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We murmur our assent, eager to get started.
“Before we begin, I have some good news.” Raul smiles. “While we were enjoying our rest, Mrs. Delvaux and Mrs. Griffin have been hard at work, gathering investors and growing the club’s finances. We can’t pay what the top clubs pay, not yet, but every contract in this room just went up.”
We cheer. It’s not much, but it’s a start. It shows that the club is moving in the right direction.
“That’s not all,” Raul says. “I’m happy to announce that after training, we will go into the new basement-turned-gym with the best equipment we could get courtesy of our brand new sponsor. Make sure you take good care of it.”
More cheers, louder this time. This is huge.
“And last but not least, we have a new player joining us today. She’s a talented striker, who will add more depth to our attack. Please welcome Mia Hartley.”
We all turn to look, but Rebecca and I are the only ones shocked to see the Apex Predators’ forward walking over to us. She’s wearing a Dawnbreak jersey, her number 9 on the back.
I frown. “Mia? What the hell is she doing here?”
Rebecca looks equally confused, her brow furrowed. “I thought she was with the Predators.”
“She was,” Raul says. “But she decided to join us instead.”
Mia looks just as shy as always. “Hey, everyone. Nice to meet you.”
Mia has been a Tider since she was a kid. She’s the epitome of loyalty and integrity. Why would she switch sides like that? And why didn’t she tell me first?
“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping forward. “Why are you here?”
Mia bites her lip, avoiding my gaze. “I… I wanted a change of scenery. A new challenge.”
I scoff. “Bullshit.”
I know that line. Valentina gave it to me outside a locker room in February, and it was a lie then too.
“Lexa,” Raul warns. “Don’t be rude.”
“I’m not being rude. I’m being honest. Mia, come on. We’ve known each other for years. You can tell me the truth.”
She sighs, then looks up at me. “It’s complicated, okay? I just… I didn’t feel comfortable there anymore. Not after all the changes. The club didn’t feel the same after you and Rebecca left.”
“So you decided to join the rival team?”
“I decided not to renew the contract. I didn’t plan on coming to Dawnbreak, but when I got the call, it felt right. I think I can do good here and help the team grow.”
I try to read her expression. She seems sincere.
“In that case,” I say, the corners of my mouth curling up, “welcome to the Breakers.”
She smiles. “Thank you. I’m excited to be here.”
“Great,” Raul says, clapping his hands. “Now that that’s settled, let’s get to work. We have a lot of ground to cover before our first match.”
We split into groups and start practicing. I’m paired with Valentina and Mia, which makes me a little nervous. I haven’t played with Mia since I left the Tide, and I don’t know how well we’ll work together.
But to my surprise, we click right away, slipping into old patterns. She’s quick and a natural goal scorer. She finishes low and across the keeper, the way I taught her, and the first time she does it she looks over at me like she’s checking whether she’s allowed.
Valentina links up with her perfectly, creating chances and finishing them.
We play for hours, running drills, practicing set pieces, and scrimmaging. It’s exhausting, but fun. I feel alive.
We go into the gym afterwards and it’s even better than I expected. The machines are top-notch, the weights are heavy, and there’s enough space for all of us to work out without bumping into each other. We even have a smoothie station.
