenge. I want you guys to challenge this theory. And I expect a response by the next class." The class groaned and Kelley dropped her head onto the table.
Christen sat in silence, feeling skeptical of her own words. She had wished that Dr. Matos would have rebutted her point, allowing her to see differently. But that obviously wasn't the case. Still, a part of her was glad that nothing was questioned, giving her the affirmation that what she has been doing and how she has been treating the situation was and is correct.