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“Uh… Monica, what are you and Selena doing tonight?”

“Nothing. Probably just hanging out in the room and grabbing food. Why?”

“Think your ankle could handle being at a restaurant? Aspen is looking for people to have dinner with tonight.”

“Not exactly what I said, but okay,” Aspen replied under her breath, but Kendra heard it.

“You want to have dinner with us? Planning on getting us drunk before the match tomorrow?” Selena joked.

“If that were my strategy, I’d lose most of my matches. But yeah, let’s… let’s all hang out. The four of us. DJ can’t go, but we all could. There’s a Thai place by the hotel, or I heard of this great steak house that also does this amazing roast chicken.”

“Not into Thai, but I’m down with the steak house,” Monica replied. “Babe?”

“We’re in the med tent, Monica.” She gave Monica wide eyes.

“Sorry. This is new. Selena, do you want to go to the steak house with Kendra and Aspen tonight?”

“Sure,” Selena said.

“And I’m calling you ‘babe’ there,” Monica stated. “I’ve waited two years to get to call you ‘babe,’ so you’ll have to deal with it tonight at dinner.”

Selena smiled down at her before she placed a gentle hand on Monica’s shoulder.

“I think I can get down with that.”

“I’m going to go check on DJ, but… Seven? Outside the hotel, maybe? Or, I could meet you there,” Aspen said.

“Outside the hotel is fine,” Kendra confirmed.

“Okay. I’ll see you then.” Aspen gave her what looked like a forced smile and walked off.

“What was that?” Monica asked her.

“What was what?” Kendra asked back.

“You and Aspen.”

“What about me and Aspen?”

“You like her.”

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do. I can tell. I know you’ve had a crush on her forever, but this was different. You actually like her.”

“You have a crush on Aspen Ashley?” Selena asked.

“Can we not talk about this here, please?” Kendra looked around at the only half-empty tent, with trainers and other players who could easily overhear them.

“She asked you out,” Monica noted.

“What? No, she didn’t.”

“Kendra, she asked you to have dinner with her. I heard it,” Monica argued.

“Because she’s bored, and her partner can’t go. She was looking for someone to hang out with.”

“Why did you invite us to tag along?” Monica asked.