Chapter Text
Tobin was a freshman at Diamond Bar High School in California when she first met Alex Morgan on her high school soccer team. Alex was a sophomore on varsity and was the starting forward. Tobin, being as talented as she was, made varsity as a freshman and by mid-season was the starting mid-fielder. Soon it became obvious to everyone that Tobin and Alex had chemistry on and off the field. Tobin always knew where Alex was and played her the perfect balls. It was like clockwork. Although the synergy between the two was blatant, it took them awhile to admit that they had feelings for each other.
Eventually, towards the end of Alex's junior year, she admitted to the younger girl she had feelings for her. Tobin then assured her she had had the same feelings for Alex since the end of her freshman year. It was like a dream come true for both the girls. The person they truly loved loved them back. They soon started dating. They became inseparable. Having sleep overs every night in the summer, riding to and from soccer practice, and hanging out at each-others houses in-between 2-a-days, they had spent so much time together that they understood the other perfectly.
They could sit in silence and be comfortable. One could tell when the other was upset or mad just by looking at her for 3 seconds. Like when Alex missed her PK in the semifinal of the tournament, the team still won riding on Alex’s other two goals. However, after the game everyone was so excited and celebrated by singing “we’re goin to the ship…we’re goin to the ship”, but no one seemed to notice Alex slowly packing up her things and heading straight to the bus, no one except Tobin that is. Tobin followed her out to the bus to find Alex just sitting in her seat and looking at the window. Tobin knew Alex felt like she had let everyone down by missing something as simple as a PK. Although Tobin knew none of that was true, she knew telling her girlfriend that wouldn’t make a difference, so she just sat next to her and cradled Alex in arms until her teammates arrived on the bus twenty minutes later. Body language and eye contact was all they needed to understand the other completely without even needing a single word to be spoken. It truly was what happens when you love your best friend.
Alex's senior year finally began. She had accepted an offer to go play soccer at The University of Cal Berkley, which was not just a great soccer hub but also had superb academics. Tobin and Alex had already made the plan for Tobin to end up there once she was finished with high school. All they had to do was get through one year without the each other. They both tried to push the idea out of their heads and use the most of the time they still had. But sometimes those thoughts of the coming challenge of being separated crept into their minds. All they had to do to push those thoughts away was to look at the other to see that the she was just as scared.
By the time Alex's senior year ended, she had an almost perfect year. She had had Tobin with her every step of the way. Tobin was at soccer senior night, all the award banquets, and graduation. Life was good, but both girls knew the good times were going to be coming to an end, and the hard times would start rolling in. The summer after senior year went by as quickly as senior year did, especially since Alex's summer was cut short because she had to leave early for soccer training.
The night before Alex left for Berkley, after she packed up her car and was all set for the morning, she started her goodbye tour by stopping by and saying goodbye to all her close friends. Alex, of course, saved the most important goodbye for last. It was about 10 pm once Alex made her way over to Tobin's house. Tobin was sitting on the front porch: she didn't want to wake the rest of her family who was inside sleeping. The second Alex walked up to the porch, the water works started. Both girls couldn't hold it together. They sat on the porch for two hours just crying and consoling the other. Eventually, Alex did need to get home, so she could sleep for her long ride the next day. Alex took Tobin by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes and said "I love you, and we will make this work no matter what....and in one year this will be over, and we will be together again...our love can withstand this...do you agree?" (Alex, being the older, always had to be the stoic one). "Yes, I agree" Tobin mumbled as a few faint tears fell down her face. Alex smiled and looked Tobin deep in the eyes, etching each feature of her face into her memory. She wanted to remember Tobin’s slick jawline, rosy cheeks, and hazel eyes even after they parted ways. Alex then closed the space between them, closed her eyes, and kissed Tobin’s jaw, Tobin’s cheeks, Tobin’s eyes, and Tobin’s lips. one. last. time.
As Alex drove off, she couldn't help but break down once again. She was leaving the love of her life for months at a time. It felt so cruel. But she knew she had to do it. At the same time Tobin had turned around to head inside to attempt to sleep. Before falling asleep, both girls thought to themselves "it's only a year...if anyone can do it it's us".