Night on the town

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

"Cordova!" One of her teammates squealed as Gracelyn kicked her into the door playfully. "My behind is not the soccer ball." The horse play started as soon as they walked into the bar and soon Grace was getting the raw end of the stick and was sitting at the edge of the table. If anyone needed out she was going to have to get up out of her seat. She wasn't complaining and she didn't seem to be bothered.

"What can I get you ladies to drink?" Herman came to the table setting down a few waters for the four girls.

Grace wasn't paying attention to the other girls orders but when it came around to her she ordered a non-alcoholic daiquiri."Seriously? Cordova? You aren't gonna drink?"

"Tu loco? I have to get up in the morning." (You crazy?) Oh she knew if she drank that she was going to not get up in the morning for practice and it was already getting late.

"Chicken. Cordova is a chicken. Bawk Bawk." The words were interrupted by Grace shoving her friend. The entire table was laughing and being quite boisterous.

Matthew Cole

[Matthew Cole]

Matt noticed how Grace froze when she looked over at the man in question. “He’s definitely following me.” That was the answer he expected as he saw the look on her face and he held her hand in return as she held on to his. But before he had a chance to deal with the guy Grace stomped over to him. Matt hurried to follow her with the intention of taking her arm to stop her approaching the man, then she shouted out the guys name in a very mother like tone letting Matt know she knew the guy and that this was not just some random stalking her. In fact Matt was sure Cordova meant he had to be a relative of hers. It all happened so fast, Grace introduced the man as her dead brother before slapping him across the face. He quickly looked at Nathaniel and then back to Grace, "Brother?" Needless to say Matt was more than a little confused, he looked back and forth between Grace and Nathaniel not entirely sure what was going on. But then he was more concerned over how upset Grace was as she began to cry. He moved to comfort Grace when Nathaniel moved in first. Matt watched as Nathaniel put his arms around Grace, though if she was going to take the hug well was yet to be seen. Matt just stayed close, ready in case Grace wanted to run into his arms as instead...or in case he needed to make Nathaniel back off. Coz right now the guy wasn't striking Matt as favor of the month.  Tag: Gracelyn Cordova . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

“Ooooo Cordova… someone’s got the hots for you.” One of her friends elbowed her in the side and was smirking like a loon. Grace rolled her eyes at Kelsi before dumping her friend on the floor beside the table. “GRACELYN!!!” The squealing caused the table to giggle before helping Kelsi off of the floor.

Grace shot the other girls across the table a look and no one else said a word. “It was a last minute decision after the game.” Gracelyn shrugged looking towards Matt as she shot one of her team mates another look. “He’s a friend from church. Ansley stop staring” Grace was feeling rather embarrassed right about now.

With a face turning 500 shades of red she bolted for the door. Matt was problematic, he made for an excellent accidental wall. On top of that his shoes made for great speed bumps. Gracelyn wasn’t drunk in the slightest but she was trying to figure out how to get out of the situation and running was the only thing that came to mind.

Matthew Cole

[Matthew Cole]

Matt had simply stopped to say a little hello on his way out only to be rewarded with a sudden feeling of awkward, horrified, panic when Kelsi blurted out he had the hots for Grace, though outwardly his eyes only widened ever so slightly with a 'who? why? what? where?' expression. He had been building up the courage for weeks to let Grace know that he liked her, and had her friend really just outed him like that? Was it THAT obvious? Then his panic immediately disappeared as he saw she was just teasing Grace and that she would have said it about any man that came along. It was all in good fun and he could appreciate that, in fact it was just the sort of thing he and the guys from work would do to each other...and had done. He smiled when the eye rolls and pushing started and grinned in amusement and chuckled when Kelsi hit the floor, again it was just the kind of thing he and the guys from work would do...and had done. He would have offered a hand to help the lady up but her giggling friends where quick to pick her off the floor as Grace introduced him as a friend from church. So she considered him a friend then and not just an acquaintance? That was good to know. But the thought quickly went as he felt Grace collide into him, only to trip right over his feet straight after. "How many have you had?" He joked as he helped her to her feet. He could see she wasn't drunk but the joke was to give her a way to laugh about it rather than feel like an idiot. As she stood back up he gently grabbed her by the shoulders encouraging her not to run, "They're only teasing." He grinned, gently turning Grace back towards her friends letting her know she didn't have to feel embarrassed and didn't need to leave on his account. "Hey, be nice." He said playfully, looking to her friends with a smile. Tag: Gracelyn Cordova . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Things were quickly growing awkward. Grace in a sudden burst of not really sure what to do grabbed Matt by the arm and pulled him towards the extra seat at the table. “Join us!” She blurted out. Oh right hadn’t he just asked her a question. “Um half of a drink?” She pointed at her drink on the table only to have Kelsi yabbering again.

