Venus Vs Mars

Chapter 71

While Odell was training, Massy continued press for the World Cup. The team lined center filed of the UCLA Bruins stadium for a charity game put on by the Women's Sports Foundation, sponsor booths like Powerade, Under Armor, and Verizon lined up next to one another on the outside sidelines. Massy was beyond excited to be back at her old college. Students, professors, coaches, and young kids filled the seats as the 23 women of the USWNT were being introduced.

Massy unzipped the front of her white nike flee. "Ace, that's the wrong jersey." Hope said looking inside her flee at it. 

She looked down confused, chewing her gum at the same time. "What?" She looked over at Hope as she began to pull her zipper down showing Massy that she had the white jersey on. "How the f**k did I get this jersey then!" 

Hope began laughing. "Bob gave you that one?" She asked through her laugh referring to Bob the Equipment manager. Hope began cracking up, she threw her head back bending at the knees. 

"I swear to god! I better not be the only one with a wrong jersey!" Massy cursed as she too began laughing with Hope.

Massy's wrong jersey was corrected by a quick change for the game, then she was back in normal clothes, a yellow UCLA Bruins shirt and a pair of black nike compression leggings as she sat on her old college campus signing more autographs. Massy preferred the youth Q&A over the press/ media Q&A, talking to younger girls was more entertaining, the questions were less about logistics and laws about soccer and more about what it's like to play on such a high level, what's it like to be on tv, what was her favorite country to visit. With younger girls there was no right or wrong answer, there was no "she's being too cocky" none of that, they were just excited to be sitting in front of a famous person. 

MassyAriasII: Once a Bruins always a Bruins. Thank you Women's Sports Foundation for putting on such an amazing event at UCLA, and thank you to all the young girls and women for coming out and showing so much support for the USNWT #RoadToTheWorldCup #OneTeamOneNation #UCLABruins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Odell took it upon himself to switch his training from New York to California until the World Cup was over, that way he could be with Massy in San Diego at all times. Aside from traveling to wherever he needed to be for whatever job he was doing, he remained by Massy's side for support. Odell's heart shattered when Massy told him he was the cause of her frustration, that he was the one that took her mind out of the game. It killed him even more when he realized at the end of Massy's rookie season he had yet to go to one of her games. Even though he was fully capable of going.

He laid on the weight lifting bench, Jarvis stood at the head of the bench just in case Odell needed a spotter. "So, you staying here? What y'all live together now?"

He wrapped his long fingers around the metal bar and held his position. "Yup, I'm staying here with her until the World Cup starts, then I'm going to Canada for the World Cup to watch her play in every game. Then after that ends, we got like three free months to be together before I start training camp in July, then she leaves for the Olympics in August, then comes back on the first, then she's home for football season until her season starts back up again in December." He lifted the bar off the hook and began pumping the heavy weight up and down, keeping his stomach tight, he flexed his chest controlling his breathing.

Jarvis frowned and shook his head. "Damn, you got the whole damn year figured out brah."

Odell was silent for a few seconds until he finished his set, placing the bar on the hook. "I told you I was serious when I said I gotta work on me to pay more attention to her." He said in between breathes. "s**t just come natural when it feels right. I'm doing this s**t without even thinking about it now."

"Damn, my talk really helped you." Jarvis said shaking his head with a slight smile, Odell's face went stale as he eyed Jarvis's comment of giving himself all the credit to Odell finally getting himself together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Massy dropped her duffle bag to the floor and wrapped her arms around Odell's neck, she leaned into him and pecked at his lips. "What are you still doing here? I thought you were going back to New York."

Odell looked down at Massy and shook his head. "Nope, I'm staying and training until you leave for Canada, then I'ma be over there to see you play."

Massy's eyebrows shoot up in shock, she c****d her head back from him. Odell may not have seen any of her previous games but watching her play in the World Cup outweighed all of that. He had completely changed his schedule around to stay and support her.

Massy rubbed the back of Odell's head, his curls being pulled apart every time her fingers ran threw them, he closed his eyes and the weight of his body sunk further and further on Massy's body as he became more relaxed lying in between her legs, with his head on her stomach.

"Thank you." Massy said looking down at him, her eyes running over his muscular shoulders, arms, and back.

"For what?" He asked keeping his eyes closed as he laid comfortably on her warm body.

Massy paused for a moment, this time looking at the tattoos that covered him. "For staying with me."

"This is the only place I need and want to be." Massy felt Odell's arms tighten around her waist, his voice deeper than normal due to him being sleepy. Odell's change in behavior not only showed Massy that he was serious about this relationship. If Massy could forgive him and move on and give him a second chance, then there was no way Odell was going to mess this up.