“Cordova can’t hold her alcohol. Half a drink and she’s already running into men.” There was a chortle.

Grace shoved Kelsi’s hoodie over her head so her hands were half caught in the sleeves. “Says the one who is stuck in her shirt.” Well how the shirt got there was a moot point.

Then came Matt telling them to be nice. Grace burst out giggling harder. “You might be barking up the wrong tree there Matt.” She excused herself from the table and her group of friends before dragging Matt away from the craziness. To be fair? Grace wanted some peace and quiet where she could talk with Matt away from her crazy teammates.

“Sorry about that. Things can get a little rambunctious after games.” She admitted as she pushed the door to the bar open so they could head outside.

Tag: Matthew Cole

[/div

[Matthew Cole]

Once Matt turned Grace back to the table she responded by pulling his arm and verbally urging him to join them. He took a seat with no protest and smiled when Grace told him she had only had half a glass to drink. He had asked her that as a joke but she had still answered it, he could see she was flustered for some reason but he just found it kind of cute. He chuckled as the banter continued between the girls and ended with a shirt over someones head. "Yeah, I can see that." He replied lightheartedly when Grace told him he was barking up the wrong tree telling her friends to be nice. All their back and forth was in good fun and it was what friends did, at least it was what he and his friends did. If you couldn't mess around and have a bit of fun at each others expense then what was the point? Matt found himself being dragged away from the table again as Grace saved him from the giggling madness. Not that he was complaining at the chance to spend a few minutes alone with her. "Night ladies." He said to the table before he left for the door and followed Grace outside. “Sorry about that. Things can get a little rambunctious after games.” Rambunctious? He liked that. Grace was smart, pretty and articulate. Wow he even liked her choice of words...he liked everything about her and was beginning to realize just then how bad he had it. His buddies in the bullpen teased him enough over the stuff he said to them about Grace, he could only imagine what the ribbing would be like if they could heard the thoughts that went through his head about her. "Ah it's fine. Don't worry about it." He said, waving a hand dismissively. "It gets like that in the bullpen every time...the guys are in there." He smirked. He put his hands in his front pockets and shrugged. "All we have to do is walk in the door. Doesn't even have to be after a game or anything." He joked. "Trust me, I'm used to it." He assured her as they walked along. "Um, so uh, do you want a lift home or anything?" He asked her as they started getting closer to his car. Tag: Grace Taylor . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Grace wasn’t really itching to go home. Getting time with Matt? Yes. Part of her fell when he mentioned taking her home. He was being polite yes, but she’d gone out for the night and wanted to stay out. If he was going to be that boring she could always go back to the bar with her team mates. No, that wouldn’t come across right. “Yeah, um… sure.” She fumbled out as she pulled her phone out to glance at the time. It was still early enough to enjoy the evening.

Maybe she was wrong, maybe he had no sense of fun. She shoved her hands in her pockets of her hoodie and walked down the sidewalk in the general direction he was walking. Silence followed, she wasn’t really sure what to say. Had she upset him? Was it getting too late for him and was he up past his bedtime?

Gracelyn tried not to think about that as she grabbed her bag out of Kelsey’s car. Putting it over her shoulder she started digging through it to put some of her stuff away. This had been how she had dealt with her brother’s death at first. Drowning herself in the alcohol. Then it dawned on her. Matt was the first person who had managed to get her out of the bar. Maybe it was about someone watching out for her? Gracelyn smiled towards Matt and grabbed his hand to stop him in the middle of the sidewalk. Now she had no idea what to say to him.

Tag: Matthew Cole

[/div

[Matthew Cole]

Grace had walked out of the bar so Matt had just assumed she was ready to go home when he offered her a lift. Then things got slightly...he wasn't sure...awkward? Had he misunderstood? Maybe she had been hoping they could have had a walk together? Or maybe she was angeling for them to go someplace together. Or was that just wishful thinking? Either way they were both acting like a pair of awkward high school kids around each other right now, as they walked along the pavement in the fresh night air. Then Matt felt Grace grab his hand and the pair stopped in the middle of the street. He looked at her waiting to know what she wanted to say. Something in him was hopeful, but he wasn't sure what. But then Grace just seemed to look at him and no one was saying anything. He opened his mouth a little but nothing came out. There they were, smack in the middle of the sidewalk looking at each other speechlessly. How was it moments like this made people regress into awkward teenagers again? Then Matt spoke, albeit slightly awkwardly. Brushing the moment of silence off before things got too awkward between then, "Um, you know I was gonna grab something from this diner up the road before I went home." He shrugged, "If you wanted to get a coffee or something before you head home?" Wait. Had he just accidentally asked her out? He meant it as just coffee and maybe a bite to eat, when he asked her out he wanted to do it properly. He just hoped that Grace had taken it that way and wouldn't misunderstand as he stood there trying to act cool as he waited for a response. Though to be fair cool had taken a little bit of a dent with Grace tripping over him and him fumbling a little as he offered her something as simple as a pit stop for coffee. Tag: Gracelyn Cordova . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Things could not get more awkward than they already had. Or could they? He was fumbling like it was a crime to spend time with a friend. Going home to an empty house was hardly on her list of things to do until she was ready to sleep. Grace spent little if any time at home, it was painful and unless she was sleeping… there was little point in staying there. She was actually looking in to moving in with a few of her teammates.

“I could go home to an empty house and drink alone.” Wait did she just accidentally admit to Matt that she’d been drinking a little too much lately? Coffee though could sober her up a bit and spending time with a friend. “I think coffee with a friend sounds like a much better option.” She stated as she let go of his hand.

Grace was healing and coping with everything but the late nights drinking were her downfall. Depression wasn’t a thing, she would just drink to stay happy and fun. There were worse things to happen, but it was her one skeleton in the closet and probably one she had just accidentally let open the lid and peek out when she had indirectly admitted she really wanted more alcohol.

Tag: Matthew Cole

[Matthew Cole]

When Grace said she could go home and drinking alone Matt thought she was simply referring to living alone, not the fact that she had been drinking what was maybe a little too much lately. After all he lived alone himself and was accustom to having a cold beer alone to unwind at the end of the day so he could relate. And Grace had just left the bar after having only half a drink so it didn't really cross his mind that she had a drinking problem, she didn't strike him as the type. A light smile crossed his face when she said coffee with a friend sounded better. Coffee with his crush sounded better than having that beer alone at home to him as well. Then he felt her let go of his hand. Right, they had been holding hands all this time...well at least that was maybe a sign that she liked him too. Or then again maybe she was just the touchy-feely type. He took a step back as their hands parted, again it was slightly awkward but in a sweet way. Again he did his best to just brush it off and led her to his car. The short ride to the diner was filled with friendly small talk and chitchat. At least while they was driving they couldn't bump into one another or end up holding hands and Matt managed to regroup himself and stop acting like a smitten teenager. Though how long that would last once they got back out of the car was anyones guess. He really usually had so much more game around women than he had around Grace tonight, but on the other hand that was with women he wasn't all that serious about. It was funny how attraction could make two people act out of sorts around each other.  Once they got to the diner Matt held the door before following Grace inside. He had notice how cute she looked in her uniform and he motioned to it casually once they had taken a seat in one of the booths, "So how long have you been playing soccer for?" Tag: Gracelyn Cordova . (Ooc: Hope it's ok that I skipped ahead a little) ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Matt would ask about soccer. “Since I was little.” She gave him a simple answer. Explaining why she poured her heart and soul into something that kept her busy wasn’t really on her list to do. She was into soccer because of her brother. Grace cracked a smile. Her smile was her way of hiding everything from the outside world. There was no point in living in her past but that didn’t make things any less difficult for her over the years. But she had always been the type that tried to move on through difficult things.

Time to change the subject Gracelyn. She ordered herself a coffee without missing a beat and looked towards Matt once more. Why did he make it so difficult to concentrate? Eyes to yourself. She had to remind herself of that more than a few times since she’d met him. “Let me guess, church league softball type?” She replied to cover up the fact she’d just been practically staring at him. Good job Gracelyn. Call a cop a softball type. No wait he’s a detective. The conversation in her head that continued she tried to ignore it and correct herself from her earlier comment.

“That wasn’t meant to sound…” she paused, “...well how it sounded.” Yeah because that didn’t make things any better. How long were they both going to dance around the subject? Small talk wasn’t usually her thing, she was more reserved and quiet until someone brought out her playful side. No she was probably right about the softball thing, he had the biceps for it. She played with the rim of her coffee cup once it came. She had to try and dig herself out of the hole she had just dug herself into by opening her mouth.

Tag: Matthew Cole

[Matthew Cole]

He smiled when she said she'd been playing soccer since she was little. He loved kicking a ball around from the day he had learned to stand up and tot around, but it had never been anything more than a pass time for him, "And how long you been doing it professionally?" When Grace ordered the coffee the waitress looked to Matt and he ordered a diet soda and a classic burger seeing as it would be his dinner and he hadn't eaten since lunch. He looked to Grace, "You want anything to eat?" He offered. It was his treat. Then the waitress scurried off to get their order. He grinned and shook his head with a chuckle when she made the Church league softball comment. It took him off guard but he was amused rather than offended. "Really?" He asked with an exasperated grin. "That's how I strike you?" He was joking of course. But deep down he hoped that wasn't how he came off to her. There was nothing wrong with softball of course, but he kind of wanted to impress her and he hoped she saw him as more masculine than that, even if that was an 'old fashion' way of thinking. "I know." He assured her with a smile when she said she didn't mean it how it sounded. He went to church so it wasn't a leap to assume he played on a church league. "No. I play soccer too, actually." He shared. Happy that they had a common interest. "Nothing serious though, just a kick around with some of the guys after work." He added with a casual shrug, "But you have to tell me though, is playing soccer for a living as awesome as I imagine it would be?" He asked lightheartedly. He rested one arm on the back of the booth comfortably and looked at her. Though he had to fight looking at her in her uniform. "To tell you the truth, when you first told me you played soccer, for some reason I though you coached it." He confessed. His mind had jumped to the image of her coaching a team of 12 year olds because, come on, how many professional soccer players did you ever meet from day to day? Especially when you worked for the city and spent most of the time rubbing elbows with scumbags and criminals. "I don't know why. I guess in my head those guys are always just on tv you know? It was actually pretty cool once the penny dropped." He added. Though he wasn't sure why he had just admitted that. "So what position do you play?"He asked, Genuinely interested. He wasn't one of those guys who though womens soccer wasn't a 'real sport', even if he didn't tend to watch it on tv. Tag: Gracelyn Cordova . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Right. Professionally. “I was drafted to Chicago five years ago out of college.” She shrugged as she talked about it. Soccer was the only reason she had even gone to college. Her family hadn't been well off financially. They never could have afforded to send her. Nate had chosen to go into the military. Not that she could blame him, things growing up had been rough. But she'd been younger when he'd left and upset at him.

“Perhaps in a little bit. It takes me a bit to stomach food after eating a few balls.” Well not literally eat them, but after games she usually came home with a few new bruises. It was just part of the job.

She quirked a brow when he said he played. Well most people did ‘kick around a ball’ and call it soccer. “It doesn't pay to well if that's what you mean. But it's something to keep me busy.” She was sharing a house with her teammates. “Sometimes the fans can be… over the top. Want to get to close that kind of thing.” She wasn't trying to be a kill joy but just telling him like it was. “Wouldn't trade it though.”

Cue coaching comment. She set her coffee down and nearly choked. “I can't teach anyone how to climb out of a cardboard box.” She giggled a little. Teacher/coach she most definitely was not.

“I don't even pay attention to the media coverage anymore other than for stats.” Truth be told she hated watching soccer on tv because it only furthered the image that she needed to take off weight. Coach was still telling her she needed to drop a few pounds.


Well if there wasn't the question of the day. Well he definitely didn't pay much attention to the team. Though not many did. “The uniform didn't give it away?” She chuckled. Her uniform was the only different styled one (albeit same team colors) on the team. “Goalkeeper” she stated with a smirk.

There was a quirked expression. “Let me guess… at work no one is there to guard the goal.” She teased with him. It was clear she was just jesting. There were games she'd played as a kid where they didn't have enough people to play with goalies. Sometimes it would just be four people in a vacant lot. She was remembering those days but silently.



Tag: Matthew Cole

[Matthew Cole]

"What collage did you go to?" He asked when Grace told him she was drafted out of collage. The fact that they had both been to collage had come up during one of their casual chats at church but they didn't get as far as where they went and what she had studied.    “Perhaps in a little bit. It takes me a bit to stomach food after eating a few balls.” Matt smiled amusedly at the joke. She was funny as well as smart, which was why he liked her from the start. "No, I wasn't talking about the money. I just meant is playing professionally fun?" Matt wasn't one to focus on fame and fortune, there was so many other things that brought much more happiness. "I mean as long as you have enough to pay the bills it doesn't matter how much a job pays as long as it makes you happy, gives you some sense of satisfaction." He said with a shrug. "Yeah, I can imagine." He said with a slightly wrinkled nose when she said about the fans. But he smiled when she said she wouldn't trade her job, life was to short to spend most of the day doing something you didn't like. Her cardboard box comment caught him off guard causing him to laughed out loud. He shook his head and giggled for a moment, yep she was definitely funny alright...and that smile of hers was a killer too. Matt pursed his mouth a little and shrugged when Grace asked if her uniform didn't tip him off, "I did notice. But your friend Kelsey was the only one who had a uniform on as well, so I wasn't sure which was the standard uniform and who had the difference."  He leaned his head on his knuckles comfortably, "Thought in hindsight the eating soccer balls comment maybe should have tipped me off." He jested. “Let me guess… at work no one is there to guard the goal.” "It depends. If there's just a few of us then we just mess around. But if there is six or more of us then we have goalies and we play by the rules." He replied. "Well...Mostly..." He added, "Not gonna lie, we do sometimes end up sort of tackling and wrestling each other and things descend into a kind of football/soccer hybrid. Especially if some of the guys have been drinking." He admitted with a light grin. Growing up he had spent many hours with friends messing about and 'kicking a ball around' the road outside of his building or around an empty car park. But he had also played properly on a few teams over the years as well, so he knew the difference between just kicking a ball around and playing soccer properly. Though he still liked to do both and hadn't grown out of messing around either. Tag:  Gracelyn Cordova . ~*~

[Gracelyn Cordova]

and i won't take defeat

template by punki-chan of adoxography

Grace wasn’t exactly the small talk type of person but if he wanted to talk college she would. “University of Chicago” the answer was simple. She wasn’t necessarily the type to just give most people information unless she was asked for it. “You?” She tossed back with a small smile on her face as she sipped on her coffee.

“Well it hardly pays the bills. I live with my three of my roommates. And some days are better than others. But I enjoy it.” She pointed out. Grace only had to support herself, things might have been different if it wasn’t just her. But when all she had to do was chip in on the bills it was enough to get by.

All Grace could do was chuckle at him and laugh. Okay well maybe he had been half asleep at the bar, she’d give him that one. She listened to him talk about the soccer/football hybrid and she made a face. Grace got kicked around a fair bit but she was just glad that no one was allowed to tackle her. Though it had happened once. “Why don’t you come to a game and I’ll show you how to play.” She teased. Okay so maybe he knew how to play but she could always tease him.

Tag: Matthew Cole